Like betting sites, there's no shortage of arbitrage software out there. Again, as is the case when it comes to selecting the right betting site, selecting the best software for the job can be a reasonably tricky. Arbitrage betting – also known as arbs, surebets, miraclebets and surewins – is a technique in which you place bets with different online betting companies in order to cover all of the outcomes of a sporting. Learn About Arbitrage Betting. What is arbitrage trading? This is the process by which a trader trades simultaneously by purchasing and selling assets in a different market or the same market and making. Earn a Second Income. Start your free trial account to get started with arbitrage betting. Get access to Arbs up to 5%, completely free for 7 days. No credit card required or sign up today for only £19. /. This is how simple the arbitrage betting strategy is. All we have to do here is bet on Nadal at 2.08 with 'Betting Site B,' AND bet on Murray at 2.09 with 'Betting Site C.' One of our two wagers is obviously.
So, you've heard about the art of ‘arbing', but you're not sure what it means in practice? It's your lucky day. In the following guide, I'll cover off some of the basics surrounding arbitrage betting, including how to discover opportunities and make risk-free backs. We'll also discuss how to place an arbitrage bet and use some of the tools that have helped earn me a decent arbing income for the best part of a decade.
Let's crack on!
What is Arbitrage Betting?
Simply put, arbitrage betting is the act of placing wagers on all the possible outcomes of an event at odds that guarantee profit — no matter the result. I believe the term 'arbing' is actually borrowed from the stock market, where traders would buy an asset in one market while simultaneously selling elsewhere for a higher price. They're also sometimes known as 'sure bets', 'miracle bets', or 'sure wins' — essentially opportunities that allow you to make money entirely risk-free.
I know that might sound ridiculous given that the gambling industry in the U.K is worth around £15 billion. But bear with me.
Arbitrage betting, or arbing, might sound too good to be true — but there are actually more opportunities for sure wins than you might think. The key to arbing is to find discrepancies in the odds given for a particular event. This allows you to wager on an outcome at a higher price with a bookmaker, before betting against, or laying, that same very outcome at a lower price on a betting exchange. If you're not familiar with the term 'betting exchange', I recommend taking five minutes to read this article before carrying on here. There's also a definitive guide to matched betting, which should bring you up to speed with some of the terminologies I'm going to be using.
Read them? Great. Let's carry on.
It's important to note that while arbing shares some similarities with matched betting, they are very different. Where matched betting involves using free promotions and offers to generate profit, arbitrage betting requires finding discrepancies between the odds given by bookies and exchanges.
What is an ‘arb'?
An 'arb' is simply the phrase used to describe an arbitrage bet. When we find odds on a sportsbook that are higher than the lay price offered by a betting exchange for the same market, it's called an arb. It might sound a little complicated, but all you need to know is that whenever you find a back price higher than a lay price on the same event, you're guaranteed to make a profit — or at the very least a risk-free bet.
How common are arbitrage betting opportunities?
Arbitrage opportunities are surprisingly common, and come up hundreds of times a day, especially in horse racing. These opportunities will, however, arise across multiple bookmakers, so it's important to have as many active betting accounts as possible. Thankfully, the competitive nature of the gambling industry means we're never short of bookmakers.
Arbing opportunities typically arise when bookmakers disagree on odds or make a mistake when pricing an event. This means that the key to leveraging arbitrage opportunities is speed. You have to act before the bookie catches up with the market or corrects their error.
For ease, let's use an analogy that's simpler to understand, such as shopping for a new phone. In this scenario, you want to get the best price for your desired handset so that you save money. Of course, you could use comparison sites or manually do your research by clicking on each phone shop to find the most competitive prices. But let's also imagine that, once you've found the cheapest offer, you could buy the phone and sell it to someone else for a higher price. That's essentially what happens when we arb. We're offsetting the most competitive rates with a higher back price, ensuring we make money. Your profit is the difference between the cheapest rate (the lay) and the highest price (the back).
If that still sounds confusing, see it like this. You find a phone that costs £500, when the average asking price across the market is £600. You can now sell that phone for £600 to whoever is comfortable paying the going rate, making £100 profit in the process. That's an arb.
How do I discover arbitrage betting opportunities?
