ROI, Yield and Profit: Which Number Actually Matters

Yield is profit divided by total staked. ROI in betting usually means the same thing, though some people compute it against bankroll instead, which produces a much larger and much less meaningful number. Raw profit is the least useful of the three, because it says nothing about the risk taken to get there.

The manipulation is usually in the denominator. Report profit against starting bankroll rather than total staked and a modest run looks spectacular. Vary stake sizes and quote yield anyway, and one lucky large bet can carry an entire losing season.

The honest presentation is profit, total staked, number of bets, average odds and the staking method, all together. Our own published figure is calculated at flat one-unit stakes across every settled pick precisely so it cannot be flattered by stake sizing.

Key points

Yield = profit / total staked, the fairest single figure
A 5-10% yield over a large sample is genuinely strong
Beware returns quoted against bankroll instead of turnover
Always ask what staking plan produced the number

Frequently asked

What is a realistic yield?

Sustained yields of 3-8% over large samples are the realistic range for good bettors. Claims of 30% yield over hundreds of bets are almost always a sign of a short sample or creative accounting.

Why is raw profit misleading?

Because it ignores turnover. Profit of 100 units from 200 bets and from 5,000 bets describe completely different levels of skill.

How is the MalluSports figure calculated?

Flat one-unit stakes on every settled pick, void bets excluded, with the full row-level data published so anyone can recompute it.

Put it to use

ROI, Yield and Profit: Which Number Actually Matters

Key points

Frequently asked

Put it to use

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