Dutching Calculator

🧮 Dutch Your Selections

Enter your total stake and add your selections with their odds. The calculator will show you exactly how much to place on each selection for equal profit.

Total Stake ($) Your total betting budget

Default Odds Format Format for entering odds

Dutching Results ✓ Profitable Dutch

$20.00
Guaranteed Profit

$120.00

Total Return

20.00%

ROI

83.33%

Combined Probability

1.20

Effective Odds

Selections

0% Combined Implied Probability 100%+

83.33% - Profitable (under 100%)

Stake Distribution & Returns

Selection	Odds	Implied Prob.	Stake	Return	Profit

📊 Understanding Dutching

The Dutching Principle: Dutching works by distributing your total stake inversely proportional to each selection's odds. Lower odds (favorites) receive larger stakes, while higher odds (longshots) receive smaller stakes. The result is equal profit regardless of which selection wins.

The Dutching Formula

For each selection, the individual stake is calculated as:

Individual Stake = Total Stake × (1/Decimal Odds) / Σ(1/All Decimal Odds)

This ensures that the return from any winning selection equals the same amount. The key insight is that you're betting more on shorter-priced selections and less on longer-priced ones.

When is Dutching Profitable?

Dutching is only profitable when the combined implied probability of your selections is less than 100%. This is shown in the probability meter above.

Under 100%: Guaranteed profit if any selection wins
At 100%: Break-even (no profit, no loss)
Over 100%: Guaranteed loss—the bookmaker's margin is too high

What is Dutching in Betting?

Dutching is a betting strategy where you back multiple selections in the same event, calculating stake sizes so that you win an equal profit regardless of which selection wins. The strategy is named after the legendary 1920s gangster Dutch Schultz, who allegedly used this method at horse racing tracks in New York.

According to betting mathematics research documented by the UNLV Center for Gaming Research, dutching remains one of the most mathematically sound approaches to multi-selection betting when selections are carefully chosen based on value analysis.

How Dutching Differs from Arbitrage

While both strategies involve placing multiple bets, there's a crucial difference between dutching and arbitrage betting:

Arbitrage: Covers ALL possible outcomes (often across different bookmakers) to guarantee profit regardless of result
Dutching: Covers only SELECTED outcomes where you believe there's value—you still lose if an uncovered selection wins

This is an important distinction: dutching doesn't eliminate risk entirely. If you dutch three horses in an eight-horse race, you lose everything if one of the other five wins. The strategy assumes you've identified selections with positive expected value.

Practical Dutching Example

Imagine a soccer match where you believe either Team A or the Draw has value, but not Team B. The odds are:

Team A: 2.50 (40% implied probability)
Draw: 3.50 (28.57% implied probability)
Team B: 3.00 (not being dutched)

Combined implied probability for your selections: 40% + 28.57% = 68.57%. Since this is under 100%, dutching is profitable. With a $100 total stake:

Stake on Team A: $100 × (0.40/0.6857) = $58.33
Stake on Draw: $100 × (0.2857/0.6857) = $41.67

If Team A wins: Return $145.83, Profit $45.83
If Draw wins: Return $145.83, Profit $45.83
If Team B wins: Loss of $100

When to Use Dutching

Dutching works best in specific scenarios, as explained in betting strategy research from the American Gaming Association:

Horse racing: When form analysis suggests 2-4 contenders have genuine winning chances
Football/soccer: When you want to back both a win and draw (or opposing wins)
Tennis: When you believe an outsider has value but want to hedge
Accumulators: When a single selection in your parlay is uncertain

Critical Warning: Never dutch randomly. Dutching only makes sense when you've analyzed the event and believe your selected outcomes genuinely have value (odds higher than true probability). Blindly dutching based on odds alone will lead to losses due to the bookmaker's margin.

The Mathematics Behind Profitability

The combined implied probability tells you whether dutching is profitable. Each decimal odds can be converted to implied probability using the formula: 1 / Decimal Odds.

