Matched Betting Sites
Mаtched bеtting (also known as back bet matching, lay bet matching or double bеtting) is a bеtting technique used by individuals to profit from the free bets and incentives offered by bookmakers. It is considered[weasel words] risk-free in theory as it is based on the use of a set of mathematical equations rather than left to chance.[1]
4) Smaller Matched Betting Sites. So far we have looked at the best matched betting service and most important players in the matched betting market. Yet, there are also a number of small services around that you might also discover at some point. These are typically more modest websites they have smaller forums and little or no staff. Nov 06, 2020 Matched betting is a technique that mathematically guarantees a profit from free bet promotions offered by betting companies. Almost all bookmakers advertise these offers to entice new customers to place bets with them. Is matched betting legal? It is 100% legal. This question is a natural reaction when something sounds too good to be true, but this is something that has been enjoyed by over 200,000 people in the UK so far and has had national coverage in both The Guar.
Concept[edit]
The concept of matched betting requires an account with two or more bookmakers or betting exchanges where at least one offers the user a free bet. When the free bet is placed the other bookmakers or betting exchanges are used to hedge all the possible outcomes so that no matter what happens the value of the free bet is retained. At its simplest, a matched bet involves placing a back bet using the free bet at a bookmaker while placing the opposing lay bet at a betting exchange. More advanced versions involve placing the bets on multiple bookmakers (dutching) to avoid the commission charged for using an exchange. Generally, bookmakers incorporate terms by which bettors must first place a bet using their own money in order to qualify for the free bet. For this, a bet is placed on particular results occurring with the bookmaker and a second bet placed on the same result not occurring at the betting exchange. The latter is required to offset any loss in the event that the result does not occur; for instance, if a team loses. Once the free bet has been qualified, the same process is followed with the exception that a free bet is being used. No matter which result occurs, there will always be a guaranteed profit because the bet was made free of charge. Online betting outlets, betting exchanges, have become popular in recent years for they allow betters to bet without official odds-makers. In essence, the person placing the lay bet acts as a bookmaker.[2]
Approaches[edit]
There are several common strategies for matched betting including assisted and manual betting. Assisted matched betting refers to websites or software packages which provide comparison tables of markets for individuals to bet on. These are commonly known as 'auto-matchers'.[3][4]
Industry reactions[edit]
Matched betting is legal and a spokesperson for William Hill has indicated that the betting industry does not have a problem with this use of free bets.[5]
Matched betting services[edit]
The growth of matched betting has led to the formation of matched betting services - usually subscription-based businesses established to make the process easier with step-by-step instructions and bespoke software, such as oddsmatching.[4]
Taxation[edit]
Matched betting, along with all other betting, is tax-free in the UK [6] and in Italy. [7]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Burek, Owen. 'Is Matched Betting the Answer to Student Prayers?'. Huffington Post. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- ^Thrust, Richard (2010). Free Sports Bets. ISBN9781445725710.
- ^'Free World Cup bets offer chance to beat the bookies'. The Guardian. 5 June 2010.
- ^ ab'Free bets mean you can clean up as bookies meet their match'. The Guardian. 24 July 2010.
- ^'Is this a bet you can't lose?'. Daily Telegraph. 6 December 2010.
- ^'BIM22015 - Trade: Exceptions & alternatives: Betting and gambling - introduction'. HM Revenue & Customs. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
- ^'Gazzetta Ufficiale art. 30 DPR 600/1973'. Gazzetta Ufficiale.
If you’re new to Matched Betting make sure to read the introductory guide to matched betting before diving into the best matched betting subscription services.
When I started Matched Betting used to spend most of my time trawling through forums and review sites looking for bonuses. After finding one, it would be off to the unintelligible terms and conditions. Trying to work out exactly how to make money from it and weighing up the chance of the bookie trying to scam you.
It was so bad that I would spend more time on the research than I would on actually doing the offers. Much more! But over the past couple of years that has all changed and a bunch of subscription matched betting subscription services have popped up.
