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Matched Betting – Use Bonuses and Free Bets to Offset the House Edge

Matched betting is a form of gambling using online betting offers to guarantee winnings. This betting guide explains how to place back bets at bookmakers and lay the same team at betting exchanges. Used correctly, this is one of the best betting strategies for beginners who want to eliminate the risks.

No risk-matched betting is contingent on finding the right betting odds to cover all possible outcomes. It works for all types of sports betting, but it is more effective for football and popular sports. Liquidity plays an oversized role, and it works best when you choose a sport that punters love betting on.

Best Sports Betting Sites in 21 November 2024 – Updated List

Rank
Bookmaker
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1
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Yes
Rating 9.99 out of 10
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Yes
Rating 9.93 out of 10
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Yes
Rating 9.52 out of 10
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Rating 9.26 out of 10
9
100% up to 500 USDT
Yes
Rating 9.18 out of 10
10
Welcome Package 100% Up to 100EUR
Yes
Rating 9.12 out of 10

What is matched betting?

This type of arbitrage betting is where you wager on opposite outcomes to guarantee a profit. To be successful in this quest and offset the house edge, bettors use bonuses and promotions offered by bookmakers. To make money online with matched betting, you must understand the odds movements and better at the optimal time.

To maximize winnings, bettors usually bet on a team to win at classic bookmakers. They use free bets when available as part of introductory or recurrent campaigns. The opposite lay bet provides higher odds at the sports betting exchanges. When executed properly, it eliminates risks and renders the importance of luck irrelevant.

Odds-Comparison-Matched-Bet

Matched vs. Unmatched bets

Matched betting occurs when you place the back and lay wagers on the same outcome at favorable fixed odds. This way, you are guaranteed to make a profit regardless of the result, which is an effective form of dutching. You get an unmatched bet if the lay bet doesn’t match due to odds fluctuations or liquidity.

A matched betting example can help you understand how it works. We chose a match between Fulham and Brentford as football is the best sport to bet on.

If you lay the draw at odds of 3.90 for £13,655, you will get a matched bet since the market has sufficient liquidity. By contrast, an unmatched bet occurs when you try to lay the draw at odds of 3.85. Instead, your money will be shifted to the “back all” column and join the queue to be matched.

Fulham-Matched-Bet

Partially matched vs. Unmatched bets

A partially matched bet occurs when only part of the lay bet can be placed. This usually happens because of limited liquidity, so lay betting can’t be achieved above a certain threshold. In the example above, you can have a partially matched wager on Brentford to win if you bet £200. Since there is only £141 available for these odds and wagers, the difference will be unmatched.

Odds shortening is happening more frequently at betting exchanges than at bookmakers. Due to the difference between high odds and low odds, bettors must react to them faster. If limited funds are available in the market, you will only have a part of your bet matched. The difference turns into an unmatched bet, impacting potential returns if you don’t make adjustments.

How does matched betting work?

To begin with, we need to look at two of the core elements of risk-free matched betting. They are the back bet and the lay bet. You will never learn how to make money betting on football or discover how to match bet without learning these two types of stakes. Like all matched betting tutorials, understanding how each of these works is essential. They consist of:

  • Back Bet: After claiming a bonus you can place a bet at your bookmaker on whatever takes your fancy. This is the bet you are going to “back” to win. It needs to be a qualifying bet, so always make sure you check the terms and conditions of any bonus funds you intend on using to make sure your odds are above those stated.
  • Lay Bet: The lay bet is placed at a betting exchange. With this bet, you are betting against your back bet. So, if you picked Team A to win with your back bet, you are laying Team A NOT to win here. You should always check the lay odds or use a calculator to ensure that there is money in the market.

Matched betting risks

Matched betting risks primarily come in the form of lay commission and liability. Here is what each term means:

  • Lay Commission: You will typically need to pay a commission on your lay bets at betting exchanges. To ensure that there is value in football betting, you need to account for that commission when you set your lay odds. A profit accumulator is the best to do this, as it will tell you exactly how much you can take home after your commission has been paid.
  • Liability: When betting at an exchange, you are essentially becoming the bookie. You will need to pay out winnings to those who have backed your lay bet odds. This is known as liability. A decent calculator can tell you the optimal odds to set and any potential liability (the amount you could have to pay to winners). Most betting exchanges will not let you be liable for more than you have in your account, but it is best to check first.

Essential matched betting tools

Once you have matched betting explained, you can start hunting for sportsbook bonuses and suitable odds at betting exchanges. You need flawless sports betting money management to turn this strategy into risk-free betting. It is also necessary to have the right matched betting tools and software, especially if you are new to sports betting.

  • Matched betting calculator – this helps you determine the ideal stakes for bet and lay bets. They are available at free matched betting sites and help with bankroll management.
  • Odds matching software – is necessary to compare the betting odds in real-time. This type of value football betting depends on your ability to find the right odds to bet on opposite results.
  • Spreadsheets – help you keep track of your bets and quantify wins and losses. The success of long-term betting strategies is contingent on identifying the betting mistakes early and making the necessary adjustments.
  • Promotion and bonus trackers – are useful in identifying generous offers at classic and crypto betting sites. Matched betting sign-up promotions from online and land-based bookies help provide arbitrage betting and sharbing opportunities.

Steps to begin matched betting

The essence of matched bets is that you bet on opposite outcomes and can still make a profit. Be sure that you follow our matched betting step-by-step guide to the letter which you can adjust based on the sport you want to wager on.

