What is dutching? | A guide to dutch betting

This post will answer the question, “what is dutching?” It’s a funny sounding term but basically dutching is short for dutch betting, a technique originally developed by Al Capone’s accountant “Dutchy” Schultz. And don’t worry – it’s completely legit, despite its origins.

What is dutching?

Primarily used for football and horse racing, dutching is a betting strategy that involves the backing of multiple selections in the same event. The bettor’s stake is split and placed in such a way so that whichever selection wins, an equal profit is made. If none of the selections win, all stakes are lost. Dutching doesn’t guarantee a profit, it’s simply a ‘good to know’ strategy. It is technically an alternative form of laying and is also quite similar to spread betting. Therefore, it’s classed as an advanced technique.

Types of dutch betting

There are three main types of dutch betting:

Simple

As the name implies, this is the most basic form of dutching. Depending on the odds, the stake on each selection either stays the same or is reduced, to ensure a profit is made.

Equal Stake
Stake £10.00 on horse A @ odds of 5.0
Returns = £50.00

Stake £10.00 on horse B @ odds of 5.0
Returns = £50.00

Total stake = £20.00 (£10.00 + £10.00)

It doesn’t matter which horse wins, you would still return a profit of £30.00 (£50.00 – £20.00 stake)

Reduced Stake
Stake £10.00 on horse A @ odds of 5.0
Returns = £50.00

Stake £5.00 on horse B @ odds of 10.0
Returns = £50.00

Total stake = £15.00 (£10.00 + £5.00)

It doesn’t matter which horse wins, you would still return a profit of £35.00 (£50.00 – £15.00 stake)

Set amount (stake limited)

The total staked is limited to a set amount. The stake on each selection is reduced as more selections are added to the dutch bet. In this example the stake limit is £20.00

Stake £13.33 on horse A @ odds of 5.0
Returns = £46.67

Stake £6.67 on horse B @ odds of 10.0
Returns = £46.67

Total stake = £20 (£13.33 + £6.67)

It doesn’t matter which horse wins, you would still return a profit of £26.67
(£46.67 – £20.00 stake)

Set profit

The stake on each selection and the total staked increases as more selections are added to the bet. This is to ensure that the pre-determined profit is made. In this example, the dutch is expanded from two to three selections and the set profit is £30.00

Two selections
Stake £10.00 on horse A @ odds of 5.0
Returns = £50.00

Stake £10.00 on horse B @ odds of 5.0
Returns = £50.00

Total stake = £20 (£10.00 + £10.00)

It doesn’t matter which horse wins, you would still return a profit of £30.00
(£50.00 – £20.00 stake)

Three selections
Stake £15.00 on horse A @ odds of 5.0
Returns = £75.00

Stake £15.00 on horse B @ odds of 5.0
Returns = £75.00

Stake £15.00 on horse C @ odds of 5.0
Returns = £75.00

Total stake = £45 (£15.00 + £15.00 + £15.00)

It doesn’t matter which horse wins, you would still return a profit of £30.00
(£75.00 – £45.00 = £30.00)

You don’t need to worry about working out your dutching bets manually though as there are plenty of online dutching calculators available. Using fractional odds for dutching is a big no-no, so the use of much simpler decimal odds is strongly advised.

What are the best events for dutching?

Dutching can be used on any sporting event. It’s entirely down to personal choice.

However, it can be a useful technique to use if you really can’t decide between two or even three selections. By splitting your stake you can place a bet on all of them and still win – as long as one of your selections wins.

Bear in mind though that bookmakers general rules apply just as much to dutch betting as they do for any other types of bets.

Is it profitable?

Dutching bets isn’t going to make you wealthy straightaway. It is a betting strategy that involves waiting patiently for the right betting circumstances to occur and accepting smaller winnings. However, over time, dutching has the potential to return a half-decent profit for those willing to put in the time and effort.

So, dutching is a legitimate betting strategy that can be useful if you can’t quite decide which of your selections you want to bet on. It isn’t massively profitable, you need to have patience and it isn’t guaranteed to return a profit. But it’s a compromise that some punters are prepared to make.

However, there is a way to make dutch betting a more regular way of making money.

Here at OddsMonkey we have a dutching software, support and strategies to help you make money. Premium members can also book a 1-2-1 training session with one of our experts for more info.

To find out more about matched betting with OddsMonkey download our free introduction here or hit the button below to join.

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