What is Goliath?

How a Goliath Works

A Goliath covers every possible combination of doubles and upwards across eight selections, producing exactly 247 bets in total. The breakdown is: 28 doubles, 56 trebles, 70 four-folds, 56 five-folds, 28 six-folds, 8 seven-folds, and 1 eight-fold accumulator. Your total stake is your unit stake multiplied by 247, so a £1 Goliath costs £247 and a £0.10 Goliath costs £24.70. There is no single bet included, which distinguishes it from the Super Heinz (which covers seven selections) and means a solitary winner returns nothing.

Because every combination is covered, the Goliath rewards a high strike rate across all eight selections rather than relying on one large accumulator to come in. However, the sheer number of bets means the stakes required are substantial. Most bookmakers accept Goliaths as a standard bet type, but staking limits, each-way rules, and how non-runners are handled can differ between operators, so always check the specific terms before placing.

Worked Example

Suppose you place a £1 Goliath (costing £247) on eight football match winners, all priced at 2/1 (3.0 decimal). If all eight selections win, the eight-fold accumulator alone returns 3.0⁸ × £1 = £6,561, and the 246 smaller combination bets add substantially on top, producing a very large total return. If only two of the eight selections win, just those 28 doubles containing that specific pair pay out, and the return may not cover the full £247 outlay depending on the odds.

This illustrates why the Goliath is both high-risk and high-reward. A poor day where only two or three selections win can still result in a net loss despite generating some returns. Conversely, a strong day with six or more winners at decent odds can produce returns that dwarf the original stake. The relationship between the number of winners, the odds of each winner, and the overall profit or loss is non-linear and can be difficult to estimate without a bet calculator.

Why the Goliath Matters When Judging a Tipster

A tipster who regularly recommends Goliath bets is asking followers to commit significant capital — £247 for every £1 unit staked — on eight simultaneous selections. When evaluating such a tipster on TipsterCheck, it is important to look beyond headline-winning bets and assess the long-term yield, drawdown, and sample size of their full Goliath record. A single spectacular return can flatter a tipster's profit in points figure while masking many losing £247 outlays beneath it.

Because the Goliath requires at least two winners to return anything, a tipster's strike rate is particularly important here. Even a tipster with a reasonable overall strike rate may produce a high proportion of total Goliath losses if their winners cluster rather than spread across selections. Advised odds also matter: if a tipster's selections regularly drift from their advised price to a shorter starting price, the compound effect across 247 bets can meaningfully reduce returns compared with proofed figures.

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