If you're dutching selections at 2.00 and 3.00 decimal odds:

Selection 1: 1/2.00 = 50% implied probability
Selection 2: 1/3.00 = 33.33% implied probability
Combined: 50% + 33.33% = 83.33%

Since 83.33% is under 100%, this dutch is profitable. Your effective odds are 100/83.33 = 1.20, meaning a 20% return on investment if either selection wins.

For more on probability mathematics and odds conversion, see our Probability Calculator and Understanding Odds Formats guide.

Dutching vs. Lay Betting

Betting exchanges offer an alternative approach: rather than dutching multiple selections, you can lay (bet against) the selection you don't want to win. This can sometimes offer better value, especially when:

There are many competitors (laying one is cheaper than backing many)
Exchange odds have lower margin than bookmaker odds
You specifically want to oppose one selection rather than support multiple

Learn more about exchange betting in our Betting Exchanges Explained article.

Common Dutching Mistakes

Based on analysis from BeGambleAware and responsible gambling research, here are common pitfalls to avoid:

Dutching without value analysis: Just because you can dutch doesn't mean you should—each selection must offer genuine value
Including too many selections: More selections = higher combined probability = lower profit margin
Ignoring the uncovered outcomes: Remember, if none of your dutched selections wins, you lose 100% of your stake
Not accounting for stake rounding: Small rounding errors can lead to unequal profits—use precise calculations
Chasing losses with dutching: Dutching is a strategy, not a recovery system

Using This Calculator

Our dutching calculator handles all the complex mathematics automatically. Here's how to use it effectively:

Enter your total stake: This is your complete betting budget for this event
Select odds format: Choose decimal, fractional, or American odds
Add your selections: Enter a name and odds for each selection you want to dutch
Check the probability meter: If combined probability is under 100%, your dutch is profitable
Place your bets: Use the calculated stakes shown for each selection

For bankroll management considerations, our Bankroll Management Guide and Betting Unit Calculator can help you determine appropriate stake sizes.

Educational Disclaimer: This calculator is for educational purposes only. Dutching is a betting strategy that still involves risk—if none of your selected outcomes wins, you lose your entire stake. Never bet more than you can afford to lose. For help with gambling problems, contact the National Council on Problem Gambling at 1-800-522-4700 or visit BeGambleAware. See our responsible gambling page for more resources. 18+ Only.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is dutching in betting?

Dutching is a betting strategy where you place bets on multiple selections in the same event, calculating stake sizes so that you win the same amount of profit regardless of which selection wins. It's named after the legendary 1920s gangster Dutch Schultz, who allegedly used this method at horse races.

How does the dutching formula work?

The dutching formula calculates each stake as: Individual Stake = (Total Stake × Implied Probability) / Sum of All Implied Probabilities. The implied probability is calculated from the odds (1/decimal odds). This ensures proportional stake distribution based on each selection's odds.

Can dutching guarantee a profit?

Dutching only guarantees a profit if the combined implied probability of your selections is less than 100%. This means you need to find value selections where the bookmaker's odds exceed true probability. If combined probability exceeds 100%, you're guaranteed a loss over time.

What's the difference between dutching and arbitrage betting?

Arbitrage covers ALL possible outcomes across different bookmakers to guarantee profit regardless of result. Dutching covers only SELECTED outcomes (usually 2-4) at one or more bookmakers. Dutching still has risk if an uncovered selection wins, while arbitrage eliminates all risk.

When should I use dutching?

Use dutching when you want to back multiple selections you believe have good value, or when you want to reduce risk by spreading bets across several likely winners. It's popular in horse racing and football where form analysis suggests multiple contenders. Never dutch randomly—always have analysis behind your selections.

What odds format works best for dutching?

Decimal odds are mathematically easiest for dutching calculations because implied probability is simply 1 ÷ decimal odds. However, our calculator supports all formats (decimal, fractional, American) and converts automatically. The mathematical outcome is identical regardless of format.

How many selections should I dutch?

Most dutching strategies involve 2-4 selections. More selections mean lower individual stakes and potentially lower returns, but also reduced variance. The key is that combined implied probability stays well under 100%—each additional selection adds to that percentage, making profit harder to achieve.