Hedge betting helps you lock in a profit or reduce the potential loss. Determine how much to wager to guarantee optimal profits using the best hedge calculator.
How to Use Our Hedge Betting Calculator
Hedge betting entails placing a second bet on the opposite side of an original bet. Put another way, a hedge bet is a bet against your own self.
This advanced sports betting strategy is used to provide a profit of some kind (arbitrage) or at the very least, mitigate risk associated with the first bet.
Our sports betting hedge calculator comes in handy when you’ve already placed a wager on the market. Input your original bet odds and bet amount, followed by your hedge bet odds.
The calculator will show you how much you should bet to guarantee a profit no matter the outcome of the game.
Why Use a Hedge Bet Calculator
Hedging a sports bet can be complicated. What is the right amount to hedge to minimize a potential loss? Or in the event of locking a risk-free profit, what odds of the opposite bet are needed, and how much is the stake?
As you can see, running these figures manually is not practical as errors are bound to occur.
Our hedge betting calculator comes with in-built formulas designed to simplify the math for you. All you need to do is enter the respective values to find out how much to either back or lay to hedge a betting market.
Calculating a Hedge Bet
As stated, hedging helps divert risk associated with the original bet. This original bet can be a longshot, a future or a big moneyline upset.
For example, let’s say you bet $20 on the New England Patriots to beat the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl at 1.55 odds. During the game, you decide to protect yourself by betting on Rams at 1.33 odds.
Thus, the amount you’d need to lay is (back price*back stake)/current lay odds, which is (20*1.55)/1.33=$23.31. You’d need to lay the Patriots for $23.31, with a liability of $7.69.
The profit for your back to lay hedge bet would be (back stake*back odds)-(lay liability)-(back stake), which is (20*1.55)-(7.69)-20=$3.31
If your lay bet wins, your return would be (lay stake-backers stake), which is $23.31-20=3.31. Of course, the betting exchange commission counts.
But remember, you don’t need to master these formulas when you use our free bet hedge calculator.
Parlay Hedge Calculator
You could also use the hedge odds calculator for parlay bets. Consider an $11 three-leg parlay bet on the NFL, where each leg is -110 odds. This parlay would return $79.23 if it wins.
The first leg would turn into $21. Then that $21 is bet on the second leg to return $41.50. After two winnings, the parlay is basically a $41.50 bet. You could lock in a profit by betting the other side of the remaining bet.
3 Way Hedge Bet
A 3-way bet has three possible outcomes: Team A wins, Team B wins or a draw. Think of an MLS event between LA Galaxy and New York Bulls.
LA Galaxy is the favorite at -135 odds, NY Bulls is the underdog at +360 and a tie or draw between the two teams is +240. In that case, if the game draws at 1-1 then the only winning part of the bet would be +240.
4 Way Hedge Bet
The term “four way bet” in straightforward terms refers to a single bet made up of four selections. You can use the hedge bet calculator to determine stakes and profits for four way arbitrage opportunities.
Simply enter the selections, the approximate combined total stakes and the best available odds for each of the four selections. The calculator will reveal whether there is an arbitrage opportunity and the relevant profit margin.
Hedge Calculator For All Major Sports & Leagues
A hedging calculator can help you identify both biased and unbiased hedging strategies any time hedging opportunities come up in whatever sport you’re betting on.
Hedge Betting in Football
Hedge betting in football guarantees a profit regardless of whether the original bet wins or loses. Let’s say you’ve placed a $100 bet on England to win the FIFA World Cup at odds of 12.00. Now, assume that England have made it to the finals, where they’re facing Brazil.
At this point you stand to win $1,200 if England wins and lose $100 if Brazil wins. You could bet $500 on Brazil to win at 1.50 to ensure a guaranteed win no matter what happens.
Basketball & NBA Hedge Calculator
Hedge betting is a key strategy applied by professional NBA bettors. Assume that you bet $100 on Cleveland to lift the NBA trophy at the opening odds of 7.50. Your bet would return $244.60 if they win.
Now, if the Cavs reach the finals against the Warriors, it would make sense to bet another $100 on the Warriors at 1.85. This guarantees you a profit of more than $244 for a risk of only $100.
Other Sports Hedge Bets
You can place a hedge bet in almost all sports and leagues. Hedge betting is accepted in NFL, NHL, UFC, MLS, MLB and other major sports and leagues in the US.
The hedge calculator for sports betting will determine the optimal stake for a bettor to maximize guaranteed profit or alleviate the risk.
Is Hedge Betting Any Good?
Gambling in sports isn’t all about winning or losing a bet but rather about managing risk. The sports hedge calculator is a powerful tool designed to reduce your risk exposure or even secure guaranteed winnings, depending on the types of wagers you place.
An example is when you place a parlay bet and you’re close to landing a big win. You could easily hedge that wager and make some kind of profit.
Similarly, if you stand to make a loss from that parlay wager, you could hedge it to reduce the size of the loss. This extra flexibility goes a long way in boosting your bankroll.
FAQs About Hedge Calculator
Let’s look at a few common questions people ask about hedge betting and how to use a hedge calculator:
What does it mean to hedge a bet?
To hedge a bet means to bet on the opposite side of the original bet. Hedge betting is an advanced sports betting strategy used to mitigate a loss arising from the original bet or secure a profit of some kind no matter how the game goes. The practice of hedge betting makes sense when a bettor is unsure about the outcome of a wager.
How to hedge a free bet?
You can hedge a free bet by betting real cash on the opposite outcome of your ensuing free bet. Because any winnings from free bets are paid out minus the stake, it is best to place a free bet on the heavy underdog and the hedge bet on the favorite. This helps you maximize expected value on your free bets.
When should you hedge a bet?
The most common instance of hedge betting is for a parlay or futures bet. Instead of letting your first wager ride and taking your chances, hedging can help you reduce the downside exposure of the original bet, secure guaranteed profits for specific bets or cash in on either side of the betting option.