What Does Hedging a Bet Mean?
Hedging means placing a second bet against your original wager to cover possible outcomes. It’s like buying insurance: you might not win as much, but you avoid losing everything.
Example:
- You bet $100 on Team A at +200 (potential payout $300).
- Before the match ends, Team A is leading, and you bet $150 on Team B at +150.
- No matter who wins, you secure a profit.
Is Hedging Bets Illegal?
No — hedging bets is not illegal. Sportsbooks may dislike it if you constantly exploit promotions or bonuses, but hedging itself is simply a strategic way of managing risk. Professional bettors use it every day.
What Is a Good Hedge Ratio?
The hedge ratio tells you how much to stake on the second bet to balance your risk.
Formula:
In practice, many bettors use partial hedging:
- Full hedge → guarantees a small profit.
- Partial hedge → keeps some upside if your first pick wins.
Hedging vs. Arbitrage
- Arbitrage = finding pre-game odds differences between sportsbooks.
- Hedging = adjusting your live or future bets to lock in profits.
Both are about lowering risk, but hedging is often reactive, while arbitrage is planned upfront.
How BetRocket Can Help
At BetRocket, we track odds movements, EV+ bets, arbitrage opportunities, and dropping odds in real time. This makes hedging easier — because you always know the true value of your position.
👉 Try BetRocket today and see how smarter strategies can maximize your bankroll.