Dutching calculator
Enter a total stake and the odds for each selection you want to back in one event. The calculator splits the stake so that whichever of them wins, you get the same return.
Written by BettingSeeker Editorial Team
How dutching works
Each selection gets a share of your stake in proportion to its implied probability (1 ÷ decimal odds). The shorter the price, the bigger its share. Because every stake is sized this way, each selection returns the same amount if it wins. In effect you are making one bet on "one of these wins" at combined odds that the calculator shows as the equivalent odds.
Dutching does not create value on its own. Each part of the bet carries the bookmaker margin, and if none of your selections wins you lose the full stake.
Worked example
A 100 total stake on three horses at 3/1 (4.00), 4/1 (5.00) and 5/1 (6.00):
- Implied probabilities: 25.00% + 20.00% + 16.67% = 61.67%
- Return if any wins: 100 ÷ 0.6167 = 162.16, so profit is 62.16
- Stakes: 162.16 ÷ 4.00 = 40.54, 162.16 ÷ 5.00 = 32.43 and 162.16 ÷ 6.00 = 27.03
The formula
Using decimal odds: combined probability P = 1 ÷ odds₁ + 1 ÷ odds₂ + … + 1 ÷ oddsₙ. Return = total stake ÷ P. Stake on selection i = return ÷ oddsᵢ. Profit = return − total stake.
Frequently asked questions
What is dutching?
Dutching means backing several selections in the same event and splitting your stake so that any of them winning returns the same amount. It is common in horse racing and correct-score markets.
Does dutching guarantee a profit?
No. You only make a profit if one of your selections wins, and only when the combined implied probability of your selections is below 100%. If none of them wins, you lose the whole stake.
What does the combined implied probability tell me?
It is the chance the odds give that one of your selections wins, found by adding 1 ÷ odds for each. The return on your stake is 1 ÷ that figure. Above 100% means a loss even if one of your selections wins.
Why do the returns differ by a few pence?
Stakes are rounded to two decimal places, so the return for each selection can differ slightly. Most bookmakers also only accept stakes in whole pence or cents.