In the phone example above, we mentioned two options: doing manual research or using comparison sites. Now, when it comes to arbing tools, we're speaking about technology that allows us to do the latter — compare prices from across the market without having to spend hours rattling through websites.
Arbitrage betting software
The best arbitrage calculator by far is the Oddsmonkey Oddsmatcher tool.
This fancy bit of kit compares odds from both bookmakers and betting exchanges automatically, saving you the hassle of doing it manually. I'm not exaggerating when I say that this software alone has earned me several thousand pounds over the last year, highlighting opportunities that I would have otherwise missed. Best of all, there's a free version, so you can test it out without spending a penny. However, I'd recommend signing up to the premium version for a small outlay every month — it soon pays for itself, and you'll get extra access to more bookmakers' odds, more betting exchanges, and a calculator which does all the maths for you.
Here's an example of what the Oddsmatcher tool looks like if you were to scan for arbing opportunities on a horse race:
We can see that Betfred is offering a 7.0 back price, but Smarkets is showing a 6.0 lay price. The back is higher than the lay — so we're guaranteed a profit when we bet on these two odds simultaneously.
Of course, you could highlight arbitrage opportunities manually by keeping a spreadsheet and recording odds across the market for a particular event. But, to be honest, this isn't something arbitrage professionals would ever consider. It's just too time-consuming.
Set up an account with Oddsmonkey and let's move onto the fun bit — making a profit.
How do I place an arbitrage bet?
The easiest way to place an arb is to back an outcome with a traditional bookmaker while laying (betting against) that outcome on a betting exchange like Betfair. As with the horse racing example above.
To work out whether you have an arbitrage opportunity, we use an arbitrage calculator, which is no different to what you would use for matched betting. But thanks to the Oddsmonkey tool, we don't need to try and find opportunities, as it will show us the latest ones automatically.
In the example above, we would simply open up the Oddsmonkey Calculator and input the odds. The calculator will take care of the rest, telling you exactly how much you need to bet and lay in order to make a healthy profit.
Here's a screenshot from the calculator using a £100 back for 'Vegas Boy' at Chelmsford City:
As you can see, the calculator tells us to offset our original £100 back bet with a lay stake of £116.67. In doing so, we'll make £16.65 profit whether ‘Vegas Boy' wins or loses. Not bad for clicking a few buttons!
One thing to bear in mind in the above example is that the commission rate is set to 0%. Now, in reality, this could be anything between 0 and 5%, so you'll have to tailor the figure to whatever rate is offered by your exchange. I know that Betfair often offers 0% commission rewards for new customers — so it's worth taking advantage of this if you aren't already signed up.
How bookies prevent arbing
Bookies have zero tolerance for arbitrage betting, so it's possible that you could get ‘gubbed' if you're found to be arbing. The term ‘gubbing' refers to situations where a bookmaker has placed a series of restrictions on a betting account. Each ‘gub' is different, so you might get your access to free bets revoked if you're matched betting, whereas a frequent arber could have their stakes limited. I recently wrote a guide on how to avoid being gubbed in 2021, if you're interested in finding out more.
How much profit can you make via arbing?
Here's the part where I break the bad news: arbing won't get you rich overnight. Typically, I look to make around 3-5 percent profit on every arbitrage bet, which with an average spend of £100, makes me a few pounds. But, that's just from one bet. If you're arbing multiple times a day, you can soon build up a healthy bankroll.
To get going, you'll need two things: an Oddsmonkey account and a plethora of sportsbooks. There are hundreds of arbing opportunities provided by Oddsmonkey's software every day, so you won't want to use the same bookmaker when placing bets. You'll also need an account with the right bookmaker to get the odds shown.
Arbs come and go very quickly, as bookies change the odds when they realise odds move. If you're reactive and ready to place bets straight away, you'll make at least a few hundred quid a month.
Can you arbitrage bet without exchanges?
Having quick access to exchanges is always going to be the easiest way to offset any back bet, but it's also possible to arb without one. The term used to describe simultaneously backing two outcomes on the same event with different bookmakers is 'dutching.' When we 'dutch', we're not laying an outcome (because bookmakers don't offer this luxury), but merely backing the opposition with another bookmaker.
How does dutching work?