Step 1
Research and choose a reliable matched betting site.
Step 2
Create accounts with popular sportsbooks and betting exchanges.
Step 3
Find a qualifying offer and calculate stake requirements.
Step 4
Place the qualifying bet on the sportsbook and lay it off on the exchange.
Step 5
Complete the offer and withdraw profits or reinvest it further.

Advanced strategies for maximizing earnings

Experience punters can use matched betting UK sites to craft profitable betting strategies. This type of sharp betting is more effective when betting systems go hand-in-hand with solid money management. These are some of the matched betting money-saving expert strategies you can use as an advanced bettor.

  1. Use free bets to bet at higher odds – this is solid betting advice because you use the bookmaker promotions for the risky bet and your money for the safer option. The goal is still to cover both outcomes and guarantee a profit.
  2. Dutching – it is effective when using matched betting reload offers at several bookmakers. When you bet on more than two outcomes, such as horse races, dutching in betting is one of the betting terms to consider.
  3. Profit boost offers – they should be the focal point of attention for no-risk betting. They provide enhanced odds on a qualifying bet, and you should take advantage. This is the most effective way to maximize the profits from single and parlay betting strategies.
  4. Sign up for an account at several bookmakers – whether you want to use betting exchanges, live betting sites, or e-sport bookmakers, this way, you will always enjoy the highest odds and the best match betting reload promotions. Use the bet tracker and spreadsheets to keep track of all your bets.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Knowing what is matched betting is the first step to using this strategy after opening a betting account. To succeed in the long run, you should avoid these common mistakes detailed in our match betting guide. They are responsible for some of the biggest losses among casual punters.

  1. You mistakenly bet on different back\lay markets Although you must act quickly to take advantage of the best odds, always double-check before placing the back.
  2. Ignoring the impact of qualifying losses –  Keep track of them in a matched betting spreadsheet and subtract the sums from your profits. This is necessary to determine whether matched betting is worth it in the long run and how to make it work.
  3. Betting with mismatched odds – Use odds matching software to make sure the back and lay markets are aligned, especially for live betting strategies. At betting exchanges, odds change quickly, and mistakes are more likely.

Is matched betting legal?

So, is matched betting illegal? Of course not. Risk-free matched betting is something that bookmakers frown upon, and they have tried for years to find a way of eliminating this, but it is as legal as it can get. However, if bookies removed all risk-free and no-lose bonuses, they would see a rapid drop in their number of clients.

However, it is important to know that even if you are betting for profit or fun you should not abuse using promotions and bonuses at bookmakers, such as opening two accounts to claim the same deal twice, since this may lead to your account being closed.

The pros and cons of matched betting

PROS

  • If done correctly, you can guarantee a profit
  • Plenty of sites give free bets and bonuses
  • Less risky than other betting strategies

CONS

  • You could be liable to pay out winnings
  • Matched betting can be time-consuming

Match betting removes the risks from sports

Using matched betting offers at bookies and betting exchanges can help beat the house edge. This method is suitable for both amateurs and advanced bettors and turns a challenging task into a straightforward process. Use matched betting sites to find value in the online odds and take advantage of welcome bonuses and ongoing deals.

Matched betting without free bets is much more difficult, so take advantage of every promotion available. Sign up for an account at several sportsbooks and use odds tracking and matching software to find the best value each time you bet. Let this matched betting blog page be the first step in a long series of winning bets.

FAQs: Your questions about matched betting answered

Matched betting is a risk-free betting strategy that uses free bets and promotions given by bookmakers to make a guaranteed profit.

The entire matched betting system requires a very analytical approach. It is important to use spreadsheets and formulas to keep track of the money you make, so you can determine your efficiency. Arbitrage betting involves hundreds of bets and a lot of money wagered.

Yes, matched betting is completely legal in most countries. However, some bookmakers may not like it because it can cut into their profits. As a result, they might limit or close the accounts of users who consistently use matched betting.

Matched betting is a strategy used to make risk-free profits by taking advantage of free bets and promotions provided by bookmakers. It involves placing two bets on opposite outcomes of the same event, ensuring that you cover all possible results.

You can use a free matched betting calculator to make the process easier and more accurate. These calculators help you figure out exactly how much to bet on each side so that you can lock in a guaranteed profit.

A player from the UK can make an amount ranging from £500 to £2,000 monthly. People need to keep in mind the bookmakers can remove offers or close accounts if they notice bonus abuse. Discipline, patience and most importantly, accounts with different bookmakers help a lot.

Bookmakers will always try to identify bonus hunters and restrict their actions by lowering the betting limits. The worst-case scenario is to have your account blocked, so to avoid all these issues. Players must occasionally play mug bets - bets you intend on losing on purpose. Focus on low-risk events.

Matched betting is a more complex version of betting arbitrage because it also uses free bets. The idea is to take advantage of the financial incentives offered by bookmakers and betting exchanges and turn them into cashable amounts. Punters should focus on popular sports events and major competitions, where the return on investment is better.

No, using matched betting with multiple accounts is generally not legal according to most bookmakers' terms and conditions. This practice is known as "multi-accounting" or "gaining an unfair advantage".

Yes, matched betting can be worth it, especially if you're looking for a low-risk way to make extra money. It is a popular strategy among people who want to earn a side income without the risks usually associated with traditional gambling.

How much you can make from matched betting depends on several factors, including how much time and effort you invest, your starting bankroll, and the promotions available.