Hedge Calculator
Work out the hedge stake that leaves you with the same result either way, and see plainly whether it locks in a profit or limits a loss.
Results
- Equal-result hedge stake
- —
- Total amount wagered
- —
- Net result if the original bet wins
- —
- Net result if the hedge bet wins
- —
- Result either way
- —
- Return on total wagered
- —
A hedge can only lock in a profit when the two prices together imply less than 100% probability. Most of the time they imply more, because that margin is how a sportsbook makes money — in that case hedging caps what you can lose rather than creating a gain.
Return on total wagered is the result either way divided by the total amount wagered — your original stake plus the equal-result hedge stake — because that is what you have at risk across both bets.
Assumes a two-outcome market where exactly one side wins, and that you place the stake shown at these odds. Draws, pushes, voids, and changed odds or stakes are not covered.
These calculators are for information only. They perform arithmetic on the numbers you enter. They do not predict outcomes, recommend bets, or guarantee any result. Betting involves risk and you can lose money. Never stake more than you can afford to lose. Read our responsible betting guidance.
What hedging a bet means
Hedging means placing a second bet on the other side of a bet you already hold. An equal-result hedge can make your result the same whichever side wins, under the two-outcome assumptions explained below. People usually consider it when a futures bet or the last leg of a parlay is still live.
How the hedge stake is worked out
The equal-result hedge stake is:
Hedge stake = (original stake × original decimal odds) ÷ hedge decimal odds
Worked example: when a hedge locks in a profit
You hold $100 at +400 (5.00 decimal), which returns $500 if it wins. The other side is now available at −150, which is exactly 1⅔ in decimal odds (the calculator shows 1.667).
- Equal-result hedge stake: $500 ÷ 1⅔ = $300.00
- Total amount wagered: $400.00
- If the original bet wins: $500 back, +$100.00
- If the hedge wins: $300 × 1⅔ = $500 back, +$100.00
- Return on total wagered: 25.00%
Worked example: when a hedge only limits a loss
You hold $100 at −110, and the other side is also −110.
- Equal-result hedge stake: $100.00
- Either way you get $190.91 back on $200.00 wagered, a loss of $9.09
- Return on total wagered: −4.55%
Here hedging does not create a gain. It fixes the loss at the size of the sportsbook’s margin.
When can a hedge lock in a profit?
Only when the two prices together imply less than 100%. In the first example, +400 implies 20.00% and −150 implies 60.00%, 80.00% in total. In the second, both −110 prices imply 52.38%, 104.76% in total. Most of the time the combined figure is above 100%, because that margin is how sportsbooks are paid.
These figures assume a two-outcome market where exactly one side wins, and that you place the stake shown at these odds. Draws, pushes, voids, and changed odds or stakes are not covered.
Hedge questions
Do I have to hedge the full amount?
No. A smaller hedge keeps more upside on the original bet and protects less. This calculator shows the equal-result stake only.
Is hedging always a good idea?
Not necessarily. It is a way to trade potential upside for certainty. This calculator does the arithmetic. It does not tell you whether to hedge.