Imagine we're watching a snooker match. One of the players has decimals odds of 2.10 to win with Betfred, while his opponent is priced at 1.98 on another sportsbook. To extract profit from the event, we use the same process as we did with the arbing calculator discussed above, but this time, with the 'dutching' option.
Here's what we see when inputting the odds into Oddsmonkey's Dutching Calculator with an overall investment of £100:
As you can see, if we place £48.53 on the outsider to win at 2.10, while simultaneously placing £51.47 on the favourite, we'll make a profit of £1.91 whatever the outcome. This might not sound like much, but when we're dealing with multiple events a day, the profit soon racks up.
Just a quick point on 'rounding stakes to' in the dutching calculator. If you set that a penny (as in the example), it could arouse suspicion from the bookmaker — so I recommend rounding bets to either 50p or the nearest pound. I've seen plenty of accounts get gubbed because the bets are too precise. Ask yourself: would an everyday punter repeatedly stake these exact units? The answer is always 'no.'
This guide to arbing is written by Mr Matched Bettor, who has 12+ years' professional experience in the art of arbitrage betting. He now spends his time teaching other people matched betting techniques.
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Arbitrage betting is one of the hottest topics in the US betting scene right now. But what exactly is Arbitrage betting and how do you do it? Read on to find out more about this legal technique.
As gambling activity increases in the United States, both online and in-person, people are continually looking for new ways of how to make money betting on sports. Arbitrage betting, otherwise known as ‘Arbing,' is an advanced sports betting strategy that is derived from the financial world.
Some sports bettors think the only way you can overcome the odds and beat the bookmakers is through skilled handicapping. However, there are other ways you can profit from a sportsbook app or the countless NJ betting sites, including arbitrage gambling.
You do not have to be an expert playing on NFL betting apps; anybody can make some money using arbitrage in sports betting, especially with US soccer betting. It doesn't matter about your handicapping skills, your ability to predict the Super Bowl winner, or the outcome of the next Man Utd match. You can be successful using sports betting arbitrage methods as long as you are willing to put enough time into it.
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What Is Arbitrage or Arbitrage Betting?
An Arbitrage definition states that this betting method involves wagering all possible outcomes of an event through numerous sportsbooks, such as DraftKings or William Hill. However, you cannot just select any operators; you must choose ones that have different odds so you can make a profit. Additionally, Arbing is a form of matched betting USA where bettors can minimize losses by wagering on two separate outcomes. There are different approaches to Arbing; for example, you could explore arbitrage betting Reddit to discover how other bettors approach this form of wagering.
Below is an arbitrage betting example:
Arbitrage Betting Software
Bookmaker 1 odds: Seahawks +110
Bookmaker 2 odds Rams +110
In this example, a bettor will place a wager of $100 on both teams, meaning the total amount wagered is $200. Whichever team wins, the player will be paid $110 for a winning wager in addition to the original $100 stake resulting in a total of $210.
So, although there was $200 wagered on this game, there is a guaranteed profit of $210 regardless of who wins. The player makes a $10 profit regardless of the outcome. While these winnings won't make you rich and enable you to go to Vegas and run wild, it does prove the strategy is effective. Additionally, the more you bet, the more potential profit you can make.
One of the major stumbling blocks of arbitrage betting in the USA is that sportsbooks don't like them. However, let's look at how you can benefit from sports arbitrage and avoid going into bookmakers' bad books.
How Can You Benefit From Sports Arbitrage Betting?
Firstly, to take advantage of Arbing, you must try and search for the right opportunities. Bettors need to keep an eye out for arbitrage bets today and free arb bets. This is not a straightforward process, especially if you attempt to do this manually. Bettors will need to monitor several sportsbooks to attempt to pick out arbs bets on their own.
A better alternative would be to purchase some software that tracks arbing. These arbitrage bet finder programs will notify you when an opportunity arises to make a profit. Additionally, there are arbitrage bet calculator options available on various betting exchange websites.
Please bear in mind that purchasing or subscribing to these programs can be costly. However, if your strategy involves a lot of arbitrage wagering, then the investment could be worth it.
Why Operators Do Not Like Arbitrage Bettors
Sports betting arbitrage is entirely legal, but sportsbooks do not like it because it costs them money. Bettors are actively looking to guarantee a profit at the expense of bookmakers. Many people will feel sportsbooks shouldn't have the ability to ban people from using the platform just because they are winning money. However, operators believe it is unfair to bet in a manner that guarantees a profit regardless of the outcome.
