Dutching Calculator
A dutching calculator splits one stake over several selections so each returns the same if it wins. Stake on a selection = total stake × (1/odds) ÷ the sum of 1/odds for all your selections. England 2.40 and India 3.00 in a Test, ₹1,000: ₹555.56 and ₹444.44. Either win returns ₹1,333.33.
A draw would lose both bets, and the ₹1,000 with them. That is the catch: a dutch pays only if one of your selections wins. Backing both teams here works like one bet at 1.33 that the Test is not drawn.
By CricketPrediction.com ·
Dutching stake calculator
Enter decimal odds for 2 to 6 selections of one market and a total stake. The results update as you type.
Selection 1
Selection 2
Enter decimal odds for every selection and a total stake to see the stakes.
This dutching calculator works for any market with two or more selections, at a bookmaker or an exchange. Before any real-money use, review our guide to Indian betting law and responsible gambling guidelines.
How to Calculate Dutching Stakes
Three sums give every stake, and the dutching calculator above runs them as you type. Here they are for England at 2.40 and India at 3.00, with ₹1,000 to bet.
- Add up 1/odds for your selections. 1/2.40 = 0.41667 and 1/3.00 = 0.33333, so the sum is 0.75, or 75%.
- Split the stake. Each stake is the total × 1/odds ÷ 0.75. That puts ₹555.56 on England and ₹444.44 on India.
- Work out the return. The total ÷ 0.75 = ₹1,333.33, whichever of the two wins. The profit is ₹333.33.
The sum is the chance the prices give your selections together, with the bookmaker's margin included. One ÷ the sum is the single price the dutch is worth: 1 ÷ 0.75 = 1.33.
Worked Example: Dutching a Test Match
A Test can end in a draw, so its match odds have three results. Say one bookmaker prices an England v India Test like this, and you think a draw is unlikely.
| Result | Odds | 1/odds | Stake | If it happens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| England win | 2.40 | 41.67% | ₹555.56 | ₹1,333.33 back |
| India win | 3.00 | 33.33% | ₹444.44 | ₹1,333.33 back |
| Draw | 3.60 | 27.78% | not backed | ₹1,000 lost |
The two teams add up to 75.00%. If either wins, you get ₹1,333.33 back for ₹1,000. In whole rupees, that is ₹556 on England and ₹444 on India, which return ₹1,334.40 or ₹1,332.00.
Dutching does not change the odds. This one pays over many bets only if a result (not a draw) comes up more than 75% of the time. So it makes sense only if you rate the two teams' chances higher than their prices do.
Now back the draw at 3.60 as well. The three prices add up to 102.78%, and ₹1,000 comes back as ₹972.97 whatever happens: a loss of ₹27.03. One bookmaker's prices for every result add up to more than 100%, and that margin is what covering everything costs.
When Dutching Loses Money
- None of your selections wins. Then every bet loses and so does the whole stake.
- The prices add up to 100% or more. Then even a winner returns less than you staked. The calculator shows this in amber.
- You cover every result at one bookmaker. Its margin means a small loss whatever happens, as the draw example shows.
- A price moves between bets. The stakes no longer balance, so the returns differ. Enter the new price and check again.
- Settlement rules. A tie, a no-result or a dead heat may not be settled as a plain win or loss. Each bookmaker sets its own rules, so read them first.
Dutching vs Arbitrage
Both use the same stake formula. The difference is how much of the market you cover, and where.
| Aspect | Dutching | Arbitrage |
|---|---|---|
| What you back | Two or more selections of one market, often not all of its results | Every result of one market, each at the best price |
| Where | Usually one bookmaker or exchange | Usually two or more bookmakers |
| Stakes | Total × 1/odds ÷ sum of 1/odds | The same formula |
| Can it lose? | Yes, if none of your selections wins | No, if every bet stands and the prices add up to under 100% |
| Tool | This calculator (you're here) | Our Arbitrage Calculator |
How Commission Affects a Dutch
Betting exchanges charge commission on your net winnings on each market, and nothing when the market loses you money. For example:
- Betfair Exchange: 5% base rate, lower with high volume (not accessible from India)
A winning dutch has the same net winnings whichever selection wins, so commission does not change the stakes. It only shrinks the profit: net profit = (return − total stake) × (1 − commission rate).
In the Test example at 5%, the ₹333.33 profit loses ₹16.67 and becomes ₹316.67. The break-even chance rises from 75.00% to 75.95%. Bookmaker odds have no commission, so leave it at 0% there.
Where Dutching Fits in Cricket
Dutching suits a market where you can narrow the likely winners to a few selections. In cricket that means:
- Test match odds. Back both teams when you expect a result, as in the worked example.
- Tournament winner. Back the two or three teams you rate above their prices.
- Player markets such as top batter. Back the few players you think can top-score, and check how a tie is settled.
Dutching FAQs
What is dutching in betting?
Dutching means backing more than one selection in the same market, with the stakes split so each returns the same if it wins. It spreads your stake over several picks, but you still lose all of it if none of them wins.
How do you calculate dutching stakes?
Add up 1/odds for your selections. Each stake is the total × 1/odds ÷ that sum, and any winner returns the total ÷ that sum. With England 2.40 and India 3.00 the sum is 0.75, so ₹1,000 splits into ₹555.56 and ₹444.44, and either win returns ₹1,333.33.
Can dutching lose money?
Yes. If none of your selections wins, you lose the whole stake. If their prices add up to 100% or more, even a winner returns less than you staked. Back every result at one bookmaker and its margin makes a loss whatever happens: 2.40, 3.00 and 3.60 add up to 102.78%, so ₹1,000 comes back as ₹972.97.
How is dutching different from arbitrage?
Both split a stake so each covered result returns the same. Arbitrage backs every result of a match, each at the best price, usually at different bookmakers, and works only when those prices add up to under 100%. Dutching often backs only some of the results, usually at one bookmaker, so it can lose. Our arbitrage calculator checks for a sure bet.
What does the sum of 1/odds tell you?
It is the chance the prices give your selections together, margin included. It is also the break-even point: at 75%, the dutch pays over many bets only if one of your selections wins more than 75% of the time. At 100% or more, even a winner does not return your stake.
How does commission affect dutching?
Betting exchanges charge a percentage of your net winnings on each market, and nothing on a net loss. The winnings are the same whichever selection wins, so the stakes do not change. At 5%, the ₹333.33 profit in our example becomes ₹316.67. Bookmaker odds carry no commission.
Can I dutch just two selections?
Yes. Two is the smallest dutch, and this calculator takes up to six. If your two selections are the only results of the market, you are covering every result: that is an arbitrage question, so check whether their prices add up to under 100%.
Is dutching legal in India?
Dutching itself is just a stake-allocation method, not a separate form of betting. The legal status follows the underlying betting activity. India's PROGA 2025 bans real-money online gaming. See our full guide to Indian betting law.
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