You can use our arbitrage calculator to determine if betting on both outcomes of an event can guarantee a profit. All you need to do is enter the odds to reveal the amount that you need to stake on each outcome.
What you must bear in mind, is that if the ROI shows a negative, it indicates that a loss is on the cards, meaning that arbing on that particular event isn’t worthwhile. Our guide explains in full detail how this handy calculator can help you to make informed arbitrage bets.
How to use our
sports betting arbitrage calculator
To use our arbitrage betting calculator, you need to enter the odds for each outcome of the same event. Next, you need to enter the combined total amount you intend to stake on both outcomes.
Once you have done that, hit the “Calculate” button to see the result.
Stake
- The total sum of money that you will wager on both outcomes combined. For example, if you enter a $100 total stake, the calculator will show how much of that total needs to be wagered on each outcome to achieve a profit.
Total payout
- The total payout you will receive if either outcome wins. As you will see in the example below, the total payout will always be the same for both outcomes because the bet amounts are adjusted to compensate.
Total profit
- This shows how much of your payout is profit. This is calculated by subtracting your total payout from your initial stake amount.
ROI (return on investment)
- Essentially, this is your total profit displayed as a percentage. For example, an expected profit of $5.00 for a $100 stake would give you a 5% ROI.
Note:
If the total profit and ROI are negative, then you are guaranteed a loss and arbitrage betting on the event is not viable.
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Using the
arbitrage calculator
-Step by step:
It’s worth noting here that there are usually just two outcomes, but there can be more. For example 1x2 betting in soccer. However, for the sake of clarity, the following steps apply to a two-outcome arb bet.
Choose an event and bet type - the moneyline for an NFL game between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers, for example
Find the odds for both outcomes on two different sportsbooks - e.g. get the best odds for one team to win at DraftKings and the best odds for the other to win at Bet365
Enter the odds for each outcome into the boxes provided in the calculator
Enter your total stake - remember this is the combined total
Click the “Calculate” button
If you have a positive ROI the bet is good, if it’s negative it’s not
Example:
Below we’ve used a real-life example of an NBA game between the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks.
Here are the best odds we could find for the moneyline on two of the
best NBA betting sites:
Hawks:
+140 at FanDuel
Knicks:
-125 at BetMGM
With a $100 combined stake, here’s how the arbitrage betting calculator outcome would look:
Odds
Stake
Payout
Bet 1 (Hawks):
+140
$57.14
$102.86
Bet 2 (Knicks):
-125
$42.86
$102.86
Total stake:
$100
Total payout:
$102.86
Total profit:
$2.86
ROI:
2.86%
As you can see here, the ROI is 2.86%, which is positive, meaning that a profit is guaranteed in this case. Were it negative, you would be guaranteed a loss and should not place the bet.
In addition, note that the stake amount is different for the two bets you would need to place. This is a crucial factor when it comes to achieving a positive ROI.
Arbitrage Betting Explained
Arbitrage betting explained
in simple terms involves looking for the best odds for both outcomes of the same event, and placing bets at two different sportsbooks to guarantee a profit. The simplest example is betting on both teams to win a game.
Arbitrage vs hedging
Arbitrage is basically a form of hedge betting, but there is a very subtle difference. Hedging is a practice that involves using one or more counter-bets to minimize or eliminate risk.
With arbitrage betting, you are actively looking to take advantage of a price difference between two sportsbooks to ensure a profit.
Example - Hedging:
For example, if we look at a Premier League Soccer game between Manchester United and Everton, you might fancy Manchester United as -118 favorites. To hedge your bet, you could also bet on Everton to win as +300 underdogs on a different sportsbook.
With a $100 stake on Man U at -118, you would need to place a hedge bet of $46.19 on Everton at +300. This would give you a total payout of $184.75 and a hedge profit of $38.56.
Example - How arb betting is different
There is always the danger of a soccer match ending in a draw, which could still see you losing your profit, but there is also a way to include the possibility of a draw in your arb bet. To use our arbitrage sports betting calculator on a 1x2 bet like this, you would also need to add the odds for a draw. Here’s an example of what you might see:
Odds
Stake
Payout
Bet 1 (Man U):
-118
$51.67
$95.44
Bet 2 (Everton):
+300
$23.86
$95.44
Bet 3 (Tie):
+290
$24.47
$95.44
Total stake:
$100
Total payout:
$95.44
Total profit:
$4.56
ROI:
-4.56%
As the ROI displays as a minus here, this is not a bet that you should arb.
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This bet calculator is useful for a number of reasons, the top five of which we have listed below:
Easy to use
Using an arbitrage calculator is far easier than doing the math yourself. You simply need to enter the odds and your total stake, and then the calculator will do the rest of the work for you in a split second.
Speed
It allows you to quickly and easily see if a profit is guaranteed. If your ROI is negative, you can discount that event and move on to the next one.
Decision making
Negative ROI rules out the bet straight away while you can decide if small guaranteed profits are worth your while or not. For instance, a 0.91% ROI is positive, but is it really worth your while stumping up $100 for a guaranteed 90 cents?
Flexibility
You are not only restricted to two-outcome events, you can add the odds for multiple possible outcomes on the same event. You can refer back to the Manchester United vs Everton example of a 1x2 arb bet above.
Guaranteed returns
If there is a positive ROI, then you are guaranteed a profit. You are not merely minimizing your risk or reducing your potential losses - they are eliminated. Of course, this is offset by the fact that your guaranteed profits are usually very small compared to the initial bet amount.
What other calculators are available
This arbitrage betting calculator is just one of many betting calculators that you can use here at PromoGuy. Below, you can check out all of our other calculators, which are designed to enhance your overall online betting experience:
All of our free betting calculators at the PromoGuy
In summary, the main function of our arb calculator is to quickly and easily see if you can achieve a guaranteed profit when placing bets on two outcomes of the same game. Just remember that you will never get a positive ROI using the odds at the same sportsbook.
The aim of the game here, is to find (and take advantage of) a price discrepancy between two different sports betting sites. This doesn’t happen very often though, and your profit will be quite small, but it is guaranteed.
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To calculate an arbitrage bet, you need to first find the odds for each outcome of the same event at two different sportsbooks. You then need to enter the odds into the calculator alongside your total stake (for both bets combined). To make it easier, you can use the arbitrage betting calculator here at PromoGuy.us.
🧐 Is arb betting profitable?
Yes, Arbitrage betting does guarantee a profit, however, the profit margins are extremely low - usually not more than 5%. Therefore even with a relatively sizable outlay of $100, you can only expect to get back a few dollars in profit. Hedging is a more potentially profitable alternative, but there is still a risk of losing your stake.
🔎 What does it mean if the arb bet calculator gives a negative profit?
If the calculator displays a negative profit and ROI, it means that a loss is guaranteed based on the odds and the event you’re looking at. Ultimately, this means that you should not back both outcomes of this particular event.
👀 Can you lose in arbitrage betting?
Arbitrage betting involves capitalising on the price difference between two betting sites to guarantee a profit. However, such price differences are rare and are usually very small when they can be found.
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