What is hedging a bet?

Hedging means betting the other side of a market after your original bet has moved in your favour, so you lock in a return whichever way the event lands.

How do you calculate a hedge bet?

Divide the total payout of your original bet (stake × decimal price) by the decimal price of the hedge side. That stake makes both outcomes return the same amount. Example: $100 at +250 pays $350; hedging at -150 (1.667) needs $350 ÷ 1.667 = $210.

How do I hedge a parlay?

Wait until only the last leg is left, then bet the opposite side of that leg. Use the parlay's full payout as the original payout above — the hedge stake is that payout divided by the hedge price.

Can I hedge for less than the full amount?

Yes. A partial hedge keeps some upside on the original bet while cutting the loss if it misses. The number this calculator shows is the full lock, where both outcomes pay the same.

Should I always hedge?

No. Hedging trades expected value for certainty — the hedge side usually carries the book's margin, so locking in a profit costs a little compared with letting the original bet ride.

Is hedging allowed at sportsbooks?

Yes. Betting both sides of a market is allowed at regulated US sportsbooks; you can hedge at the same book or a different one. Many books also offer cash out, which is a built-in hedge, usually at a worse price.

Hedge calculator

Your bet has moved in your favour. Enter the original stake and price, plus the current price on the other side, to see the exact hedge stake that returns the same amount either way.

Original bet price

Original stake

Hedge price (other side)

Hedge locks in a profit

Hedge stake: $210.00
If original wins: +$40.00
If hedge wins: +$40.00
Original payout: $350.00
Total staked (both): $310.00
Locked result: +$40.00

Both outcomes return the same profit, whichever way the event lands — as long as the hedge is accepted at the price you entered.

Knowing the number is only the beginning.

STRATOS Edge tracks line movement and closing line value, so you can see whether your prices are moving in your favour before you hedge. Prices can move, and books may not accept the displayed price.

Explore Edge

How hedging works

Hedging means betting the other side of a market after your original bet has moved in your favour — for example a futures bet whose team has reached the final, or a pre-game underdog now leading live. Done at the right stake, both outcomes return the same amount.

The hedge stake is your original bet's total payout divided by the hedge side's decimal price. That equalises the two outcomes. You can also stake less than the full hedge to keep some upside on the original bet — the number here is the full lock.

Hedging trades value for certainty: the hedge side carries the book's margin, so a full hedge usually gives up a little compared with letting the original bet ride. Whether that trade is worth it is a judgement call, not a maths one.

Stratos compares live prices across real books. Check an arb across two books, or remove the vig on a single market.

Worked example

You bet $100 on an underdog at +250 before the game (decimal 3.50). If it wins, it pays $350. Late in the game it is leading, and the other side is now -150 (decimal 1.667).

Hedge stake = $350 ÷ 1.667 = $210. If your original bet wins, you get $350 and lose the $210 hedge. If the hedge wins, it pays $210 × 1.667 = $350 and you lose the original $100. Either way you get back $350 on $310 staked — a locked $40 profit.

Had you let it ride, you would win $250 or lose $100. The hedge swaps that swing for a sure $40.

Hedge questions people ask

What is hedging a bet?: Hedging means betting the other side of a market after your original bet has moved in your favour, so you lock in a return whichever way the event lands.
How do you calculate a hedge bet?: Divide the total payout of your original bet (stake × decimal price) by the decimal price of the hedge side. That stake makes both outcomes return the same amount. Example: $100 at +250 pays $350; hedging at -150 (1.667) needs $350 ÷ 1.667 = $210.
How do I hedge a parlay?: Wait until only the last leg is left, then bet the opposite side of that leg. Use the parlay's full payout as the original payout above — the hedge stake is that payout divided by the hedge price.
Can I hedge for less than the full amount?: Yes. A partial hedge keeps some upside on the original bet while cutting the loss if it misses. The number this calculator shows is the full lock, where both outcomes pay the same.
Should I always hedge?: No. Hedging trades expected value for certainty — the hedge side usually carries the book's margin, so locking in a profit costs a little compared with letting the original bet ride.
Is hedging allowed at sportsbooks?: Yes. Betting both sides of a market is allowed at regulated US sportsbooks; you can hedge at the same book or a different one. Many books also offer cash out, which is a built-in hedge, usually at a worse price.