This back / lay betting calculator is a simple tool designed to show how much one should bet on the sports betting system, matched betting. In order to use this lay sports betting system, please simply follow the instructions below.

Simply fill in the bet stake, back betting odds and lay betting odds into the form and the calculator will work out how much to lay at and how much exposure there will be at the exchange.

Preview:

Below are a list of the key functions on the lay betting calculator spreadsheet:

1. Free Stake - Enter free bet amount or the qualifying bet amount.

2. Stake Not Returned - Enter the amount if the bet is a stake not returned free bet.

3. Back Odds - Enter the back betting odds

4. Back Commission - Enter the back commission, only applicable for trading off two exchanges (very rare)

5. Back Return - This will be the return on the back side of the bet

6. Lay Odds - Enter the lay betting odds (the lay betting odds at the betting exchange)

7. Lay Commission (%) - Enter the lay betting commission (usually 5% at Betfair, but it can be lower)

8. Lay Risk - This is the minimum amount of funds required at the betting exchange and also the liability of the lay bet

9. Back Profit - This is the amount 'locked in' with the free bet

10. Lay Profit - This is the same as the back profit figure

11. Lay Stake - This is the amount needed to lay in order to 'lock in' the back profit figure. The liability will be the amount in the lay risk box

12. % Return - This is the percentage return on the free bet (if amount is higher than 100% the matched bet is an arb)

13. (Profit)/Loss - This is the profit/loss on the bet.

Further information on how to use the calculator can be found within my matched betting guide.

When placing your free bet it is important to know whether it is stake returned (SR) or stake not returned (SNR).

You can find this out be checking our Freebets page or by emailing us at and we will be happy to help.

If the free bet stake is not returned (SNR), you need to bet at odds of 3 or more, the higher the odds the better the overall return for you if you can find a close match, however, the higher the odds the more money you will have tied up at the betting exchange.

Please see the table below, as a guide, with equal back and lay betting odds, the percentage return for SNR bets at different odds.

50% return = odds of 2.00
60% return = odds of 2.64
70% return = odds of 3.70
80% return = odds of 6.00
90% return = odds of 20.00
94% return = odds of 100.00

Try entering different permutations of back and lay odds, stake free and stake not free etc... to get a hold of what you are doing.

Once you understand how to use this sports betting system, we suggest you have a look at our oddsmatcher bet calculator