Do you like the idea of making money from betting regardless of the outcome of your bet? Besides sure betting, there is another technique that guarantees earnings. This technique is known as matched betting. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the principle of betting where you take advantage of bonuses offered by betting offices.
Matched betting
When matched betting, you use bookmakers’ bonus offers
Matched betting has a lot in common with sure betting. Unlike arbitrage betting, you do not only use differences in odds, but bonus offers from bookmakers come into play. This method is mainly used by bettors with accounts at foreign bookmakers, where regular bonuses are abundant. Let’s introduce the method called matched betting in more detail.
What is matched betting?
In this strategy, you use welcome bonuses and free bets offered by bookmakers to make a profit. It is a risk-free betting method, as you bet on all possible outcomes of a match with a guaranteed return. Although you do not risk your own capital with this method, you are not free from risk. Once the bookmaker detects that you are using this method, you are at risk of being banned, especially at recreational bookmakers. At a bookmaker that provides you with a welcome bonus or a free bet with acceptable terms, you bet on a certain outcome of a match and immediately place a bet on the opposite outcome ideally at a betting exchange (you bet a “LAY” bet, meaning that the result will not happen – we recommend using the portfolio of betting exchanges at Sportmarket) or at another bookmaker. Bookmakers usually require you to place a qualifying bet to receive the bonus or free bet. The qualifying bet generally must be placed with your own money, so you usually won’t make a profit on it. By using arbitrage betting and matched betting, however, you can make a significant profit on the subsequent bonus (free bet). After the qualifying bet is settled, the bookmaker will give you bonus money, from which you can gain a certain part (often around 80-90%) without risk using special calculators and odds comparison tools.
Example of matched betting
To move beyond generalities, let’s look at a specific example. The Rabona bookmaker offers every new bettor a welcome bonus of up to 100 € on the first deposit. The condition for receiving the bonus money is a qualifying bet in the amount of the first deposit with a minimum odds of 1.50. So, you deposit 100 € into your account and bet it on a match with minimum odds of 1.50. Using odds comparison tools, you find the best odds on the opposite outcome at a betting exchange (“LAY” bet – if you use the exchange, consider the exchange fee) or at another bookmaker and place your bet (use an arbitrage betting calculator). Although you lose a certain percentage of the invested amount, you will ultimately profit thanks to the bonus money.
- At the bookmaker Rabona, you bet 100 € on the home team in the English PL match Fulham vs. Bournemouth at odds of 2.42.
- At the bookmaker Megapari, you bet 150 € on Bournemouth not losing at odds of 1.635 in the same match.
- No matter how the match ends, you lose 6 € on this bet.
After the bet is settled, you receive a 100 € bonus from Rabona. To withdraw this bonus money, you must first wager it 12 times, so you need to wager a total of 1,200 € at Rabona. If we use the same example for the calculation, the Fulham vs. Bournemouth match, you would generate a loss of approximately 70 €, so you would have 30 € left from the 100 € bonus (100 € – 6 € – 70 €). However, if you lose the bonus money at Rabona before it is credited to your real balance and instead win at the Megapari bookmaker, you would make much more money from this bonus. Of course, it depends on the odds you are betting. The higher the payout, the more money goes to you (the principle of sure betting). After clearing this bonus at Rabona, you can use the same method to take advantage of other bonuses offered by the bookmaker (e.g., reload bonuses or free bets conditioned by some action) or go for bonuses at other companies. There are many bookmakers with such bonuses.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages
- Guaranteed profit, no matter the outcome
- Simple work with a calculator that does all the calculations for you
Disadvantages
- Risk of BAN – Although bookmakers do not admit it, they closely monitor and check their clients’ bets, and as soon as they suspect (they find out after just a few bets) that you are using matched betting, they may limit you or ban you.
- Rapid changes in odds – you may not be able to place the bet at the desired odds, so the loss from the bet may be much higher.
- Different rules for ticket settlement – e.g., one bookmaker may pay out a win in the event of a tennis match default, while another may only refund the stake
Best bookmakers for matched betting
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RabonaBonus: €100 on the first deposit |
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SGcasinoBonus: €100 on the first deposit |
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WazambaBonus: €100 on the first deposit |
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NominiBonus: €100 on the first deposit |
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MegapariBonus: €200 on the first deposit |
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MostBetBonus: €320 on the first deposit |
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22BETBonus: €120 on the first deposit |
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20BETBonus: €100 on the first deposit |
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SportmarketBonus: €100 on the first deposit |
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MyStakeBonus: €500 on the first deposit |
Frequently asked questions
1️⃣ What is matched betting?
It is a risk-free betting method as you bet on all possible outcomes of a match with a guaranteed return. You use bookmakers’ bonus offers.2️⃣ Which bookmakers can I use for matched betting?
Basically in all that offer a bonus suitable for this method.
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