How to use the bet calculator
The calculator works out what a bet slip pays back, before or after the matches. It handles singles, parlays (accumulators) and system bets, in decimal, fractional or American odds.
- Pick the bet type: singles (each selection is its own bet), a parlay (every selection in one bet) or a system (several parlays built from the same selections).
- Enter the odds of each selection, in the format your bookmaker shows. Switching format converts the odds you already typed.
- Set each result. Every selection starts as “Won”, which gives the potential return. Once the events are over, mark the losers as “Lost” and anything cancelled as “Void”.
- Enter the stake, per bet or as a total split across the bets, for singles and systems.
You get the number of bets, the total stake, the return with the results as set, and the net result. A parlay also shows its combined odds and the chance implied by them; a system lists every combination it contains.
How returns are calculated
The return is everything the bookmaker pays back, stake included. The net result is the return minus what you staked.
Singles
Return = stake × odds
$10 at odds of 1.80 returns $18.00 if it wins: your $10 back plus $8.00 of net result. If it loses, the return is zero.
Parlays
Return = stake × odds 1 × odds 2 × odds 3 …
The odds multiply. $10 on a parlay of 1.80, 2.10 and 1.65 has combined odds of about 6.24 and returns $62.37 if all three win. A single losing selection and the whole bet returns nothing.
System bets
A system is several parlays built from the same selections, each with its own stake. Its return is the sum of the combinations that win.
Return = sum of (stake per bet × combined odds) over the winning combinations
Take the same three selections as a system 2/3, also called three doubles, at $10 per combination. That is three bets and $30 staked: 1.80 × 2.10 = 3.78, 1.80 × 1.65 = 2.97 and 2.10 × 1.65 = 3.465. If all three win, the return is $10 × (3.78 + 2.97 + 3.465) = $102.15. If the second selection loses, only the 1.80 × 1.65 double remains: $29.70 back, a net result of −$0.30.
What each system bet contains
Full-cover bets have British names. Each one contains every combination of its selections from a certain size up, and the stake applies to every bet: a $1 Lucky 15 costs $15.
| Bet | Selections | Made of | Bets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doubles (system 2/3) | 3 | 3 doubles | 3 |
| Trixie | 3 | 3 doubles, 1 treble | 4 |
| Patent | 3 | 3 singles, 3 doubles, 1 treble | 7 |
| Yankee | 4 | 6 doubles, 4 trebles, 1 four-fold | 11 |
| Lucky 15 | 4 | 4 singles + a Yankee | 15 |
| Super Yankee (Canadian) | 5 | 10 doubles, 10 trebles, 5 four-folds, 1 five-fold | 26 |
| Lucky 31 | 5 | 5 singles + a Super Yankee | 31 |
| Heinz | 6 | every combination of 2 to 6 | 57 |
| Lucky 63 | 6 | 6 singles + a Heinz | 63 |
| Super Heinz | 7 | every combination of 2 to 7 | 120 |
| Goliath | 8 | every combination of 2 to 8 | 247 |
Some bookmakers add their own bonuses to the “Lucky” bets, such as better odds when only one selection wins, or a bonus when they all do. Those depend on each bookmaker’s rules, so the calculator leaves them out.
Void and losing selections
A selection is void when its event is cancelled or postponed, or the market is withdrawn. The usual rule, which the calculator applies, is to count it at odds of 1.00: a parlay is then settled on the remaining selections. In the parlay above, a void second selection leaves $10 × 1.80 × 1.65 = $29.70.
A losing selection sinks every bet that contains it. In a parlay, that is the whole bet. In a system, only the combinations with that selection are lost, which is why systems are built that way.
The potential return is not the likely return
A big potential return comes with a small chance. That is why the calculator shows the chance implied by the odds of a parlay: 1 divided by its combined odds. For the 6.24 parlay above, that is about 16%, so roughly one time in six at the bookmaker’s own prices.
That figure is still flattering. Every price includes the bookmaker’s margin, so the real chance is a little lower, and the margin compounds with each selection you add. Our guide on parlays and singles shows how fast it grows, and the one on implied probability explains where it hides in the odds. To read a single price, use the odds converter; to measure a market’s margin, the margin calculator.
From one slip to your real results
A calculator answers one question about one slip. What it cannot tell you is how all your bets add up over a month or a season. For that, every bet needs to be logged, winners and losers alike.
BetTrack does the logging from a screenshot: share your bet slip and the bets on it are read with their odds, stake and status, whether they are singles, parlays or system bets, from any bookmaker. Your net result, total staked and win rate then follow on their own. Our guide to betting ROI explains how to read those numbers.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate the winnings of a parlay?
Multiply the odds of every selection together, then multiply by the stake. $10 on 1.80, 2.10 and 1.65 returns $10 × 6.237 = $62.37 if all three win, which is $52.37 more than the stake. If one selection loses, the parlay returns nothing.
How many bets are there in a Yankee or a Lucky 15?
A Yankee is 11 bets on 4 selections: 6 doubles, 4 trebles and 1 four-fold. A Lucky 15 adds the 4 singles, for 15 bets. The stake applies to each bet, so $1 on a Lucky 15 costs $15.
What happens to my parlay if one selection is void?
Under the usual rule, the void selection counts at odds of 1.00 and the parlay is settled on the others. Bookmakers have their own rules for some markets, so check their terms.
What is the difference between the return and the net result?
The return is everything paid back, your stake included. The net result is the return minus the total stake: positive if you came out ahead, negative otherwise.
Does the calculator include bookmaker bonuses?
No. Bonuses on Lucky bets, boosted odds and other promotions depend on each bookmaker. The calculator only uses the odds you enter and the results you set.
Betting involves risks, including losing the money you stake. BetTrack makes no promise of winnings. 18+ only. Responsible gambling and where to find help
