Matched BetsLay bet partially matched? What to do next
Short answer
A partial match means only some of your lay found a backer, so you're only partly hedged. Don't lay the full stake again: work out what the matched part already covers and lay only the remainder at the current odds. If £5 of a £9.74 lay matched at 3.05 and the price is now 3.2, you need £4.67 more, not £4.74.
Why lays only part-match
On an exchange you're betting against other people. Your lay is matched only when someone backs at your price, and only up to the amount they offer. Partial matches happen when:
- the odds move after you place your back bet, so your lay is no longer at the best price;
- the market is thin — lower leagues, early prices, niche markets;
- your stake is bigger than the money available at that price.
The unmatched part stays open on the exchange at your price. Until it matches, that part of your back bet is unhedged.
How exposed are you?
Take the usual qualifying bet: £10 back at 3.0, a £9.74 lay needed at 3.1, 2% commission. Suppose only £5 matched (at 3.05) and nothing else does before the event starts:
| Outcome | Bookmaker | Exchange | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back wins | +£20.00 | −£10.25 | +£9.75 |
| Lay wins | −£10.00 | +£4.90 | −£5.10 |
Instead of −£0.45 either way, you're now gambling on the result. Fully hedged, that spread disappears. Many exchanges cancel unmatched bets when an event goes in-play unless you've chosen to keep them, so check yours before kick-off.
Calculate the remaining lay
Each fill has its own stake, odds and liability. Subtract what's already covered and lay the rest at today's price:
The £5 fill at 3.05 has £10.25 liability and returns £4.90 after commission if it wins. The remaining lay depends on where the price is now:
| Lay odds now | Remaining lay | Total lay | Total liability | Result either way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0 (shortened) | £4.98 | £9.98 | £20.21 | −£0.21 / −£0.22 |
| 3.1 (as planned) | £4.82 | £9.82 | £20.37 | −£0.37 / −£0.38 |
| 3.2 (drifted) | £4.67 | £9.67 | £20.52 | −£0.52 |
Notice that the remaining lay isn't simply £9.74 − £5.00. The first fill was at different odds, so it covers a different amount. Laying "the difference" leaves you slightly over- or under-hedged.
Free bets work the same way
A £10 SNR free bet at 6.0 needs £8.09 laid at 6.2 to lock in £7.93. If only £4.00 matches at 6.2 and the price moves to 6.4, the remaining lay is £3.96 (total £7.96, liability £42.18), for +£7.82 if the back wins or +£7.80 if the lay wins — a few pence less than planned, but fully hedged.
Your options, in order
- Wait briefly if the event is a while away and the market is moving towards your price.
- Lay the remainder at the current price. Usually costs a few pence; leaving it open can cost pounds.
- Lay in pieces if there isn't enough money at one price — record each fill.
- Never leave a large unmatched lay going into an event without deciding to. If you can't hedge, know which way you're exposed.
Avoiding partial matches
- Check how much money is available at the lay price before placing your back bet.
- Place the lay straight after the back bet; prices move.
- Prefer popular, liquid markets close to the start, and avoid huge stakes in thin markets.
- Watch for lay odds well above the back odds — a sign the market is thin or moving.
Record every fill
A bet with three lay fills at three prices is easy to get wrong in a spreadsheet. In Matched Bets, open Partial matching, add each fill at its own stake and odds, and the calculator shows the remaining lay; you save only the amounts that actually matched. Try it now in the free calculator.