Advantage play betting is a way of betting that puts the odds in your favour rather than the bookmakers. There are many mechanisms to help you achieve this, all of which can be learnt. We are here to help you learn.
Matched Betting is one of the basic concepts of advantage play betting. It utalises the free bets and bonuses you can receive from online bookmakers to guarantee a profit through backing and laying.
You sign up with a bookmaker online, and accept their offer of a free bet (we have a list of sites to get you started, about £500 of free bets just on them!). Depending on the manner that bonus is added you can then lock in a profit. This might require one or more qualifying bets (where a back and a lay are made) to unlock the bonus money, but at some point you will have a back and lay equation where you have only funded one side, which is going to make you a profit regardless of the result.
Matched betting should be very low risk, providing you get your sums right. It's possible to get calculators and systems to make the bets automatically, but really you should learn how to do it manually. You'll learn more from making mistakes, and how to get out of them, and you'll understand how to maximise the profit from each offer. It's also the first step in understanding more advanced Advantage Play Betting techniques, so it's not a lesson you should really skip.
Our friends at the Matched Betting Blog cover these principals in far more detail (and with video turtorlas) so we'd recommend you have a look there for more information.
You sign up with a bookmaker online, and accept their offer of a free bet (we have a list of sites to get you started, about £500 of free bets just on them!). Depending on the manner that bonus is added you can then lock in a profit. This might require one or more qualifying bets (where a back and a lay are made) to unlock the bonus money, but at some point you will have a back and lay equation where you have only funded one side, which is going to make you a profit regardless of the result.
Matched betting should be very low risk, providing you get your sums right. It's possible to get calculators and systems to make the bets automatically, but really you should learn how to do it manually. You'll learn more from making mistakes, and how to get out of them, and you'll understand how to maximise the profit from each offer. It's also the first step in understanding more advanced Advantage Play Betting techniques, so it's not a lesson you should really skip.
Our friends at the Matched Betting Blog cover these principals in far more detail (and with video turtorlas) so we'd recommend you have a look there for more information.
Dutching is a way of placing bets across a market, or using multiple accounts where there are different odds, to cover an entire market and lock in a profit. It can also be used as a way of clearing wagering requirements and unlocking bonuses.
As with most things on the internet, you can get a dutching calculator which will sort out sums for you, but they are not worth paying for. As with matched betting you should learn and understand the maths of the situation yourself so you can apply the skills to other Advantage Play Betting situations.
A point worth making is that the opening book of any market at an individual bookmaker will not be dutchable. Only by playing different accounts off against each other or identifying changes in the market can get you green across the board. The former is a skill that will make you money and clear wagering very quickly, the latter is more to do with intuition but is perfectly possible, particularly across longer term markets such as a football season as the fortunes of each competitor can change frequently.
A powerful tool in the advantage play arsenal. It's probably worth starting at Wikipedia/Dutching and then going to The Gambling Times guide to Dutching.
As with most things on the internet, you can get a dutching calculator which will sort out sums for you, but they are not worth paying for. As with matched betting you should learn and understand the maths of the situation yourself so you can apply the skills to other Advantage Play Betting situations.
A point worth making is that the opening book of any market at an individual bookmaker will not be dutchable. Only by playing different accounts off against each other or identifying changes in the market can get you green across the board. The former is a skill that will make you money and clear wagering very quickly, the latter is more to do with intuition but is perfectly possible, particularly across longer term markets such as a football season as the fortunes of each competitor can change frequently.
A powerful tool in the advantage play arsenal. It's probably worth starting at Wikipedia/Dutching and then going to The Gambling Times guide to Dutching.
If Bets are offers where if a certain event happens, then you will receive cashback, an odds enhancement or a bonus back.
A common and popular bonus of this type at the moment is the idea of double delight and hat-trick heaven. This is where the first goal scorer odds are doubled should your winning pick score a brace, and trebled if they score a hat-trick.
If you can find a goalscorer, where the back and lay odds for them are very close then you can get a free shot at money. Most people set these markets up to take a small loss if none or one goal is scored, knowing that if a brace or hat-trick is scored they will win considerable sums.
Another common if bet involves penalties and red cards in football matches. For instance, if there is a red card then all losing first/last goalscorer bets will be refunded.
The all time classic is the nil nil refund, or bore draw insurance. 10% of football matches ended goalless, which means you can average a free bet 1/10. Actually you can do better than that as there are some matches that have bore draw written all over them so you can focus on them. The Matched Betting Blog has a great piece on nil nil bore draw insurance and how you can profit form these offers.
The best way to profit from these offers is to back and lay an event covered by the offer and the closest possible odds. You then follow the match hoping that your pick doesn't win, but the penalty or red card does. This allows you break even on your back and lay (one wins and one doesn't), but receive the bonus or refund at the bookmaker related to the if bet. That spells profit.
To help with if bets you need a list of daily bookmaker offers and some knowledge of how to profit from if bets as there are lots of different varieties out there. If you're starting from scratch there's an excellent guide to profiting from if bets on the matched betting blog.
A common and popular bonus of this type at the moment is the idea of double delight and hat-trick heaven. This is where the first goal scorer odds are doubled should your winning pick score a brace, and trebled if they score a hat-trick.
If you can find a goalscorer, where the back and lay odds for them are very close then you can get a free shot at money. Most people set these markets up to take a small loss if none or one goal is scored, knowing that if a brace or hat-trick is scored they will win considerable sums.
