You can calculate how much commission you will be charged by Smarkets with the following equation:

Commission charged = ((stake * odds) - stake) * commission rate

We can use a tennis match between Novak Djokovic (1.20) and Roger Federer (5.50) to work out how much commission you will pay.

You may assume your return from a £100 bet on Djokovic to win would be £120 (1.20 * £100). This doesn’t however, incorporate the 2% betting commission if you win your bet.

Using the calculation above and Smarkets’ industry-low 2% commission, your return for a £100 bet on Djokovic at 1.20 can be calculated as:

So in our example, if Djokovic had won you would be charged £0.40 total commission on your bet, meaning your profit would be £19.60 and your return would be £119.60 (including stake).

Our Bet Calculator can come in handy when calculating your potential winnings as it automatically deducts your commission for you. 

Now that you understand how commission is calculated, learn how higher commission rates or bookmaker margins impact your return.