Hedge Betting – What is hedge betting and how to hedge a bet [2024]

• Suppose you made a EUR 100 bet, or equivalent in other betting currencies, with odds of 1.60 on Team A to win FIFA 2023 in January.
• However, in March, you saw that Team A performed less than expected: You realized that Team B is also likely to win FIFA 2023.
• Therefore, you have decided to place another 100 EUR bet with 1.30 odds on Team B as well.

Congratulations, this is called hedge betting and you’ve successfully completed it. This is a simple example, but it allows you to understand how hedge bets work: You placed two different single bets on the two most likely outcomes. Thus, you have insured your first bet: Even if you lose it, you can still win your second bet.

• If you win your first bet, you will receive a total payout of 260 EUR. You invested 100 EUR for this bet.
• If you win your second bet, you will receive a total payout of 230 EUR. You also invested 100 EUR for this bet.
• In other words, you spent 200 EUR in total but will earn either 230 EUR or 260 EUR: You will make a profit anyway.

First, let’s briefly answer the question of what is lay betting in sports: Laying is betting that an outcome will not happen (for example, a team will lose the match or with lay the draw, that the match won’t end in a draw). Backing, on the contrary, is to bet that an outcome will occur (for example, a team will win the match).

Back to lay is simply to place an additional lay bet on a back bet that you have previously played, so as we explained above, you are hedging on the two most likely outcomes (the team will either win or lose the match).

Suppose you bet 100 EUR at odds of 1.45 for Team A’s probability of winning (back) at the beginning of the match. 1.30 odds are offered for Team A’s probability of losing (lay). If you calculate the amount of the lay bet (hedge bet) correctly, you will be able to make a certain profit in any case. The formula you will use to calculate this amount is:

• (back price * back stake) / current lay odds = hedge bet amount
• (1.45 * 100) / 1.30 = 111.53 EUR

By using the best odds margins at live bookmakers at the best odds bookmakers, you can further increase your potential earnings. You can use this formula on the easiest sports to bet on, like football and tennis. So hedge bets are among best sports betting strategies and hedge betting tennis is possible.

Football is one of the most suitable sports for hedge betting at sports betting exchanges, and generally, the following two basic football hedging strategies will enable you to use hedge bets in the most efficient way:

• If odds drop after playing lay bet, place a back bet.
• If odds increase after playing back bet, place a lay bet.

You can use this simple football hedging system in all bookmakers with statistics and increasing/dropping odds tracking is all you need to do. In other words, it is a very easy strategy to use and can be used for both favorite and underdog betting. Hedge bets should be preferred mostly for outcomes that will occur in the distant future, as it will be easier to follow the changes in odds. As mentioned above, in-game hedge bets are possible, but future betting is the most ideal option for this system.

You have learned what is hedge betting: It is time to make some practice. When used right, hedge bets can help you to score a payout no matter what and they can be used by anyone without the need for previous experience.

Simply put, hedge betting is your friend: You should start using it right now. Pick one of our recommended bookmakers and don’t forget to check our other guides (i.e. low odds laying system, how to bet on draws, best staking plan for low odds) too. Good luck!