Bookmakers don't typically have any issues with gamblers winning who aren't arbing, but customers who have a strategy that ensures they get a return are not welcomed. Additionally, specific operators may be targeted by bettors, perhaps because they have a free bets bonus or offer generous odds. In this instance, the sportsbook can make substantial losses if successful arbitrage bettors exploit them.
It may come as no surprise that if you are consistently winning, the sportsbook will closely monitor your activity. Additionally, bookies will collaborate to identify such gamblers and share information to reduce the risk of them losing big money.
If your betting patterns cause concern and lead a bookie to believe you are arbing, your account is likely to be restricted or closed, in many cases without prior warning. Different bookmakers may claim they will never have to revert to such action, but this is unlikely.
Arbitrage Betting Tips
There is no foolproof method for a bookmaker to identify arbitrage bettors. Consequently, there is a chance of you being successful with this style of wagering. However, it is worth bearing in mind the following tips to ensure you continue to make a profit without your account being closed.
You should always use a legal US operator over an offshore operator. Sports betting is now legal in many states across the US, including NJ, PA, CO, TN, IN, IL, IA, MI, and WV.
Reduce Amount of Deposits & Withdrawals
If you are confident enough that you feel arbing can become part of your annual income, you will be more likely to deposit or withdraw money more frequently. After all, there are professional sports bettors out there who make a living from wagering. Arbers typically make large deposits to fund their long term strategy and cash out frequently to enjoy the cash they have made.
However, it is recommended that you should only make the occasional deposits and withdrawals so as not to grab the attention of the sportsbook.
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Arbitrage Betting Sites
Arbitrage betting can sometimes mean your bet looks rather strange as you seek to guarantee a profit. For example, let's say you wager on the following:
Kansas City Chiefs -135
Cleveland Browns +150
You decide to bet $100 on the Chiefs, so you must wager $69.64 on the Browns. This results in you making a profit of $4.46. The key figure here is the $69.64 you must bet to maximize your profit. However, this is a strange bet amount, and the sportsbook may pick up on this if it develops into a pattern.
To throw them off the scent, you could round up your bets. It will mean you won't be making as profit in the short term, but it will help you avoid a ban.
Use Betting Exchanges
A betting exchange does not perform the same service as a bookmaker. Rather, it acts as a platform where sports bettors can take either side of a wager. One side is the standard bettor, while the other side acts as the bookie. Occasionally they will also collect part of their commission from the losing side.
Crucially, a betting exchange is not bothered if you are arbing. This is because they make money regardless of your betting strategy. It would be wise to use two or more betting exchanges to boost your efforts. Alternatively, you could use an exchange for one part of your bet and a traditional sportsbook for the other. You can only be banned from the sportsbook if you decide to do this.
Use Different Bookmakers
You may not be excited at the prospect of using an alternative to DraftKings sportsbook. However, if you can spread your bankroll across numerous sites, you are less likely to draw attention as an arbitrage bettor.
Always keep in mind that a sportsbook will not hesitate to act if you place many suspicious-looking bets with them. However, they will not notice you if you are more casual and your wagers are more sporadic.
Avoid Small Betting Markets
Small betting markets, such as a tennis match or darts, are more volatile. This means there is likely to be a more significant difference in odds offered by bookmakers. You can potentially make a lot of money from these markets as a result.
However, if you continue to bet regularly on less popular sports, this activity will likely indicate arbitrage betting. You can avoid this scenario by ensuring variety in your betting between small and large markets.
Arbitage Betting FAQs
How to calculate arbitrage betting?
There is software available to sports bettors who are looking at arbitrage opportunities. However, there is also a formula you cause, which is below:
Arbitrage % = ((1 / decimal odds for outcome A) x 100) + ((1 / decimal odds for outcome B) x 100)
Profit = (Investment / Arbitrage %) – Investment
Individual bets = (Investment x Individual Arbitrage %) / Total Arbitrage %
Is sports betting arbitrage legal?
Arbing is completely legal. Bookmakers do not like it as they can potentially lose substantial amounts of money. However, as long as you have a strategy in place to take advantage of arbitrage betting, you can make a profit legally using this style of wagering.