Dutching Calculator

Distribute your stake across multiple selections so any winner returns the same profit.

What Is Dutching?

Dutching is a staking strategy where you spread your wager across multiple selections in the same event to give yourself more than one way to win. Named after the famous Dutch gambling mathematician (and some say, after the infamous Al Capone associate "Dutch" Schultz who pioneered the method), it is a fundamentally different approach from single-outcome betting.

Unlike arbitrage (which covers every outcome to guarantee profit), dutching typically covers a subset of outcomes you believe are most likely. The goal is to earn the same profit regardless of which of your selected outcomes wins. If none of your selections win, you lose your entire stake.

Dutching is widely used in horse racing, golf, MMA, and any market with three or more possible outcomes. It is particularly valuable when you believe the favorite is overvalued and want to back multiple underdogs simultaneously.

How the Dutching Calculator Works

Enter the odds for each selection you want to back and your total stake. The calculator divides your stake across selections proportionally, using the inverse of each selection's decimal odds as the weight. This ensures that each winning outcome returns the same total profit.

For example, if Selection A is at 3.00 and Selection B is at 5.00, the calculator allocates more money to Selection A (which has the shorter odds) so that both outcomes pay identically.

The calculator also shows whether your dutch is a +EV bet by comparing the combined implied probability of your selections against 100%. If the total implied probability of your selected outcomes exceeds their combined market probability minus the margin, you have a value dutch.

When to Use Dutching

Dutching works best in multi-outcome markets where you have opinions on several contenders:

Horse Racing: You like three horses in a 12-runner field. Rather than picking one and hoping, dutch all three for equal profit from any of them winning.

Golf Tournaments: Back 4-5 players at long odds. If any one wins, your profit is the same as if you had correctly picked a single winner.

MMA/Boxing: When you think the favorite is overpriced, dutch the two challengers for value.

Soccer Outrights: In a league winner market, dutch 3-4 contenders rather than committing to one team for the entire season.

Worked Example: Horse Racing Dutch

In an 8-horse race, you like three horses. Horse A is at 4.00, Horse B is at 6.00, and Horse C is at 10.00. Your total stake is $100.

  1. Calculate inverse odds weights: A = 1/4.00 = 0.250, B = 1/6.00 = 0.167, C = 1/10.00 = 0.100
  2. Sum of weights: 0.250 + 0.167 + 0.100 = 0.517
  3. Stake on A: $100 × (0.250 / 0.517) = $48.36
  4. Stake on B: $100 × (0.167 / 0.517) = $32.24
  5. Stake on C: $100 × (0.100 / 0.517) = $19.40
  6. If Horse A wins: $48.36 × 4.00 = $193.44 → $93.44 profit
  7. If Horse B wins: $32.24 × 6.00 = $193.44 → $93.44 profit
  8. If Horse C wins: $19.40 × 10.00 = $194.00 → $94.00 profit

Any of your three horses winning returns approximately $93-94 profit on your $100 stake. You lose $100 if none of your three selections wins. The combined implied probability of your selections is 51.7%, so you need to believe these three horses collectively have a better than 51.7% chance of winning for this to be a +EV bet.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between dutching and arbitrage?
Dutching covers a subset of outcomes (you still have risk if none of your selections wins). Arbitrage covers every possible outcome to guarantee profit with zero risk. Dutching is a selective strategy based on your analysis; arbitrage is a mathematical certainty based on pricing discrepancies.
How many selections should I include in a dutch?
There's no fixed number, but 2-5 selections is most common. Adding more selections reduces your potential profit per winning outcome because your stake is spread thinner. The key is including only selections you genuinely believe offer value — don't add weak selections just to increase your coverage.
Can dutching be profitable long-term?
Yes, if your probability assessments are consistently more accurate than the market's implied probabilities. The same principles that make single bets profitable apply to dutching — you need a positive edge. Dutching just gives you a way to express that edge across multiple outcomes in the same event.
Is dutching the same as hedging?
No. Hedging is placing a second bet after your original bet to reduce risk (typically on the opposite outcome). Dutching is placing multiple simultaneous bets on different selections before any outcome is decided. Hedging reacts to changing circumstances; dutching is a planned, pre-event strategy.

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