ROI (return on investment) is the most useful single number in a betting record. Win rate ignores odds, and units ignore volume. ROI tells you how much you make per dollar wagered, whatever you bet on.
The formula
Example: you placed 400 bets totaling $20,000 staked and are up $700.
ROI = 700 ÷ 20,000 = 3.5%
In betting, ROI is often called yield. (Some people instead calculate profit ÷ starting bankroll, which is "return on bankroll"; it is a different number and grows with volume.)
Why win rate misleads
| Bettor | Win rate | Avg odds | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 60% | −200 | −10.0% |
| B | 45% | +150 | +12.5% |
| C | 53% | −110 | +1.2% |
Bettor A wins most bets and loses money. Bettor B loses most bets and makes money. Win rate means nothing without price. (Break-even by odds.)
What is a good ROI?
| Context | Realistic long-run ROI |
|---|---|
| Typical recreational bettor | −5% to −10% |
| Break-even line shopper | around 0% |
| Solid +EV bettor (main lines) | +1% to +4% |
| Strong +EV bettor (props, promos) | +3% to +8% |
| Sustained ROI above 10% | rare; usually small sample or low limits |
Claims of 20%+ ROI over thousands of bets at normal limits should be treated with heavy skepticism.
ROI and sample size
ROI after 50 bets is mostly noise. The standard error of ROI at even money is roughly 100% ÷ √(number of bets):
- 100 bets → ±10%
- 1,000 bets → ±3.2%
- 5,000 bets → ±1.4%
So a +6% ROI over 100 bets is consistent with anything from a losing to an excellent bettor. That is why CLV is a faster signal. (Variance and sample size · CLV explained.)
Measuring ROI properly
- Include every bet. Leaving out parlays or "fun bets" inflates ROI.
- Count bonus bets carefully. A bonus bet has no cash stake, so it can make ROI look infinite. Track promo profit separately.
- Pushes and voids: count stake as zero (no money at risk once refunded) or exclude them; be consistent.
- Break it down by sport, market, book and month. (Reading your betting results.)
Use the break-even and ROI calculator to check any record, or let a tracker calculate ROI automatically on every synced bet. (How to track sports bets.)
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate ROI in sports betting?
Divide total profit by total amount staked. A $500 profit on $10,000 staked is a 5% ROI.
What is a good ROI for sports betting?
Long-term, anything consistently above 0% beats the books. 2–5% over thousands of bets is very good.
Is ROI the same as yield in betting?
Yes, in betting, yield and ROI both usually mean profit divided by total stakes.