Matched Betting Explained

While there are still some people who have a sceptical attitude to sports betting, you can always take advantage of some betting strategies allowing you to make a profit with a hundred-percent guarantee. Basically, matched betting belongs to such risk-free strategies, it’s a fast and easy way to get a secure income from betting on sporting and non-sporting events. This blog article provides the comprehensive answer to the question “what is matched betting?” and gives an example of how the strategy works. So, let’s delve into our matched betting guide and find out how you can get returns from wagering on sports matches by implementing the matched betting strategy.

What is Matched Betting

Matched betting is based on playing on free bets provided by online bookmakers. Now, a lot of betting operators are offering such bonuses to attract the attention of punters to their websites and motivate them to place bets, so, everyone can take advantage of this sort of incentives. There are also matched betting UK blogs on the web that provide up-to-date information on current bonuses and promos offered by numerous bookmaking companies. Therefore, you can know of such promotions and benefit from them without any risks of losing money. The right matched betting blog covers the widest possible number of online bookmakers’ bonuses and promos, with such a web resource you can be always aware of all offers on the market.  Matched betting UK blogs often come with special calculators to determine the stake amount, as well as contain useful videos and guides on how to apply the system.

Some free bets are rewarded once you registered with a sportsbook, while most other are credited after certain conditions have been completed. For example, to get the bonus, you might need to register an account with the online bookmaker, deposit a certain sum of money, and place a qualifying bet. Instead of predicting a sports outcome, matched betting implies the making of two punts to activate such offers — the first bet on the online bookmaker’s website to obtain the free bet while the second one on a betting exchange or another online betting website to hedge your first stake. As soon as these two bets are settled, the free bet is typically credited to your account. At that point you neither lost nor won money, you just got the free bet. Then you repeat the procedure with this free bet and one more punt placed on the opposite outcome with another bookmaker. Once these two bets are settled, you are able to withdraw funds from your account. An average return for a matched wager, if the stake is returned, is about 85% of the free bet amount, and about 70% if the stake is not returned.

Unlike numerous betting systems and methods that require at least some knowledge of sports and experience in wagering, no risk matched betting rests exceptionally upon maths. You don’t need to have a lot of betting skills and familiarity with a certain sports discipline to succeed at sports betting. By covering all potential outcomes, you eliminate all possible risks and insure your free bet against losing. As you understand, regardless of the results, you remain in the black.

Matched Betting: Step-by-Step Example

For someone, matched betting might look frightening, however, it is not as difficult. With only one or three days of practising, you can definitely become an expert in this field.

Let’s take an example of implementing the matched betting strategy in practice. Suppose you read in a matched betting blog that some online bookmaker offers all newcomers a £30 free bet as a first deposit bonus. To get the bonus, all you need is to register with the online betting website, make a deposit, and place a bet amounting to the same £30 stake with their website. You register an account with the bookie and deposit a certain sum of money.

When it comes to the process of making bets itself, you need to place the back and lay bets. The back bet is considered to be a common bet placed on the online betting website providing the offer. So, you make a £30 qualifying bet (to get the bonus) on a selected betting outcome. For example, you bet on Manchester United to win their next Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur at odds of 2.0. The lay bet, in its turn, is placed on a betting exchange like Betfair or any other online betting exchange. You choose the betting outcome opposite to your back punt. In our case, you would pick the Red Devils to draw or lose. As a result, you cover all possible outcomes of the match and get the free bet credited to your account.

Now, it’s time to turn this bonus into real money. You determine your favourites in the upcoming games of Spanish La Liga and decide to place a bet on Deportivo to win the next match against Real Sociedad at odds of 4.0. This basically means that the Galician’s victory will allow you to win about £90. Then you calculate the stake amount for the lay bet against Deportivo, using a special matched betting calculator. The lay betting odds offered by Betfair also equal 4.0, and the matched betting calculator suggests laying £23 against Deportivo. The liability on this punt (how much money you can lose if Galicians win) is £68.

If Deportivo win the game, you will get the winning of £90 on the online betting website, but lose £68 on the betting exchange. As a result, your overall profit from two wagers amounts to £22.

If Deportivo draw or lose, your free bet will lose as well, however, you will win about £22 on Betfair.

To sum it up, no matter how the match between Deportivo and Real Sociedad will end, you’ll obtain a profit of £22. The result of any sporting event doesn’t matter if you implement the no risk matched betting strategy. The profit is guaranteed.

Matched Betting Without Free Bets

A lot of bettors think they can’t benefit from the matched betting since they already have accounts with most online betting websites. With that, matched betting without sign-up and first deposit bonuses is also possible. Even though you have already had accounts with most bookies, it doesn’t matter you can’t take advantage of the strategy. The point is that many sportsbooks also provide “reload offers” to motivate punters to place bets with their sites. You can easily find information about such offers on matched betting blogs and forums. The reload offers info on such web resources is updated regularly, so you’re always able to follow the instructions and get the free bets even with existing accounts.

Matched Betting Pitfalls You Want to be Aware of

While most matched betting UK guides note that there no risks involved in the strategy, it’s necessary to say that some risks do exist. As you know, no one is above making mistakes and not always everything goes as planned. Some terms and conditions for obtaining free bets might be understood mistakenly, bets can be placed wrongly, or you might not make one of the bets in time. Basically, you want to make sure:

1. You know betting basics and follow a matched betting guide on how to implement the matched betting technique properly. Read at least several articles where matched betting explained. Watch videos on how to use the strategy in practice.
2. You are eligible to participate in the promo. Numerous online betting websites impose restrictions on some countries, meaning that bettors from these countries can’t take part in the promotions. Subscribe to a matched betting blog which provides comprehensive information on bookmakers’ bonus systems.
3. You have checked selections for your back and lay bets several times. It’s also recommended to check whether the matched betting calculator works correctly.

Now you understand the principles of matched betting and know how to take advantage of bonuses and incentives provided by betting operators. Taking into account that a wide array of online bookmakers offer their customers to participate in such promotions, you can turn this strategy into a source of additional income. So, it’s time to get your first matched betting profits!