The matched betting calculator does the hard maths for you. Enter a few numbers from your offer and it instantly tells you the optimal lay stake, your qualifying loss, and your expected free-bet profit.
Calculator modes
- Normal mode — used for qualifying bets (real money). Minimises your qualifying loss.
- Free Bet (SNR) mode — used when your free bet stake is NOT returned on a win (the most common type).
- Free Bet (SR) mode — used when your free bet stake IS returned on a win (rarer, but more profitable).
Step-by-step: qualifying bet
- Select "Normal" mode at the top of the calculator.
- Back stake: enter the amount you plan to bet at the bookmaker (e.g. £10).
- Back odds: enter the decimal odds shown at the bookmaker for your chosen selection.
- Lay odds: enter the current lay odds shown on the exchange for the same selection.
- Commission: enter the exchange commission rate (usually 2%).
- The calculator shows your recommended lay stake and your qualifying loss.
Key output fields explained
- Lay stake — the amount to bet against the outcome on the exchange.
- Lay liability — how much is reserved on your exchange account while the bet is open.
- Qualifying loss — the small loss you accept to unlock the free bet (typically £1–3).
- Profit if back wins / Profit if lay wins — should be equal (or very close) in Normal mode.
Step-by-step: free bet (SNR)
- Select "Free Bet (SNR)" mode.
- Free bet stake: enter the value of your free bet token (e.g. £30).
- Back odds: enter the bookmaker odds for your chosen selection.
- Lay odds: enter the corresponding exchange lay odds.
- Commission: enter 2% (or your exchange rate).
- The calculator shows your guaranteed profit — aim for odds of 5.0–7.0 to maximise the return.
Tip: For free bets, higher odds generally mean more profit — but be cautious above 8.0 as lay liability rises steeply and liquidity may be thin.
What is SNR vs SR?
"Stake Not Returned" (SNR) means if your free back bet wins, you receive the winnings but NOT the original stake back. This is the most common type. "Stake Returned" (SR) means the stake is included in your payout, making the free bet worth more — use SR mode in the calculator for these.
Finding good odds
- Use oddsmatcher tools to find selections where the back and lay odds are very close — this minimises qualifying losses.
- For qualifying bets, aim for a back/lay odds spread of less than 0.05 (e.g. back 3.10, lay 3.15).
- For free bets, prioritise odds in the 5.0–7.0 range for the best SNR conversion rate.