Sports Betting ROI Calculator: Are You Actually Profitable?

ROI (Return on Investment) is the only metric that truly measures sports betting success. Our free calculator tracks your profit relative to total wagered, revealing whether you're beating the books or slowly losing money.

What Is Sports Betting ROI?

ROI measures profit as a percentage of total money wagered. Positive ROI means profit; negative ROI means loss.

Quick Answer: ROI = (Profit / Total Wagered) × 100. If you've wagered $10,000 and profited $300, your ROI is 3%. Professional bettors target 2-5% ROI long-term. Most recreational bettors have -5% to -10% ROI (losing money to the vig).

How to Use Our Free ROI Calculator

Use the Sports Betting ROI Calculator →

Enter your betting history to calculate precise ROI.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Enter Total Wagered: Sum of all bets placed

2. Enter Total Won: Sum of all payouts received

3. View ROI: See your profit percentage

4. Analyze Trends: Track ROI over time

Input Fields Explained

Field	Description	Example
Total Wagered	All bets placed	$10,000
Total Won	All money received back	$10,300
Net Profit	Won minus wagered	$300
ROI	Profit percentage	3%

ROI Formula Explained

Basic ROI Calculation

ROI = (Total Returns - Total Wagered) / Total Wagered × 100

Or equivalently:

ROI = Net Profit / Total Wagered × 100

Example Calculation

Your betting history:

• Total wagered: $5,000
• Total returned: $5,175
• Net profit: $175

ROI: $175 / $5,000 × 100 = 3.5%

What Is Good ROI?

ROI Benchmarks

ROI	Assessment	Reality
-10%+	Heavy losses	Typical recreational bettor
-5% to -10%	Moderate losses	Average bettor
-2% to -5%	Slight losses	Above-average bettor
0% to -2%	Near breakeven	Decent bettor
0% to 2%	Slight profit	Good bettor
2% to 5%	Profitable	Very good bettor
5%+	Highly profitable	Professional level

Why Even 2% ROI Is Impressive

Standard vig is ~4.55% on -110/-110 bets. Breaking even requires:

• 52.4% win rate at -110 odds
• Overcoming the book's built-in advantage

2% ROI means you're winning enough to beat the vig AND profit.

ROI vs. Win Rate

They're Different Metrics

Metric	Measures	Limitation
Win Rate	Percentage of bets won	Ignores odds
ROI	Profit per dollar wagered	Full picture

Example: Same Win Rate, Different ROI

Bettor A: 55% win rate on -110 bets

• Win $100 × 0.55 = $55 profit per 100 bets
• Lose $110 × 0.45 = $49.50 loss per 100 bets
• Net: +$5.50 per $110 wagered
• ROI: +5%

Bettor B: 55% win rate but chases +200 longshots

• Results vary wildly
• Same win rate, potentially negative ROI

Win rate without odds context is meaningless.

Real-World ROI Examples

Example 1: Recreational Bettor

Season stats:

• Bets: 200 bets at $50 average
• Total wagered: $10,000
• Record: 95-105 (47.5% win rate at -110)
• Returns: $9,090
• Net: -$910
• ROI: -9.1%

Analysis: Losing to the vig. Needs improvement or accept entertainment cost.

Example 2: Sharp Bettor

Season stats:

• Bets: 500 bets at $200 average
• Total wagered: $100,000
• Record: 270-230 (54% win rate at -110)
• Returns: $103,500
• Net: +$3,500
• ROI: +3.5%

Analysis: Consistently profitable. This is professional-level performance.

Example 3: Longshot Hunter

Season stats:

• Bets: 100 bets at $100
• Total wagered: $10,000
• Record: 20-80 (20% win rate, avg odds +350)
• Returns: $10,800 (20 wins × $450 + $100 returned)
• Net: +$800
• ROI: +8%

Analysis: Low win rate but profitable due to finding undervalued longshots. Sustainable? Track longer.

