Payout

The potential payout is what flows back on your betting slip if you have a winner. It includes your stake plus the winnings. You calculate it by multiplying your stake by the odds.

payout = stake x odds

With the decimal odds common in Germany, your stake is already included in the payout. The displayed sum is therefore the full amount due to you. This is a common misunderstanding. Many people add the stake on top again, when it is already factored in. You get the pure winnings by subtracting the stake from the payout.

pure winnings = payout - stake

The pure winnings are therefore only the part you get beyond your stake. If the bet loses, nothing flows back; your stake stays with the provider. The potential payout is shown to you as soon as you fill in the slip, so that before the bet you know what you are tipping on and what comes back if you succeed.

The guide Betting shop payout explains the wider context.

An example makes the link clear. You stake 20 euros at odds of 1.75. The table shows the individual values:

Sports bets in Germany also carry a betting tax of 5 percent. At Tipico it is not included in the odds but calculated separately. So look at the amount shown on your betting slip, not just the odds.

If you win a bet at the betting shop, you receive the payout on presenting your betting receipt. The process is usually straightforward:

• Present the receipt: you hand in your betting receipt at the counter
• Check: the staff or the terminal verifies the win
• Cash payout: smaller amounts are often paid out in cash immediately
• Larger amounts: for big wins, a different route may be necessary

Keep the receipt safe, because without it the claim is hard to prove.

In Germany, sports bets carry a betting tax of 5 percent. At Tipico it is not included in the odds but calculated separately. The odds alone therefore do not tell you the full amount you get paid out.

Staff at the Tipico betting shop can explain how the tax is shown on your betting slip. If anything is unclear, ask before you bet. That way there is no surprise when you collect.

There are a few points around the payout that many people overlook:

• Stake is included: the displayed decimal odds already factor in your stake
• Mind the tax: the 5 percent betting tax is calculated separately at Tipico
• Secure the receipt: without the receipt, a payout at the betting shop is difficult
• Know the deadline: winnings can often only be collected within a certain period

The most important rule at the betting shop is: keep your receipt safe until the win has been paid out. If the proof is lost, the claim is hard to prove. Also pay attention to the collection deadline. After the deadline expires, a win can be forfeited. Sports betting is permitted from the age of 18 (21 in Bremen). Check the payout shown at your leisure and keep your proof safe.