07 Why lay? / Betfair Education / 29 January 2008 / Leave a comment

The beauty of laying favourites comes down to the lower level of risk involved.

Favourites are traditionally backed strongly - hence the name. Any time there are reasons why the favourite is a risk - poor form, coming into an event fresh from a break, injury concerns etc - then it may be worth opposing them. Laying a 1.20 (1/5) shot for £100 has a big upside (£100) and a relatively small downside -£20. Only one in six selections at that price has to get beaten for you to break even. Any more than that and you are in profit! The shorter the price, the greater the percentage chance of that outcome occurring - would you rather lay a horse at 20/1 (21) and risk £100 to win a fiver, or lay a horse at 5/4 (2.25) risking £5 to win £4? The choice is yours. Remember though, if you are laying at 20/1, it means you are backing that horse to be beaten at 1/20 (1.05). Would you place that bet?