Hedge Calculator

You backed something earlier and the odds have moved. Enter your original bet and the current odds on the opposite outcome — get the exact stake that locks in the same profit either way.

The formula

Hedge stake = (original stake × original odds) ÷ hedge odds

Worked example: you staked £50 on a team at 4.00 pre-tournament. They've reached the final and the other side is now 1.40.

• Hedge stake = 50 × 4.00 ÷ 1.40 = £142.86
• If your team wins: 50 × 4.00 − 50 − 142.86 = £7.14 profit
• If they lose: 142.86 × 1.40 − 142.86 − 50 = £7.14 profit

Same number both ways — that's the point of an equal-profit hedge.

Hedge or let it ride?

Hedging buys certainty and pays for it twice: you give up expected value on your original position and pay the bookmaker's margin on the hedge bet. Three honest questions before hedging:

• Does the guaranteed amount change anything for you? If it's bankroll-meaningful, certainty is worth a fair price.
• Are the hedge odds fair? Compare with an exchange — and always compare against the bookmaker's cash-out offer, which is just this calculation with a worse price baked in. Manual hedging usually beats cash-out.
• Would you bet the hedge on its own merits? If the other side at 1.40 looks like terrible value, the hedge is a value-losing bet you're buying for comfort.

FAQ

Is hedging the same as cash-out?

Mathematically yes — cash-out is the bookmaker hedging for you and keeping a margin. Run the numbers here before accepting any cash-out offer.

Can I hedge a partial amount?

Yes — any hedge stake between zero and the equal-profit stake slides your outcome between "let it ride" and "fully locked". Half the equal-profit stake locks half the guarantee and keeps half the upside.

What if there are three outcomes (e.g. a draw)?

You need to cover both other outcomes — split the hedge across them in proportion to 1/odds. Our dutching calculator does that maths.

Know what your hedges and cash-outs really cost

Zort records cashed-out and hedged bets with their effective odds, so over a season you can see what your early exits actually cost you against letting them ride. Scan the slip, get the truth later.

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