Lay Bet Calculator

Author: Steven D. Thompson

Updated: 27/03/2025 11:30 AM

Lay betting is basically betting against the odds of a specific event or outcome, for instance, betting that a specific team won't win. Though this may sound simple, calculating what you're putting at stake or how much you should put at stake, let's say, can be a mind-bender. Luckily, you can use our lay bet calculator to make strategic bets and get around all the hassle. Our lay bet calculator can help you calculate your possible liabilities, profits, returns and winnings with ease. Read on to learn how it works.

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Liability: $0.00

Return: $0.00

Commission Paid: $0.00

Profit After Commission: $0.00

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Table of Contents

What Is a Lay Bet?

Like we mentioned earlier, lay betting is simply placing a bet that an event won't occur. This allows you to take the role of a bookie because you are not backing an event to win but to lose.

Lay bets work best when it's hard the predict the outcome of a match. For instance, you may not have ana of who will win in a match between Manchester United and Manchester City. In this case, using a Lay Bet may be right for you. Considering the current forms of both teams, you can choose to lay Manchester United as a backup strategy to your primary bet.

Liability in Lay Betting

Liability is a key concept in Lay Betting that is crucial. Remember, you are not trying find a bookmaker in lay betting. Since you have the chance to make profits on a horse losing a race, or a football team losing a match, you also need to pay out to other bettors if the team or horse win.

Before placing lay bets, you must have enough funds in your account to cover the liability. For example, you may place a £40 back stake at 7/1 odds on a horse. Placing a lay amount of this equivalent means that you can win £40 if you win or payout £280 as a liability to the matched bettor if you lose.

Betting Exchanges

A betting exchange is a platform, like Betfair, that allows users to bet against each other. Since you act as the bookmaker, the bet is between two players. This is a feature many traditional betting sites don't offer. On a betting exchange, there must be a player placing a 'back' stake and another placing a 'lay' stake.

Liquidity

Since the betting exchange isn't a bookmaker, the amount of money available on the exchange is limited. This money comes from other bettors or individuals placing a back stake. So, the maximum amount of lay bet you can place shouldn't exceed the liquidity.

For example, if you intend to place a lay stake of £12 at lay odds of 1.42, but the liquidity at this odds is £6, then the exchange may decline or not fully match your bet.

How to Use the Lay Bet Calculator on Betpack?

Our lay bet calculator is simple to use with an excellent interface. You can use the steps below as a guide, but it is essential you pick the necessary information from the betting exchange.

Step 1

Input Your Stake

Type in your lay stake in the field provided on the calculator. The amount you stake will have an impact on the liability, so be sure you don't go overboard.

Step 2

Choose the Odds

The lay odds on the game you intend to stake on will be available on the betting exchange site. Provide the right odds in the calculator to get an accurate calculation of your potential winnings.

Step 3

Pick the Commission

Most betting exchanges require a lay commission when you place a bet, while a few take zero commission. The commission is usually a percentage, so you need to confirm the value and provide it in the commission box.

Step 4

View Your Results

Once you provide all the necessary details, the calculator shows the results instantly. This includes the liability, commission, and potential profits after deductions.

Why Opt for Lay Betting?

The lay bet system is a useful betting strategy that you can utilise in situations where you believe it is much easier to pick a loser than to predict the winner. For example, a horse race with ten horses competing. Here, you can have one winner and nine losers, so picking a losing horse isn't going to be an issue.

Lay betting gives you a chance to win more frequently than you would have with back betting. However, you need to understand the implication of playing the role of the bookmaker when lay betting.

Lay Bet Calculator Vs Dutching Calculator

With a lay bet calculator, you can get your potential winnings on a lay bet. However, there are other bet calculators like the Dutching bet, with their unique calculators. Let us go into details regarding the differences between each.

Lay Bet Calculator
Used to calculate your potential winnings when you choose to place a lay bet or assume the role of a bookmaker.
It shows you details of the liability you might incur if your prediction is wrong.
You only get a chance to pick one possible outcome with the lay bet calculator.

Dutching Bet Calculator
Calculates your potential winnings when you choose to spread your stake over multiple bets.
The calculator can give you suggestions on how much to bet and what bets will be more profitable.
The option to spread your stake makes it possible to pick more than one match/event.

Conclusion

Everyone bets to win, and lay betting provides an excellent potential to win. With a lay betting calculator within your reach, you have a chance to determine if lay betting on a horse or football team will be more profitable than other betting methods.

You can compare your profit from lay betting to those from dutching, match betting, or accumulator betting using the other calculators we provide.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Lay Bet Calculator?

A lay betting calculator is an important tool that is useful in assisting in determining your potential win and liability on a lay bet.

What is a Liability in Lay Betting?

Liability is the amount you need to pay out if you lose a lay bet. This is usually more than your initial stake since you are playing the role of the bookmaker this time.

Are there Other Benefits of Betting Exchanges?

Yes, there are. On a betting exchange, you have better prices, and you get a chance to place larger bets as long as you can cover your liability. One thing to note is that most betting exchanges don't support accumulator bets.