SANDRACER.COM - Hedging - How To Hedge A Bet

Hedging - What Does To Hedge A Bet Mean?

"Hedging a bet" is placing another bet or more, when your wager is looking like a good thing to be a winner. Therefore, to hedge a bet, is to bet both sides, or all outcomes of an event. Otherwise knows as arbitrage(arb).

So, if you bet Chelsea to win the FA Cup at 6/1 and they reach the final against Coventry, you may decide to hedge your bet by wagering more money on Coventry to win and/or draw the match aswell. Thereby guaranteeing a profit, or returned stakes, regardless of the final result.

Hedging Example:
♠ Wager £1.00 single Chelsea at 6/1 odds early in the competition =£7.00 returns.
♠ Wager £1.00 single Coventry to win at 2/1 odds on final day =£3.00 returns.
♠ Wager £1.00 single Coventry to draw at 2/1 odds on final day =£3.00 returns.

# Total Stake =£3.00, returns are £7.00 Chelsea, £3.00 draw or Coventry victory.

Bookmakers hedge bets all of the time, usually with your money. Most commonly, the bookmaker will take a fixed price with few rails bookmakers with punters stake, thereby forcing the starting price(sp) down in the highstreet betting shops and reducing their own payout liabilities.

Some gamblers swear by hedging their bets, others think it is bottling out of a wager, or a complete waste of money.

The truth is, it depends on many things. Possible returns against losses, size of initial stake wagered, in-running position of your selection, life-changing win amount and so on.

♠ Gambling Rule 7 - Thou Shalt Not Hedge Thy Bets, Unless..
♠ Hedge Betting Wiki Information Webpage
♠ Hedging & Spread Betting Articles