ROI Over Time

Sample Size Matters

Bets	ROI Reliability
50	Very unreliable
100	Somewhat unreliable
250	Moderately reliable
500	More reliable
1,000+	Reasonably reliable

Rule of thumb: Need 500+ bets before ROI reflects true edge.

Variance in Short-Term

Even a 3% ROI bettor will experience:

• Winning months: +10% to +20%
• Losing months: -10% to -15%
• Long breakeven stretches

Don't judge ROI from small samples.

Improving Your ROI

Key Factors

1. Line Shopping: Best odds across multiple books
2. Closing Line Value: Beat the closing line consistently
3. Avoid Parlays: Single bets have better expected ROI
4. Bet Sizing: Kelly Criterion or flat betting
5. Track Everything: Data reveals leaks

ROI Killers

❌ Parlays and teasers (usually) ❌ Betting favorites at terrible odds ❌ Chasing losses ❌ Not shopping lines ❌ Betting without analysis

ROI Improvers

✅ Multiple sportsbook accounts ✅ Tracking all bets ✅ Analyzing closing line value ✅ Specializing in specific markets ✅ Disciplined bankroll management

Common ROI Mistakes

1. Selective Memory: Remembering wins, forgetting losses. Track everything.

2. Short Sample Conclusions: 50 bets isn't enough to know your ROI.

3. Ignoring Units: Different bet sizes distort ROI if not tracked properly.

4. Not Tracking: Can't improve what you don't measure.

5. Parlays Distortion: One big parlay win can create false confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions

What ROI should I expect?

Most bettors should expect slightly negative ROI (-2% to -5%). Achieving positive ROI requires significant skill or information edge.

Is 10% ROI sustainable?

Probably not long-term. Very high ROIs usually indicate small sample size, lucky streak, or unsustainable edge. 2-5% is more realistic.

Should I track ROI by sport?

Yes. You might be +5% ROI in NFL but -8% in NBA. Identifying strengths and weaknesses helps focus effort.

How does bet sizing affect ROI?

ROI is profit per dollar wagered, so bet sizing doesn't directly affect the percentage—but smart sizing (Kelly Criterion) maximizes total profit for a given edge.

What about bonuses in ROI?

Include bonuses in your returns. Free bet value contributes to ROI if extracted properly through matched betting.

Should I calculate ROI on all bets or just specific types?

Both. Overall ROI shows net results. Category ROI (spreads, totals, props) shows where you're profitable.

Advanced ROI Analysis

ROI by Category

Track separately:

• By sport (NFL, NBA, MLB, etc.)
• By bet type (spread, moneyline, total, prop)
• By timing (early week, game day)
• By odds range (-200+, -110 to +110, +200+)

Expected vs. Actual ROI

Compare:

• Your expected ROI based on CLV
• Your actual ROI based on results

If expected >> actual, you're running bad. If actual >> expected, you're running good.

ROI Confidence Intervals

With enough data, calculate confidence intervals:

• 95% CI of ±3% on 500 bets
• Narrows with more bets

Pro Tips for ROI Tracking

• Spreadsheet everything: Bet date, amount, odds, result, and any notes

• Use tracking apps: Various apps automate ROI calculation

• Monthly reviews: Analyze trends and adjust

• Honest assessment: Include ALL bets, even embarrassing ones

• Long-term focus: Short-term ROI is mostly noise

Related Betting Calculators

• Expected Value Calculator - Per-bet analysis
• Kelly Criterion Calculator - Bet sizing
• Closing Line Value Calculator - Edge measurement
• Vig Calculator - Understanding juice
• Bankroll Calculator - Money management

Conclusion

ROI is the ultimate measure of sports betting success. Our free calculator helps you track profitability and understand whether you're truly winning or just experiencing variance. Most bettors lose money—know where you stand.

Calculate Your Sports Betting ROI Now →

Stop guessing whether you're profitable. Track every bet, calculate your ROI, and make data-driven decisions about your betting approach. The numbers don't lie.