Kelly Criterion Calculator

Find the mathematically optimal stake for a positive-EV bet.

Arbitrage Calculator
Find guaranteed profit opportunities across two bookmakers.
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ARB FOUND
Stake on Outcome 1
Stake on Outcome 2
Guaranteed Profit
ROI
Back & Lay Calculator
Calculate lay stakes for Betfair exchange hedging. Back at a bookmaker, lay on the exchange.
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%
Lay Stake
Profit if Back Wins
Profit if Lay Wins
Betfair Liability
Bonus Bet Turnover Calculator
Convert bonus/free bets into guaranteed cash. Bonus bet stake is not returned — only profit.
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%
Lay Stake
Guaranteed Profit
Retention %
Betfair Liability
No Vig / Fair Odds Calculator
Remove the bookmaker's margin to find true fair odds and probabilities.
Fair Odds 1
Fair Odds 2
True Prob 1
True Prob 2
Overround
Vig / Margin
Vig Calculator
See exactly how much the bookmaker is taking from both sides of a two-way market.
Bookmaker's Edge
Vig / Margin
Overround
Fair Odds 1
Fair Odds 2
Implied Prob 1
Implied Prob 2
True Prob 1
True Prob 2
Kelly Criterion Calculator
Determine optimal bet sizing based on your edge and bankroll.
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$
+EV BET
Full Kelly %
Recommended Stake
Expected Value / Bet
Edge %
Quarter Kelly
Half Kelly
Full Kelly
Expected Value Calculator
Determine whether a bet has positive expected value (+EV).
%
$
+EV BET
Expected Value
EV % per Bet
Break-even Probability
Your Edge
Odds Converter
Enter odds in any format — decimal (2.50), fractional (3/2), or American (+150 / -200).
Decimal
Fractional
American
Implied Probability
DecimalFractionalAmericanImplied Prob.
1.501/2-20066.67%
1.804/5-12555.56%
1.9110/11-11052.36%
2.001/1+10050.00%
2.503/2+15040.00%
3.002/1+20033.33%
4.003/1+30025.00%
5.004/1+40020.00%
10.009/1+90010.00%
21.0020/1+20004.76%
Hedge / Cash Out Calculator
Lock in a guaranteed profit on an existing bet by hedging the opposite outcome.
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Hedge Stake
Profit if Original Wins
Profit if Hedge Wins
Guaranteed Profit

The Kelly Criterion sets your stake to maximise the long-run growth of your bankroll given an edge. Enter the odds and your estimate of the true probability, and the calculator returns the optimal fraction of your bankroll to stake.

How to use it

  1. Enter the decimal odds on offer.
  2. Enter your estimated fair probability of the outcome (from a no-vig line).
  3. Enter your bankroll.
  4. Read the full-Kelly stake, and the safer half and quarter-Kelly amounts.
Worked example. Odds of 2.10 with an estimated true probability of 52% gives an edge, and full Kelly suggests staking about 7.6% of bankroll. Many bettors use half-Kelly (about 3.8%) to cut variance while keeping most of the growth.

Kelly only works when the bet genuinely has positive expected value, so pair it with the EV calculator and read the +EV guide. Overestimating your edge is the most common mistake.

Frequently asked questions

Should I use full Kelly?

Most disciplined bettors use half or quarter Kelly. Full Kelly maximises growth in theory but assumes your probability estimate is exact, and real edges are uncertain, so fractional Kelly reduces the risk of large drawdowns.

What probability do I enter?

Use your best estimate of the true probability, ideally a no-vig fair probability derived from a sharp market rather than the bookmaker's own implied probability.

What if Kelly returns zero or a negative stake?

That means the bet has no edge at the odds and probability you entered. Kelly only recommends a stake on a positive-EV bet.

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