Hedge bet calculator
Works out how much to bet on the other side to lock in a result.
Enter your original stake and odds, then the odds on the other side now, with a sign: e.g. +400 and -150.
Hedge stake is what to bet now. The table shows your net result whichever side wins.
| Outcome | Original bet | Hedge bet | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original bet wins | |||
| Hedge wins | |||
| No hedge: original wins | – | ||
| No hedge: original loses | – |
- Total staked
- –
- Original payout
- –
- Hedge payout
- –
- Combined implied prob.
- –
How to use this calculator
- Enter the bet you already hold: Original stake ($) and Original odds, with a sign, like +400.
- Enter the price you can get on the other side right now in Hedge odds (now), like -150.
- Choose How much to hedge. Same profit either way sets the hedge so you make the same amount whichever side wins. Get my stake back is the smallest hedge that returns your original stake if your first bet loses. Custom amount lets you type your own Hedge stake ($).
- Read Hedge stake (what to bet now) and Guaranteed profit. The Profit or loss by outcome table shows each bet’s result and your net if either side wins.
- Combined implied prob. adds up the win chances the two prices imply. Under 100%, a hedge can lock in a profit; over 100%, it locks in a loss.
Example: step by step
- Original stake ($) is 100 and Original odds are +400: if that bet wins it pays $500 ($400 profit plus your $100).
- Hedge odds (now) are -150: every $1 you hedge returns $1.667.
- With Same profit either way, the Hedge stake is $500 ÷ 1.667 = $300.00.
- If your original bet wins: +$400 profit − $300 lost hedge = +$100.00. If the hedge wins: +$200 hedge profit − $100 lost original = +$100.00.
- Guaranteed profit shows +$100.00. Total staked is $400 and Combined implied prob. is 80.00%.
In plain words: by betting $300 on the other side at -150, you give up the chance of a $400 win to make a sure $100, whoever wins.
Enter your original stake and odds, then the current price on the other side. The calculator shows how much to hedge and what you make whichever way it goes, whether you want the same profit on both outcomes, your stake back, or a hedge of your own size. Use the link button to save a hedge.
What hedging a bet means
A hedge is a second bet on the opposite result of a bet you already hold. It’s most useful after the price has moved your way: a futures ticket that’s still alive in the final, or a parlay waiting on its last leg. You give up part of the upside in exchange for a result you can count on.
Hedging doesn’t create value by itself. The hedge is priced with the sportsbook’s margin built in, so on average it costs a little. What it buys is certainty. Our hedging basics guide covers when that trade is worth making.
The hedge formula
For the same profit whichever side wins: hedge stake = original stake × original decimal odds ÷ hedge decimal odds. In other words, you size the hedge so that it pays back the same total as your original ticket.
To get your stake back if the original bet loses: hedge stake = original stake ÷ (hedge decimal odds − 1). This is the smallest hedge that covers your risk, and it leaves the rest of the upside on your original bet.
The calculator rounds the hedge stake to the cent (up, for the stake-back option), then works out each outcome from that rounded amount, because that’s the bet you would actually place.
Worked examples
Locking in profit on a futures bet
You bet $100 on a team at +400 to win the title. They reach the final, and the other team is -150. Hedge $300 on the other team. If your team wins, the original ticket pays $500 and you lose the $300 hedge: +$100. If the other team wins, the hedge returns $500 ($300 stake plus $200 profit) and you lose the $100 original: +$100. Either way, you make $100.
Getting your stake back instead
Same bet, but you only want to protect your $100. Hedge $150 at -150. If the other team wins, the hedge returns $250, which covers the $150 hedge and the $100 original, so you break even. If your team wins, you keep a $250 profit.
Hedging the last leg of a parlay
A $20 three-team parlay at +596 would pay $139.20. Two legs have won, and the final leg’s opponent is -110. Enter +596 as the original odds and -110 as the hedge odds. Hedging $72.91 on that opponent locks in about $46: $46.29 if the parlay hits and $46.28 if the hedge wins.
When a hedge locks in a loss
A hedge only guarantees a profit when the price has moved your way. If you bet $110 at -110 and then take the other side at -110 straight away, you need $110 on the hedge and lose $10 whichever team wins. The calculator flags this by adding up the implied probabilities of the two prices. Above 100%, a guaranteed profit isn’t possible.
Custom and partial hedges
You don’t have to hedge the full amount. Choose “Custom amount” and enter any stake to see each outcome next to the no-hedge result. Many bettors hedge part of a position to cut the worst case while keeping some upside. In the futures example, any hedge between $150 and $300 means you can’t lose money, and the smaller the hedge, the more you keep if your team wins.
Things to check before you hedge
- Shop the hedge price. The better the price on the other side, the less the hedge costs. Our guide to shopping betting lines explains why a few cents matter.
- Compare it with cash-out. A sportsbook’s cash-out offer is its own price for closing your bet. Run the hedge numbers here and take whichever leaves you better off.
- Mind your bankroll. A hedge ties up extra money until the event settles. Our bankroll management guide covers sizing.
- Look for a middle. When a line moves far enough, you can sometimes hedge at a number that lets both bets win. See arbitrage and middling.
Holding a futures ticket? Track the latest NFL futures and NBA futures prices, read futures betting explained, or work out a multi-leg ticket with the parlay calculator.
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