What is a hedging calculator?
A hedging calculator tells you exactly how much to bet on the opposite outcome of a wager you already placed, so that you finish with the same profit whichever way the event ends. You lock in the win instead of sweating the result.
It is the tool for futures bets that shortened, the last leg of an accumulator, or any moment the odds have moved your way and you would rather bank a guaranteed profit than gamble on the outcome.
How to use the calculator
Enter your bet
The odds you took and the stake you placed.
Enter the hedge odds
The odds available right now on the opposite outcome.
Read your hedge stake
The exact amount that makes both results pay the same.
Lock it in
Place the hedge — or type a smaller stake for a partial hedge.
How is a hedge bet calculated?
One formula does the work:
Hedge stake = (original stake × original odds) ÷ hedge odds
- Profit if your bet wins = stake × (odds − 1) − hedge stake
- Profit if the hedge wins = hedge stake × (hedge odds − 1) − stake
The full hedge makes those two numbers identical. Hedging less than that keeps some upside on your original bet; hedging for break-even (hedge stake = stake ÷ (hedge odds − 1)) turns the bet into a free roll — you cannot lose, and you still win big if your original pick lands.
Worked example
Pre-season you backed a team to win the league at 3.00 with €100. They reached the final, and the other side is now available at 1.80:
- Hedge stake = (100 × 3.00) ÷ 1.80 = €166.67
- If your team wins: 100 × 2.00 − 166.67 = +€33.33
- If they lose: 166.67 × 0.80 − 100 = +€33.33
A guaranteed €33.33 profit on €266.67 total staked — a 12.5% locked-in return — before the match even kicks off.
Hedging vs cashing out: which is better?
A bookmaker's cash-out button is just a hedge that the bookmaker calculates for you — with their margin baked into the price. Hedging manually usually beats it, because you shop the best available odds on the opposite outcome instead of accepting the bookmaker's internal number. Before you press cash out, run the numbers here: if the locked-in profit from hedging is higher than the cash-out offer (it usually is), hedge instead.
Hedging vs arbitrage: what's the difference?
Same maths, different starting point. In arbitrage betting you place both bets at the same time because the combined odds already guarantee a profit. In hedging, the first bet was placed earlier — the guaranteed profit appears later, once the odds move your way. If you hedge on a betting exchange instead of a bookmaker, use the back lay calculator, which also handles exchange commission. And if the odds are in fractional or American format, the odds converter translates them first.
Learn more about arbitrage betting
New to this? Read our full guide on what is arbitrage betting, or see the arbitrage betting formula explained step by step with worked examples. Odds in a different format? Use our odds converter to switch between decimal, fractional, American and implied probability.
Frequently asked questions
- What does it mean to hedge a bet?
- Hedging means betting on the opposite outcome of a wager you already placed, so that you win (or limit your loss) no matter the result. It is most common when the odds have moved in your favour — for example a futures bet on a team that has since become the favourite.
- How do I calculate a hedge bet?
- Hedge stake = (original stake x original odds) / hedge odds. For example, a EUR100 bet at 3.00 hedged at 1.80 needs 100 x 3.00 / 1.80 = EUR166.67 on the opposite outcome, locking in EUR33.33 profit either way.
- Is hedging better than cashing out?
- Usually, yes. A bookmaker cash-out offer is essentially a hedge the bookmaker prices for you — with their margin baked in. Hedging manually at the best available odds normally locks in more profit than the cash-out button. Compare the two numbers before you click.
- When should I hedge a bet?
- Common cases: a futures/outright bet whose odds have shortened dramatically, the final leg of an accumulator, or any bet where you would rather take a guaranteed profit now than risk everything on the result.
- Can hedging guarantee a profit?
- Yes — whenever 1/original odds + 1/hedge odds is below 1 (the V value in the calculator), the two bets lock in a guaranteed profit. The lower the V, the bigger the locked-in margin.
- Do I have to hedge the full amount?
- No. Hedging the full amount locks the same profit on both outcomes; a partial hedge keeps some upside on your original bet while reducing the downside. Type any hedge stake into the calculator and it shows the profit for both scenarios.