Dutching Calculator
Enter the odds for each selection you want to back in the same market, plus your total stake. The tool splits the stake so the return is the same whichever selection wins.
Fill in the fields above to see the result.
Dutching means splitting one stake across several selections so the return is the same whichever of them wins. It fits when you think the result sits among three or four candidates, but you do not know which.
How the math works
Each selection takes the slice proportional to its implied probability:
selection stake = total × (1 ÷ odds) ÷ sum of implied probabilities
And the return, identical across all of them, is:
return = total ÷ sum of implied probabilities
The lower the sum, the higher the return. If the sum goes above 100%, no split returns a profit: you would be paying more than the group is worth.
Worked example
400 spread across three selections at 3.00, 4.50 and 6.00.
| Selection | Odds | Stake | Return if it wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 3.00 | 184.62 | 553.85 |
| B | 4.50 | 123.08 | 553.85 |
| C | 6.00 | 92.31 | 553.85 |
The implied probabilities add up to 72.22%, and the return is 553.85 on 400, which is +38.46% if any of the three wins.
Now the part that separates dutching from arbitrage, and the most important thing on this page: that 72.22% is not an arbitrage. The sum landed below 100% because you covered only three selections out of a larger field. The missing 27.78% is the chance that something you left out wins, and in that case you lose the whole 400.
Dutching does not remove risk. It trades "pick which" for "pick among which", with the price marked down accordingly.
Where it misleads
A low sum looks like guaranteed profit and is not. It would be only if you covered every possible outcome. In a ten-horse field, covering three at a 72% sum is still a bet that loses 28% of the time by the market's own estimate.
More selections means a higher sum. Each one you add pushes the total up and the return down. There is a point where covering more loses to simply backing the best one.
The vig is in there. The odds you are using carry the bookmaker's margin, so your real chance of hitting is slightly lower than 72.22% suggests.
FAQ
What is the difference between dutching and arbitrage?
Arbitrage covers every outcome in a market and the profit does not depend on which one lands. Dutching covers some, and if the result falls outside your group you lose everything. A sum below 100% means different things in the two cases.
Does dutching return more than backing one selection?
Not in expected value. It reduces the swing in exchange for reducing the prize. Backing the single best selection returns more when it hits and zero when it misses; dutching smooths both sides.
When does dutching make sense?
When your read is about a group rather than a name, and when the odds on each member are generous enough to keep the sum low. If only one of them is priced well, back only that one.
To check whether the selections you picked actually hold value, run each through the EV calculator. If your goal is to cover the whole market with no outcome risk, the case is arbitrage. The bankroll guide covers how much to risk in total. Betting is entertainment for adults 18 and over and carries a risk of loss.