For a monthly fee, they will serve you on a plate a library of offers. With the terms and conditions deciphered and an in-depth tutorial on how to do the offer. Even better the bookie and offer will have been tried and tested by some other guinea pig.
You can basically eliminate all that research and just work your way through the offers and a much faster rate than I ever could. The better services even have strong communities or forums where they help each other out and can answer any of your questions.
The following list is based both off of my experience trying out each site and also off of the emails and feedback I’ve received. It is correct as of 5 January 2018 and I will aim to update it as I get new information in. If you disagree with anything I’ve written or have your own experiences, please write about them in the comments or contact me directly.
If you’re not sure which one to choose, they all have free or very cheap trials available. So why not sign up to all of them and then upgrade to a paid membership once you work out which one you like the best?
The Best Matched Betting Subscription Services
- OddsMonkey. A vast library, the original oddsmatcher and a constantly updated daily reloads calender. £19.99 a month.
- Profit Accumulator. The oldest and with the biggest community. Also £19.99 a month.
- Matched Bets. A large selection of offers and the only service with instant live chat support. Not as good as the top two but slightly cheaper at £18 a month.
- Profit Squad. The new kid on the block but with some unique advanced matched betting techniques. £19.99 a month.
Let’s look into each of them in a bit more detail.
Oddsmonkey
Oddsmonkey is my favourite full service matched betting subscription service. They have been around forever but used to just focus on their oddsmatching services. It was the first arb finder on the market and allowed matched bettors to quickly find the best market to bet their free bets.
Then in early 2016 they received a large investment and used it to turn it into a one-stop-shop for matched betting. They spent a lot of money and launched a service that trumped all their rivals.
They have a lot of tutorials covering sign-up offers (currently 40 sports offers and 30 casino/bingo ones) and a strong community on their forum, with over 1,000 posts.
But the best thing they offer is a calendar full of time-sensitive reload offers. They hire a team to constantly search for offers and upload them on a day-to-day basis.
I get a lot of emails asking me what to do once you have done all the sign-up offers and have accounts at every bookie: well here is your answer! Daily reload offers handed to you on a plate. I wish this existed when I first got into matched betting.
At the time when that screenshot was taken, there were 16 different offers just for today totalling over £200 of expected profit.
Currently just £19.99 a month, Oddsmonkey is an absolute bargain.
Profit Accumulator
The Profit Accumulator is the oldest, most popular and most expensive of the matched betting subscription services. It costs £22.99 a month. They have a strong community with thousands of members.
Matched Betting Online
UPDATE: May 2017. Profit Accumulator have now dropped their platinum membership to £19.99 to try and compete with Oddsmonkey.
You can read the full up-to-date review here: Profit Accumulator Review 2017.
Matched Betting Offers
A lot of props need to be given for leading the way. Although Oddsmonkey launched before them, it was Profit Accumulator that came up with the idea of a subscription service that researched all the offers for you.
Matched Bets
Matched Bets market themselves as being the best of the matched betting services in terms of cost, tools, and support.
Well, that is partly true. They are the cheapest at £18 a month (£2 less than the rest) and arguably have the best support. There is a forum, but while Oddsmonkey has over 250,000 posts, Matched Bets has barely 100. But that is not what they mean by good support.
They are the only one with live chat. When writing this article I used their live chat multiple times and always got a knowledgeable person replying who was able to help me with my queries.
£18 a month for instant unlimited support would be an awesome deal, even without all the other features. It could be used to double-check calculations, suggest the next offer, or explain some of the theory.
On top of the live chat feature, there is also a large library of new customer offers.
No Risk Matched Betting Sites
Profit Squad
Profit Squad is another the new kid on the block, having only launched in late 2015, but over the last few years they have gone from strength to strength and really found a niche.
They have all the usual offers that you’ll get with the others sites, including a nice collection of casino and bingo offers. And like Oddsmonkey, they also have a calendar of daily offers.
But where they stand out from the crowd is that they also have training and a strong community forum that focus on more advanced types of matched betting. In particular, a lot of the members are earning well from each-way dutching on horse racing.
Profit Squad costs £19.99 a month or £169 a year.