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ROI in Sports Betting: How to Calculate and What Numbers Really Mean

ROI in Sports Betting: How to Calculate and What Numbers Really Mean

Chris Tacker

Written by Chris Tacker
Updated August 29, 2025
3 min to read

In sports betting, success isn’t measured by how many bets you win — it’s measured by how profitable you are in the long run. That’s where ROI (Return on Investment) comes in. Understanding ROI helps you evaluate your performance and make smarter, data-driven betting decisions. At BetRocket, we provide tools like EV+ insights, Surebets, and a built-in Bet Tracker that automatically calculates ROI for your bets, so you always know whether your strategy is truly profitable.

What Is ROI in Sports Betting?

ROI (Return on Investment) measures the percentage of profit relative to the total amount staked.

The formula is simple:

ROI=ProfitTotal Amount Staked×100ROI = \frac{\text{Profit}}{\text{Total Amount Staked}} \times 100


  • If you bet $1,000 in total and your profit is $100, your ROI is 10%.
  • If you lose $50 on $1,000 staked, your ROI is -5%.

Unlike “win rate”, ROI gives a clear picture of how efficiently your money is working.

ROI Sports Betting Calculator

Manually calculating ROI for dozens of bets is time-consuming. That’s why bettors often use a roi sports betting calculator or rely on advanced tools.

With BetRocket’s Bet Tracker, ROI is automatically updated for every bet you place into the system. You’ll see:

  • ROI by bet type (singles, parlays, player props)
  • ROI by sport or league
  • ROI over time (daily, weekly, monthly)

This way, you know not just whether you’re winning — but whether your strategy is sustainable.

What Is a Good ROI in Sports Betting?

This is one of the most common questions: what is a good ROI in sports betting?

  • Average bettors: Most recreational players actually run a negative ROI, usually between -5% to -10%.
  • Professional bettors: A +3% to +7% ROI over the long term is considered very strong.
  • Exceptional cases: Anything above +10% ROI is extremely rare and usually only possible with sharp tools like surebets or advanced EV+ strategies.

Remember, the goal isn’t to hit massive ROI numbers short-term. It’s about consistency.

What Is a Good ROI for Sports Betting Long-Term?

If you’re asking, “what is a good ROI for sports betting long term?” the answer is sustainable positive returns.

  • Even +2% ROI is excellent if you’re betting thousands of dollars monthly.
  • Professional bettors focus on volume + consistency, not “getting rich overnight”.
  • EV+ (Expected Value Positive) strategies, like those built into BetRocket, are designed specifically to generate a steady ROI over time.

Example of ROI in Practice

Let’s say you place 100 bets of $10 each ($1,000 total).

  • You win some, lose some, and end up with $1,080 in return.
  • Your profit = $80.
  • Your ROI = 8%.

That 8% ROI means that for every $1 invested, you earned $0.08 in profit. Multiply that across hundreds or thousands of bets, and you’ll see why ROI is the true performance metric in betting.

Conclusion

ROI is the gold standard for measuring success in sports betting. Forget “win rates” — what matters is whether your money is growing.

So next time you’re tracking your results, ask yourself: what is a good ROI in sports betting? The answer is simple — a consistent positive ROI, even if it’s just a few percentage points.

With BetRocket’s Bet Tracker and EV+ insights, you don’t need to guess. You’ll know your ROI instantly and understand whether your strategy is built to last.