Another common if bet involves penalties and red cards in football matches. For instance, if there is a red card then all losing first/last goalscorer bets will be refunded.
The all time classic is the nil nil refund, or bore draw insurance. 10% of football matches ended goalless, which means you can average a free bet 1/10. Actually you can do better than that as there are some matches that have bore draw written all over them so you can focus on them. The Matched Betting Blog has a great piece on nil nil bore draw insurance and how you can profit form these offers.
The best way to profit from these offers is to back and lay an event covered by the offer and the closest possible odds. You then follow the match hoping that your pick doesn't win, but the penalty or red card does. This allows you break even on your back and lay (one wins and one doesn't), but receive the bonus or refund at the bookmaker related to the if bet. That spells profit.
To help with if bets you need a list of daily bookmaker offers and some knowledge of how to profit from if bets as there are lots of different varieties out there. If you're starting from scratch there's an excellent guide to profiting from if bets on the matched betting blog.
Arbitrage is where you can place a bet somewhere at one set of odds, and lay it off somewhere else at lower odds. Regardless of the result of the event, you will profit (providing you've done your sums correctly!).
The multitude of bookmakers out there, and their individual understanding of the 'true odds' of an event happening, or even their own exposure on the event can result in different odds being available at different sites. These odds can be played off against each other to maximise your returns. Limiting yourself to betting with one bookmaker, what would be called brand loyalty by marketing consultants, is a sure fire way of getting a worse deal for your bets overall. Open accounts at lots of sites and only bet where the odds and the bonuses reflect the best possible return on your money. When you're completing normal bonuses you'll spot arbs coming up, and you can take advantage of them.
Caution should be applied when 'arbing' as it's a quick route to your accounts being closed. So short term profit could be the route to long term loss of what could've been a more profitable account. If the bet looks unusual, when compared to your normal betting patterns, or involves a large stake on a strange match or result, then it will probably get flagged to traders for investigation.
As an example £200 on Manchester Utd to win is normal and they'll be taking those bets all day long. £200 on a Hungarian second division match says Advantage Play, bonus abuse or Arbing; none of which are profitable for the bookmaker. One customer they'll want to keep, one they won't.
Basically be careful, it's not worth a gubbing or burning a profitable account for a couple of pounds. Trading out a position or making a book using BetFair is a different matter though, there you're taking other people's money and creating your own arbs, that's fine all day long.
The multitude of bookmakers out there, and their individual understanding of the 'true odds' of an event happening, or even their own exposure on the event can result in different odds being available at different sites. These odds can be played off against each other to maximise your returns. Limiting yourself to betting with one bookmaker, what would be called brand loyalty by marketing consultants, is a sure fire way of getting a worse deal for your bets overall. Open accounts at lots of sites and only bet where the odds and the bonuses reflect the best possible return on your money. When you're completing normal bonuses you'll spot arbs coming up, and you can take advantage of them.
Caution should be applied when 'arbing' as it's a quick route to your accounts being closed. So short term profit could be the route to long term loss of what could've been a more profitable account. If the bet looks unusual, when compared to your normal betting patterns, or involves a large stake on a strange match or result, then it will probably get flagged to traders for investigation.
As an example £200 on Manchester Utd to win is normal and they'll be taking those bets all day long. £200 on a Hungarian second division match says Advantage Play, bonus abuse or Arbing; none of which are profitable for the bookmaker. One customer they'll want to keep, one they won't.
Basically be careful, it's not worth a gubbing or burning a profitable account for a couple of pounds. Trading out a position or making a book using BetFair is a different matter though, there you're taking other people's money and creating your own arbs, that's fine all day long.
Sharbing is another form of arbitrage betting. Basically an almalgimation of 'shop' and 'arbing'. It works on the principal that shop prices are slower to move than those online because of the different market and the prep printed coupons. You can take advantage of this by backing in shop, and laying online for a profit.
The more shops you have in your area the easier it is to complete, and stay under the radar. Shops have, in recent months, become more aware of the idea of sharbing (or multi shopping as they call it) and you might find more of your bets being sent through to traders to confirm limits than you used to.
As with the Arbitrage example above, if you're sharbing on a Manchester Utd win in an affluent part of Manchester then they're not going to blink when you lay down £200. If you go to a small village bookmaker with £200 for a 3-1 in the Argentinian amateur leagues then you might find that bet is not going to be taken. Worse, they might start to 'recognise' you in bookmakers and turn away your business in future. Nothing a false moustache and some runners couldn't solve though!
To assist with this process you can get shop coupons sent directly to your inbox every week. If you're really good you might also be able to join @TeamSharb.
The more shops you have in your area the easier it is to complete, and stay under the radar. Shops have, in recent months, become more aware of the idea of sharbing (or multi shopping as they call it) and you might find more of your bets being sent through to traders to confirm limits than you used to.
As with the Arbitrage example above, if you're sharbing on a Manchester Utd win in an affluent part of Manchester then they're not going to blink when you lay down £200. If you go to a small village bookmaker with £200 for a 3-1 in the Argentinian amateur leagues then you might find that bet is not going to be taken. Worse, they might start to 'recognise' you in bookmakers and turn away your business in future. Nothing a false moustache and some runners couldn't solve though!
To assist with this process you can get shop coupons sent directly to your inbox every week. If you're really good you might also be able to join @TeamSharb.
If you want more information on Advantage Play betting techniques, then you'll need to continue your education at The Gambling Times and the Matched Betting Blog. Both of these sites have excellent information on how to profit from bookmaker and casino bonuses.