Matched betting bankroll: stake, liability and available cash

Liability is not the lay stake

Lay liability = lay stake × (lay odds − 1). This is the amount at risk on the exchange and the balance needed to support the lay. For a cash back bet, the approximate cash committed at once is the back stake plus lay liability. Do not add the lay stake again.

A 30-unit bonus can require more than 30 units

A 30-unit SNR free bet at back odds 5.00, lay odds 5.20 and 2% commission has a rounded lay stake of 23.17 and liability of about 97.31. The free bet is promotional, but the liability needs real available cash.

If your bankroll is limited

• Calculate the full operation before committing funds.
• Do not use essential spending money or borrowed funds.
• Do not count pending withdrawals or uncredited bonuses as available cash.
• Allow for verification and settlement time.
• Do not split or alter an offer unless its terms allow that.

There is no universal starting bankroll that fits every promotion. High odds can increase liability. A calculator estimates one operation, not every cash requirement throughout the process.