Arbitrage Betting 101: Is It Possible & Worth It?

Arbitrage Betting Resources & Guides

What is arbitrage betting?

Arbitrage betting is the technique of finding odds discrepancies between bookmakers that can offer a guaranteed profit if the bettor places bets on both outcomes with the right-sized stakes.

Arbitrage betting opportunities in sports betting are very similar to the ones in stock trading.

In the industry of sports betting, we are buying different outcomes on sports events.

The price in this case is the real probability of the outcome in odds format.

Arbitrage betting example

• Tennis player A at the first bookie has an odds of 2
• Player B at the other bookmaker has 2.1 (which is not normal. Normally it should be around 1.80)
• You place a stake at the first bookie with 100 euros on odds of 2 and at the other bookmaker on the second player, you place a stake of 95 euros on an odd of 2.10

Regardless of who wins you will end up with a profit of approximately 4.5 euros. This kind of betting is called arbitrage betting.

Example with bookmakers

Is arbitrage betting still possible?

Arbitrage betting is still possible, and it’s a very profitable income source. Sure betting is worth trying, and you still can make serious profits with it if you have access to a decent number of betting sites.

Below you can find my proof of using BetBurger (I think it is still the best arbitrage betting software in Europe since 2014).

If I’m able to still actively place sure bets, you can as well.

Bookmakers are making it harder and harder to make money from arbitrage betting.

If you are dedicated to learning and have access to many betting sites, you can do sure betting even for a living (at least for a limited period).

I’ve been successfully and actively arbitrage betting (and value betting) since 2013.

If you want to be an arbitrage bettor for the long term, you need to know all the pros and cons of arbitrage betting.

A great solution for sustainable and more profitable sure betting is using the best betting brokers. They are giving you instant access to many bookmakers on a single platform.

Is arbitrage betting worth it?

Yes, arbitrage betting is still worth it, but the complete answer is more complex than a simple yes or no. In my experience,e arbitrage betting is not possible for everyone, but it is the surest way to beat the bookmakers.

The potential earnings from arbitrage betting can be very different from one player to another. Some arbers can manage to make thousands each month while other have access to only a few bookies.

In summary, arbitrage betting is worth it if you have access to 10+ betting sites and have a decent starting capital (above $5000 for first-world countries).

How much can you make from arbitrage betting?

The average profit you can make on arbitrage betting opportunities ranges between 0.5% to 8% of your total stakes placed by covering each outcome.

The monthly profit you can make with arbitrage betting is highly dependent on the bookmakers available in your country/state.

You can find a simulation based on the number of bets placed and average arb profit %.

As a general rule, arbitrage bettors with a small betting volume can make around $500-$800 a month easily, while full-time arbitrage bettors can earn over $3000 a mon

Here is an in-depth analysis of how much you can expect to make with arbitrage betting.

How does arbitrage betting work?

Successful arbitrage betting works based on the following steps mentioned below:

#1. Check if sports betting is legal in your country/or state

This is the first and the most important step of arbitrage betting to avoid problems down the road.

Using betting sites that don’t have a legal license in your country can cause issues with taxation, law, and even accessing your money.

#2. Find the best software for bookies in your country

I have included both free and premium services in my arbing software review article with detailed descriptions of their settings, speed, user interface, and the experience level they require.

Using paid/premium arbing software is the best solution for each of us to maximize the potential profits.

#3. Pick arbitrage-friendly bookies or betting brokers

Finding your local soft/slow bookies with many wrong odds is the first and one of the most important steps of successful arbing.

But this technique can be practiced the easiest if you can cover the other outcome of your initial bets at bookies that don’t limit and have high stake limits.

Check my article about arbitrage-friendly bookmakers.

#4. Check some reviews about the bookies you want to use

Make sure your local bookies are not scamming players.

Having a license in a country does not mean they are trustworthy.

I know from experience that in many countries you can’t wait for the help of legislative organs.

Your money blocked at bookies means that the country gets more taxes, and the case is closed.

This is why using only trustworthy betting sites for arbitrage is an important step,p even if you might miss out on some betting opportunities.

#5. Deposit money to more bookies

The more betting sites you have funds at, the fewer bets you need to place at each of them.

This tactic will help your accounts last longer.

For success in arbitrage betting, you need to have as many healthy betting accounts as possible.

#6. Watch video tutorials:

While reading blogs, forums, comments, and different social media groups, you can learn many new things about sure betting.

But the most valuable information comes from video tutorials.

Important to note! Many bettors get the somewhat smart idea about the possible loophole of arbitrage betting between exchanges and brokers, or sharp bookies. They might think this is the gold mine and the way to avoid limitations.

In the article above, you can find out the truth about this approach.

Is arbitrage betting legal?

Arbitrage betting is a legal activity, it does not have any legal consequences. As an arbitrage bettor, you are simply placing bets on sports events at multiple bookmakers, on odds that are favorable for you.

Arbitrage betting is legal, there are no laws regulating this kind of smart betting activity. On the other hand, sports betting, in general, is not a legal action in every country.

Some countries like North Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and Cambodia, have very strict laws about gambling.

They are forbidding gambling and all sports betting activities. You need to make sure to use betting operators that have a legal license in your country/state.

Sources used to make sure arbitrage betting is legal:

• US states where sports betting is legal: Forbes
• Gambling in the US: Wikipedia
• UK gambling: gamblingcommission.gov.uk

Resources used: [1], [2], [3], [4]