Lucky 31 Calculator
Total outlay = stake per bet x 31
How To Use This Calculator
The Lucky 31 calculator computes returns for the full 31-bet multiple from 5 selections. Mark winners and losers, set your unit stake, and toggle optional UK bookmaker bonuses.
The calculator multiplies your unit stake by 31 for the total outlay.
Enter odds for each pick and toggle whether it won or lost.
See returns split by singles, doubles, trebles, four-folds, and the five-fold accumulator.
What Is a Lucky 31?
A Lucky 31 is a UK multiple bet built from 5 selections. It combines every possible single, double, treble, four-fold, and five-fold accumulator into 31 separate bets. Just one selection has to win for a return, but the structure pays steeply more when extra legs land because of the compounding combinations.
Like the Lucky 15, the bet originated in UK and Irish horse racing and is offered by every major British bookmaker. The Lucky 31 sits between the Lucky 15 (4 picks, 15 bets) and the Lucky 63 (6 picks, 63 bets) in the family.
- 5 singles
- 10 doubles
- 10 trebles
- 5 four-folds
- 1 five-fold accumulator
- 31 total bets per Lucky 31
How a Lucky 31 Pays Out
Each of the 31 component bets settles independently. Returns from winning combinations add together; losing combinations contribute zero.
Stake: 1 unit per bet. 5 selections, all winners at decimal odds 2.00.
Singles: 5 x 2.00 = 10 units
Doubles: 10 x (2.00 x 2.00) = 40 units
Trebles: 10 x (2.00 x 2.00 x 2.00) = 80 units
Four-folds: 5 x (2.00^4) = 80 units
Five-fold: 1 x (2.00^5) = 32 units
Total return: 242 units (stake 31)
Profit: 211 units (6.8x the total outlay)
If only one selection wins, you only collect on that single (plus any bookmaker bonus). With 3 winners you collect 3 singles, the 3 doubles between them, and 1 treble. The compounding of doubles, trebles, and four-folds is what gives the Lucky 31 its very steep upside when 4 or 5 land.
Sample Lucky 31 Returns
All scenarios below assume 1 unit stake per bet (31 unit total outlay) with all selections at the same decimal odds.
| Winners | Odds Each | Return | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 of 5 | 2.00 | 2 units | -29 units |
| 2 of 5 | 2.00 | 8 units | -23 units |
| 3 of 5 | 2.00 | 26 units | -5 units |
| 4 of 5 | 2.00 | 80 units | +49 units |
| 5 of 5 | 2.00 | 242 units | +211 units |
| 5 of 5 | 3.00 | 1023 units | +992 units |
Returns exclude any bookmaker bonus. Add the relevant bonus toggle in the calculator above to model your specific bookmaker's terms.
UK Bookmaker Bonuses
If only one of your 5 selections wins, many UK bookmakers settle the single bet at double (or treble) the win odds. Our calculator includes a double-odds toggle. Check your bookmaker for the exact multiplier.
Several bookmakers add a 20 percent bonus on top of the total return when all 5 selections win. The default toggle uses 20 percent; verify the exact rate in your bookmaker's terms before relying on it.
Bonus rules vary across the industry. Bet365 typically doubles odds on a single winner; William Hill has historically restricted bonuses to horse racing. Confirm the exact terms before placing the bet, particularly for non-runners, dead-heats, and any minimum-odds rules.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
A 5 unit Lucky 31 costs 155 units total, not 5. Size your unit stake based on the 31x multiplier, not the per-bet figure.
Bookmaker bonuses often exclude certain markets, non-runners, or dead-heat finishes. Read the small print before relying on bonus payouts.
Small differences on each leg compound across 26 winning combinations. Use an odds comparison tool to lock in the best price on every selection.
The structure does not turn poor picks into +EV bets. Each leg should still be a value bet on its own merits before you stake 31x your unit on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Lucky 31 bet?
A Lucky 31 is a UK multiple bet made up of 31 separate bets across 5 selections: 5 singles, 10 doubles, 10 trebles, 5 four-folds, and 1 five-fold accumulator. Only one selection needs to win for a return.
How many bets are in a Lucky 31?
Exactly 31: 5 singles + 10 doubles + 10 trebles + 5 four-folds + 1 five-fold. Your unit stake is multiplied by 31 to reach the total outlay.
How many winners do I need for a return?
Just one. A single winning selection pays out the matching single. Three winners collect 3 singles, 3 doubles, and the treble between them. All five winning triggers the full 31-bet payout.
What does a Lucky 31 pay if all five win at 2.00?
With a 1 unit stake per bet, the return is 242 units against a 31 unit outlay, a profit of 211 units. Bonuses can lift this 20 percent higher.
What Lucky 31 bonuses are common?
Double odds on a single winner is the most common UK and Irish offer. Several bookmakers also pay a 20 percent bonus when all 5 selections win. Bet365 and Paddy Power both offer Lucky 31 bonuses; terms vary across markets and minimum odds.
What is the difference between a Lucky 31 and a Lucky 15?
A Lucky 15 uses 4 picks and 15 bets. A Lucky 31 adds a 5th selection and includes 5 four-folds plus a five-fold, jumping the bet count to 31 and the cost to 31 units.
What is the difference between a Lucky 31 and a Lucky 63?
The Lucky 63 adds a 6th selection on top of the Lucky 31's structure, extending the layers to 6 five-folds and 1 six-fold accumulator. 63 bets total, 63 units outlay at a 1 unit stake.
What is the difference between a Lucky 31 and a Canadian (Super Yankee)?
A Canadian (Super Yankee) is 26 bets from 5 picks: doubles, trebles, four-folds, and the five-fold. The Lucky 31 adds 5 singles on top, raising the bet count to 31 and the chance of a return on a single winner.
Can I bet a Lucky 31 each-way?
Yes. Each-way doubles your total stake to 62 bets (31 win + 31 place). Place legs settle at the win odds reduced by the bookmaker's place fraction (commonly 1/4 or 1/5).
Can I bet a Lucky 31 on football or other sports?
Yes. Lucky 31s work on any sport with discrete outcomes. They are most popular on UK and Irish horse racing because of the each-way structure, but football match-winner and tennis Lucky 31s are common at major books.
Are Lucky 31s profitable long term?
Only when every selection has positive expected value. The structure compounds your edge if your picks are sharp; it compounds the bookmaker's margin if they are not.
What unit stake should I use?
Choose a unit you would happily risk 31 times. A 1 unit Lucky 31 costs 31 units. Most disciplined bettors keep total Lucky 31 exposure under 1 to 2 percent of bankroll.
Pro Tip: Validate Each Leg as +EV First
A Lucky 31 only outperforms straight bets when each selection is a value bet. Use our EV Calculator to confirm every leg has positive expected value before staking 31x your unit on the full multiple.