# Unit stake

> A unit stake is the amount on one line of a bet. Each-way and permutation bets have several lines, so the total cost is higher.

Source: https://eachwayatlas.uk/glossary/unit-stake/
Updated: 2026-11-07

A unit stake is the amount placed on one line of a bet, and the total cost is that amount multiplied by the number of lines. A single each-way bet has two lines, so it costs double the unit stake. Worked sums are on [what each way means](https://eachwayatlas.uk/each-way/what-does-each-way-mean/) and [Lucky 15 and Yankee costs](https://eachwayatlas.uk/each-way/lucky-15-yankee-each-way-cost/).

## What a unit stake is

A line is one separate bet inside the slip. The unit stake is what you put on each line. It is the figure you type into the stake box on a slip that asks for it.

The total cost is larger whenever there is more than one line. A bet that looks like a single entry can therefore cost a multiple of the figure you typed.

That is the reason to know the term: the figure you choose and the amount that leaves your balance are not always the same.

**The short version:** total cost = unit stake × number of lines.

## How many lines each bet has

A single, a double, a treble and an accumulator are each one line. The full-cover bets are different: they bundle several lines into one slip entry.

**Lines per bet type · Counting of lines · checked 7 November 2026**

| Bet | Lines | Lines if each way |
|---|---|---|
| Single | 1 | 2 |
| Double | 1 | 2 |
| Treble | 1 | 2 |
| Accumulator | 1 | 2 |
| Yankee (four selections: 6 doubles, 4 trebles, 1 fourfold) | 11 | 22 |
| Lucky 15 (four selections: 4 singles, 6 doubles, 4 trebles, 1 fourfold) | 15 | 30 |

An each-way bet doubles the number of lines because every line has a win part and a place part. The cost sums are on [Lucky 15 and Yankee costs](https://eachwayatlas.uk/each-way/lucky-15-yankee-each-way-cost/).

**The short version:** multiply the unit stake by the lines, then by two if the bet is each way.

## Reading the slip before you confirm

A slip may ask for the unit stake and show the total cost on a separate line. Read the total before you confirm, because that is the amount at risk.

Returns follow the same logic in reverse: each line has its own return, and the settlement adds them up. See [return versus profit](https://eachwayatlas.uk/glossary/return-vs-profit/) and [how to work out each-way returns](https://eachwayatlas.uk/each-way/how-to-work-out-each-way-returns/).

Set a deposit limit that suits your budget; the steps are on [set a deposit limit or block betting accounts](https://eachwayatlas.uk/licence/set-a-deposit-limit-or-self-exclude/).

**The short version:** the total on the slip, not the figure in the stake box, is what you risk.

## What we have and have not checked

The line counts are standard combinatorics and can be checked by hand. How each operator labels the stake box is a separate question.

**Operator practice on unit stakes · checked 7 November 2026**

| Fact to read | Where to read it | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Whether the stake box means unit stake or total stake | Bet slip and help pages of at least two licensed operators | Not verified |
| The operator's definition of unit stake in its rules | Operator betting rules, read and dated | Not verified |

**The short version:** line counts are shown; operator slip labelling is marked Not verified.