Dutching: A Betting Guide

• What Is Dutching?
• What’s An Example Of Dutching In Betting?
• Pros of Dutch Betting
• Cons of Dutching
• It’s Complicated
• Things To Consider When Dutching
• Dutching Calculator Summary

If you’ve heard about the process of Dutching in betting and you’re hoping to learn more, then we hope this guide tells you all you need to know.

Dutching can be a helpful strategy, but it is by no means perfect, and there are a few things to keep in mind before you dip your toe in it.

You’ll learn about Dutching, what it is, how it works, along with some examples of how it’ll be calculated.

Without further ado, let’s explore Dutching in more detail.

What Is Dutching?

Dutching may sound complicated, but all it entails is the name given to a betting strategy where the punter backs more than one outcome in an event instead of just one.

Its name comes from Arthur Flegenheimer - an infamous mobster operating in the United States in the early 20th century. Flegenheimer, who sometimes went under the name Dutch Schultz, came up with the strategy to help beat the bookmakers of his day.

Almost 100 years later, and an adapted version of Felegenheimer’s strategy lives on - though mostly in the worlds of football and horse racing.

What’s An Example Of Dutching In Betting?

If Dutching still sounds a little bit complicated, then here are some examples that will hopefully clear things up for you.

There are three main options open to those who wish to place Dutch-style bets - as simple Dutch bet, a set amount, or a set-profit bet. Each one has different advantages, and we’ll discuss those below:

Simple Dutch Betting

The simple Dutch bet entails the punter ensuring the stake stays the same, or is slightly reduced, in the hopes of ensuring a profit from both sides of the selection.

An example of an equal stake Dutch bet, where the stake is the same on both selections would be:

• Staking £10 on a horse to win a race with odds of 3/1
• Staking another £10 on a different horse with the same odds
• Your total stake would be £20 (10+10)
• If either horse wins, you’d get £20 (the original stake) profit, as the return would be £40, and the cost of the stake is £20

You can also opt for a reduced stake Dutch bet, which would look like this:

• Staking £5.50 on a horse with odds of 8/1
• Selecting another horse with the different odds (for example, 5/1) and staking more money, for example £9.50
• Your total stake would be £15
• You’d profit regardless of which horse wins, the first one delivering £34.50 in profits and the other one delivering £42 profit

If you don’t want to do the legwork, then there are plenty of helpful Dutching calculators online that’ll do the number-crunching for you.

Set-Profit Dutch Betting

The set-profit Dutch bet involves the punter hoping to target a specific profit for an event. Punters will make these bets with two, three, four, or even more than five selections, and hope that their bets will combine to create their desired number.

If someone is betting, for example, on both Horse A and Horse B, and the punter wants to make a £30 profit, before staking £10 on each one with the same odds (ie, 4/1) then their total stake will be £20 and you’ll get a return of £50 if either one wins.

This means they’ll have achieved their £30 profit (£50 return - £20 total stake).

Set-profit Dutch bets can be made with as many selections as the bookmaker allows. However, keep in mind that with more selections comes a higher chance of failure.

Next, let’s talk about the pros and cons of Dutching. Like any betting strategy, Dutching is not always perfect, and there are a few pitfalls you should avoid.

Pros of Dutch Betting

Risk Management

One of the main advantages of Dutch betting is how it allows you to manage the risk-factor regardless of how the bet turns out. The added element of control makes Dutching an appealing strategy to bettors, as the system helps ensure you walk away from a bet without too many losses.

High-Value

Dutching is also considered a high-value betting strategy. If the returns of the combined bets are higher than the possibility of a single act occurring, then the punter has successfully engaged in Dutching, with minimal losses on their betslip.

Cons of Dutching

It’s Complicated

The biggest downside of Dutching is that it can be complicated. New bettors may find the process of Dutching to be a little bit too tricky for them - especially if they’re not particularly skilled with numbers.

You’ll Need A Lot Of Luck

Another downside of Dutching is its propensity to lower odds with each selection you make, meaning that it is rarely, if-ever, extremely profitable. The more selections you make, the higher your success-rate has to be. If even one of your selections doesn’t come in, then your Dutch bet will go up in smoke.

New and intermediate bettors may be daunted by the knowledge you’ll need to succeed in Dutching, and it’s perfectly understandable if the concept seems a little too complicated for you.

Things To Consider When Dutching

We’ll round off by discussing the things you should keep in mind prior to Dutch betting. Here’s what you should consider:

Stick With Sports You Know

Dutching can involve making multiple selections on the same event, so it’s vital that you have confidence in what you’re doing. If, for example, your Dutch bet is on football, then you’re unlikely to succeed if you never watch it or don’t know anything about the teams.

It sounds obvious, but knowledge really is power when it comes to betting.

Keep Outcomes To A Minimum

The more outcomes you bet on, the more you’ll need Lady Luck on your side. For best results, aim to keep the total number of outcomes to a minimum.

Dutching Calculator Summary

Just like lay betting, Dutching can be a great strategy if you’ll know what you’re doing. It may not be perfect, but the fact that it’s endured for over a century is a testament to its reputation.