What a Goliath bet means

A Goliath is a full-cover bet on eight selections producing a huge 247 bets, with no singles:

  • 28 doubles
  • 56 trebles
  • 70 fourfolds
  • 56 fivefolds
  • 28 sixfolds
  • 8 sevenfolds
  • 1 eightfold

It is the largest of the common named full-cover bets. A £1 Goliath costs £247, so most people bet it in small unit fractions like 10p or 20p a line.

A worked example

At a 10p unit, a Goliath still costs £24.70. Say you back eight selections at 2.00 each.

If two win, one double pays 2.00 × 2.00 = 4.00 → 40p returned on your 10p line. Against a £24.70 outlay, that is a heavy loss.

If all eight win, the eightfold alone pays 2.00⁸ = 256.00 → £25.60 on a 10p stake, plus every lower combination — a total in the thousands. But hitting eight from eight is extraordinarily unlikely. Our accumulator calculator will lay out all 247 lines so you can see how many winners you actually need before the bet moves into profit.

When and why it is used

A Goliath is used when someone:

  • Has eight selections (typically a full race meeting) and wants every combination covered.
  • Wants a long-shot lottery-style bet with a small unit stake and a large ceiling.
  • Enjoys the coverage of a full-cover bet without placing hundreds of slips manually.

Realistically, it is an entertainment bet — the appeal is the big number, not the expected value.

The honest downside

The Goliath is the clearest example of how full-cover margin works against you.

  • 247 slices of edge. Every one of the eight selections carries the bookmaker’s margin, compounded across all 247 lines. The overround stacks brutally here — our margin calculator shows why big multiples are the worst-value bets on the board.
  • The cost is deceptive. “Just 20p a line” is still £49.40.
  • You need lots of winners. With no singles and doubles as the smallest bet, a couple of winners rarely dents the stake. Real returns need most of the eight to land.
  • Variance is enormous. Long dry runs are normal, and the rare big win does not offset the steady bleed for most bettors.

A Goliath can be a bit of fun on a big race day, but treat it as a lottery ticket, not a strategy.

Compare full-cover markets at our best betting sites, but be honest with yourself about the maths. A 247-bet slip is where discipline matters most — set limits at our responsible gambling hub.

18+. Gambling involves real financial risk. If it stops being fun, take a break — play responsibly.