Hedge bet calculator
Enter your original bet and the current odds on the opposite outcome. The calculator shows how much to stake to lock in the same result either way, or just to cover your stake.
Written by BettingSeeker Editorial Team
How hedging works
When you hedge, you place a second bet on the outcome that beats your original bet. If the original wins, you collect on it and lose the hedge stake. If the hedge wins, you collect on the hedge and lose the original stake. Choosing the hedge stake decides how the result is split between those two cases.
The calculator assumes a two-way market (one side or the other wins) and that both bets are placed at fixed odds with a sportsbook. Hedging reduces risk, but it does not make betting a way to earn money: you pay the bookmaker margin twice, and you give up part of the upside.
Worked example
You staked 10 on a team to win the league at 5/1 (6.00). Late in the season, the odds on the team not winning are 1.80:
- Equal-profit hedge: 10 × 6.00 ÷ 1.80 = 33.33. Either way you finish 60.00 − 10 − 33.33 = 16.67 up
- Break-even hedge: 10 ÷ (1.80 − 1) = 12.50. If the team wins you make 60.00 − 10 − 12.50 = 37.50; if not, you get your 10 back and finish level
The formula
Using decimal odds: equal-profit hedge stake = original stake × original odds ÷ hedge odds. Break-even hedge stake = original stake ÷ (hedge odds − 1). Profit if original wins = original stake × (original odds − 1) − hedge stake. Profit if hedge wins = hedge stake × (hedge odds − 1) − original stake.
Frequently asked questions
What is hedging a bet?
Hedging means placing a second bet on the opposite outcome to reduce or remove the risk on your first bet. It is common with futures and the last leg of a parlay, when the odds on your original bet have shortened.
Does hedging guarantee a profit?
Only if the odds have moved in your favour since you placed the original bet. If they have drifted, an equal hedge locks in a loss instead. Hedging also pays a second bookmaker margin, so over time it costs money compared with letting bets run.
What is the difference between an equal-profit and a break-even hedge?
An equal-profit hedge gives you the same result whichever side wins. A break-even hedge is smaller: it only covers your original stake if the original bet loses, and keeps more of the upside if it wins.
Does this work for betting exchange lay bets?
No. This calculator assumes you back the opposite outcome at a sportsbook in a two-way market. Laying on an exchange uses liability and commission, which change the stakes.