What Is a ‘Dutch Bet’?
A Dutch bet is a type of bet in which the bettor divides their stake across multiple selections in a single event. This allows the bettor to spread their risk across multiple outcomes, and potentially benefit from a greater return if all of their selections win. The context below will be for horse racing which it is commonly used for.
Unlike a straight win bet, where you back a single horse… a Dutch bet spreads your stake strategically to improve the chances of making a profit if any one of your chosen horses wins. The distribution of the stake is usually proportional to the odds of each selection so that the potential payout is roughly the same regardless of which horse wins.
How It Works
- Choose multiple horses you believe have a good chance of winning.
- Divide your stake across those horses based on their odds. For example, if Horse A is 3/1 and Horse B is 6/1, you would stake more money on Horse A because it has shorter odds, and less on Horse B with longer odds.
- If either horse wins, you secure a profit (or at least break even), instead of risking everything on a single runner.
Dutch Bet vs. Dutching
- Dutching: A general strategy where you spread your stake across multiple outcomes in any betting market (not just horse racing).
- Dutch Bet: A specific bet type in horse racing where the bookmaker or exchange facilitates the calculation and placement for you.
Advantages
- Risk Management: Increases your chance of winning by covering multiple horses.
- Consistent Returns: Stake allocation ensures that whichever horse wins, the return is similar.
- Strategic Play: Allows bettors to back multiple strong contenders without needing to pick just one.
Disadvantages
- Lower Profit Margins: Since your stake is spread out, you won’t hit a massive payout like you would if you bet big on a single longshot.
- Complexity: Requires calculation or a Dutching calculator to balance stakes correctly.
- Not Foolproof: If none of your selections win, you lose your entire stake.
Example of a Dutch Bet
Suppose you want to bet up to $100 on a race and like three horses:
- Horse A – 3/1 (Decimal odds: 4.0)
- Horse B – 5/1 (Decimal odds: 6.0)
- Horse C – 8/1 (Decimal odds: 9.0)
Instead of placing $100 on just one, you split it:
- $37.50 on Horse A
- $25.00 on Horse B
- $16.67 on Horse C
If any of them win, your return is around the same, and you’ve covered three potential outcomes.
Outcome:
- If Horse A wins, your return is $37.50 x 4.0 = $150. (Profit ~$70.83)
- If Horse B wins, your return is $25.00 x 6.0 = $150. (Profit ~$70.83)
- If Horse C wins, your return is $16.67 x 9.0 = $150. (Profit ~$70.83)
✅ Key Takeaway: A Dutch bet is about spreading your stake smartly so that no matter which of your chosen horses wins, you walk away with a profit.