Matched Betting Calculator
Price the qualifying bet and what a free bet really extracts.
| Bet type | Locked result |
|---|---|
| If the bookmaker wins | −1.72 ₽ |
| If the exchange wins | −1.72 ₽ |
How it works
Matched betting has two halves. The qualifying bet is placed with your own money and laid off on an exchange, which costs a little; that small loss is the price of unlocking the offer. The free bet it releases is laid off the same way, and whatever the lay returns is yours to keep.
The rating is what makes offers comparable: a qualifying bet rated −4% costs 4% of the stake to place, while an SNR free bet rated 78% turns a 50-unit token into 39 units of cash. An SNR token lays off its profit only, which is why long odds suit it, whereas a stake-returned token behaves almost like cash.
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How the Matched Betting Calculator works
Matched betting extracts the cash value of a bookmaker's free bet by covering it on an exchange, so the result of the match stops mattering. This free matched betting calculator prices both halves of an offer — the qualifying bet you place with your own money and the free bet it unlocks — and rates each one as a percentage of its face value.
The qualifying bet
For stake S, back odds B, lay odds L and commission c as a decimal, a qualifying bet uses lay stake = S × B ÷ (L − c). A back win gives S × (B − 1) − liability; a back loss gives lay stake × (1 − c) − S. A negative balanced result is the qualifying loss.
That gap is the qualifying loss, and it is the real cost of the offer. A rating of −3% means unlocking the free bet costs three units in every hundred staked. Set that against what the free bet is worth and you know whether the offer is worth doing at all.
SNR and SR free bets
A stake-not-returned (SNR) token pays the profit only: 50 at odds of 6.00 returns 250, not 300. Laying it therefore needs a smaller lay stake than a cash bet would, and the extraction rate climbs with the odds — which is why SNR tokens belong on long prices.
An SR token includes its stake in the winning return. Use the free-bet calculator for standalone conversion. To evaluate the full offer, add the qualifying and free-bet results in money, not their percentage ratings: the two amounts may differ.
What to check before you stake
The liability, not the lay stake, is the money the exchange holds. At long odds a small lay ties up a large balance, and that is what limits how many offers you can run at once.
Record the back odds actually taken and recalculate the lay using its available price before placing it. Both bets must cover the same market and settlement rules. Rounding, an unmatched lay and later price changes can affect the real result. Rollover offers belong in Bonus & Wagering Calculator.
Back/lay formulas and qualifying loss
For SNR, lay stake = S × (B − 1) ÷ (L − c); for SR, use S × B ÷ (L − c). Liability = lay stake × (L − 1). Commission of 2% means c = 0.02. The calculator sizes a new balanced lay for the odds entered; it does not compare an already placed lay stake with a later price.
Example: a qualifying stake of 50 at back 2.00, lay 2.05 and 2% commission gives a lay stake of 49.26, liability of 51.72 and a qualifying loss of 1.72 before stake rounding. The same loss applies to either outcome.
FAQ
How do I calculate qualifying loss?expand_more
Use qualifying mode with your own cash stake. The balanced result includes the back/lay price difference and exchange commission. If it is −1.72, the qualifying loss is 1.72.
Which matched betting mode should I use?expand_more
Use qualifying for a cash bet, SNR when the free-bet stake is not returned, and SR when it is included in the winning return. Check the offer terms before choosing.
What does lay liability mean?expand_more
It is the money reserved to cover a winning back selection: lay stake × (lay odds − 1). It is different from the lay stake.
Does this calculator cover part-lay or cashback offers?expand_more
No. It balances a qualifying, SNR or SR bet using one back price, one lay price and a commission rate. It does not settle part-lay, cashback or overlay offers.