You are here: Home >> Tools >> Online Calculators >> Back vs Lay Calculator
This back vs lay calculator determines the best course of action when wagering in a two-outcome market with a betting exchange. Simply input the current back and lay odds for each selection and click on the ‘Calculate’ button. The calculator will then tell you whether to back the selection or lay the opposing selection.
When to Use This Calculator
When wagering on a two-outcome market with a betting exchange, if you fancy the chances of one selection you have two choices. Do you back that selection or lay the opposing selection? An example two-outcome market is the head-to-head on a basketball game, because a draw isn’t a possibility. Other examples are line bets and total score over/under wagers.
On some occasions you can quickly determine which option is better if there is more liquidity for backing and laying one selection compared to the other, but sometimes the decision-making process involves a manual calculation.
This calculator can be used for any betting exchange such as Betfair, Matchbook and Smarkets.