Loading…
Free back and lay calculator
Lay stake = back stake x back price / (lay price - commission). That makes the result the same whether the back wins or loses. The cost of the pair is the gap between the back and lay prices plus commission. Enter both prices and the exchange commission below.
Back and lay calculator
Lay stake
$98.36
Liability
$206.56
Result either way
-$6.56
If the back wins
-$6.56
If the back loses
-$6.56
Laying $98.36 puts $206.56 at risk on the exchange and gives -$6.56 whether the bet wins or loses, at these prices. A lay price above the back price costs money; one below it can make a profit.
18+. Arithmetic on the prices you enter, not a tip or a prediction. Prices can move, and bets can be limited or voided, before both are placed. Gambling Help Online: 1800 858 858.
The live version
BetBank matched betting tools size lay stakes with the exchange commission included, for each bookmaker promotion.
Worked example. Back $100 at 3.00 and lay at 3.10 with no commission: lay stake = $300 / 3.10 = $96.77, liability $203.23, and the result is -$3.23 either way. With 5% commission the lay stake is $98.36 and the result -$6.56.
What it assumes. A cash back stake and one lay at a single price. Commission is charged on net winnings in the market, and the calculator applies it to the lay winnings, as the exchange does. A stake-not-returned bonus bet uses a different formula: see the bonus bet calculator. Matched betting depends on bookmaker terms this calculator does not check.
18+. These calculators do arithmetic on the numbers you enter; they are not tips or predictions. Gambling can be harmful. For free, confidential help call Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858 or visit our responsible gambling page.
On an exchange like Betfair you can bet that an outcome will not happen. If you lay at 3.00 you win the other bettor's stake when the outcome loses, and you pay (3.00 - 1) times your stake if it wins. That amount is your liability.
Because the lay price is usually a little above the back price and commission is deducted from winnings. The calculator shows that cost for your exact prices, which is why a matched bet is chosen to make it small.
Enter the rate on your exchange account; 5% is a common rate and some accounts pay less. Leave it blank for none.
Use the bonus bet calculator. A bonus bet's stake is not cash, so the lay stake is sized from its winnings only.
Related tools