Some bettors say lay bets are not worth the risk. But this is not true. Lay bet staking can be very useful and profitable if done the right way. Understanding the reasons why many bettors avoid lay bets and how a bettor can make money from lay betting can help bettors make more informed decisions.
What is a Lay Bet?
A lay bet is a type of bet that can be placed only in betting exchanges and it means betting against something happening. For example, if a bettor places a lay bet on a horse, they are betting that the horse will not win. If the horse loses, the lay bet wins. If the horse wins, the lay bet loses and the bettor has to pay out money to the winner who bet on that horse to win by placing an opposing back bet.
Why Some Bettors Avoid Lay Bets
Some bettors do not like lay bets and there are various reasons why. First, when a bettor places a lay bet and wins, they do not get big profits. They only keep the stake that another bettor placed. This makes some people feel that lay betting is not profitable because they only keep the stake.
Moreover, betting exchanges charge a small commission fee on winning bets. if a bettor wins a lay bet, they have to pay a percentage of their profit as a fee. This means they do not get to keep all their winnings because they have to pay commission.
When bettors lose a lay bet, they do not lose their stake. Instead, they have to pay out the liability. The liability is higher than the stake. If a bettor lays a horse with a stake of 10€ at odds of 5.0, they must pay 40€ if they lose. This makes some bettors feel that lay bets are not worth it because the risk is high.
Because of these reasons, many bettors avoid lay bets. They believe it is hard to make money from it and that it is too dangerous. But with the right lay bet staking plan, it can be profitable and useful.
How Lay Bet Staking Can Be Useful
Even though lay betting has risks, it can still be very useful. Let’s see why. With lay betting, bettors are not limited to just placing back bets. They can bet against horses, instead of only betting on them to win. This gives more betting options and more chances to find value bets.
Lay betting can help bettors control their losses. If they find bets with low risk, they can limit their liabilities and not lose too much money on a single bet. This way they can have better control of losses.
When bettors place lay bets, they are betting on something not to happen. Most events do not happen. For example, in a horse race with ten horses, only one horse will win. This means there are nine losing horses. A lay bettor wins if any of those nine horses lose. This increases the chances of more winning bets.
Many professional bettors use lay bets for matched betting. This is a strategy that takes advantage of free bets and promotions from a bookmaker. They place a back bet with the bookmaker and they place a lay bet on the same event and market in a betting exchange. By placing both back and lay bets, bettors create matched betting opportunities and they can make risk-free money.
Some bettors that are more experienced use lay betting to take advantage of price changes across different bookmakers and betting exchanges. If they lay a horse at high odds and then back it at lower odds they can lock in a profit. This is called trading and bettors can make market movement profits.
How Lay Bet Staking Can Be Profitable?
Lay bet staking is not just about taking risks. It is about using smart strategies to find value and control losses. With careful planning, bettors can turn lay betting into a profitable part of their betting strategy.
Fixed Liability Staking
This way of betting is when a bettor decides how much money they are willing to lose on each lay bet. For example, they may choose to risk only 20€ on each bet. If the liability is too high, they lower the stake to match the risk limit. This way they control losses.
Percentage Staking
Some bettors use a percentage of their money for each bet. For example, if they have 1000€ to spend on betting, they might use 2% per bet and stake 20€ on each lay bet. This helps manage their money and avoid big losses.
Odds-based Staking
Some bettors change their stake based on the odds. If the odds are high, they lower the stake in order to reduce the risk. If the odds are low, they increase the stake because the liability is smaller.
Progressive Staking
This methods works by adjusting the stake based on wins and losses. Some bettors raise the stake after a win and lower it after a loss. Other bettors do the opposite. This strategy can help recover losses and increase profits.
In Short
Many bettors avoid lay bets because they think they are risky and not profitable. But lay bet staking can be very useful because it offers more options for more winning bets. It allows bettors to use matched betting and other strategies to lower the risk and make money. Using the right stake plan can help bettors make lay bets a powerful tool for making money in betting exchanges.
Ready to try lay bet staking? Find the best Betfair alternative options on Layhorsebetting today!