Never use the last money you have left for arbitrage betting. Yes, arbitrage situations can be an excellent source of income, and for some, it even becomes their primary one. However, you should always have a financial reserve apart from the money you use for betting. It’s important to understand that arbitrage betting is still part of sports betting, a risky field where losses are always possible, no matter how experienced you are as an arbitrage bettor.
If an unforeseen situation occurs and you lose your bankroll, you could be left with nothing. This would lead to significant stress, potentially pushing you off balance, into debt, or even forcing you to pawn valuable belongings. This scenario is far from ideal. While not everyone ends up in such a situation, the risks are real.
In addition to having a fixed bankroll for arbitrage betting, you should have a financial reserve to cover your living expenses. It’s also helpful to maintain a backup bankroll for emergencies: if you lose your main bankroll, you can use this reserve to calmly start over. Earnings from arbitrage betting can help you recover quickly and get back on track.
Properly Allocate Your Bankroll
As mentioned earlier, it’s essential to have a financial reserve for living expenses and emergencies—this is a fundamental rule of budget management. Now let’s discuss how to allocate your working bankroll to avoid losing it all in case of failure.
For details on how much you need to begin, check our article on selecting the right bankroll size for arbitrage betting.
- Spread Your Funds Across at Least Four Bookmakers
If you allocate your funds to just two bookmakers, a single unlucky session could wipe out a significant portion of your bankroll. By spreading your funds across 5–6 bookmakers, you’ll lose only a small fraction in case of a loss, which can be quickly recovered. Even a complete account block with funds confiscated won’t cause significant damage.
- Withdraw Funds Upon Reaching a Certain Threshold
For example, if you earn 10,000 rubles, withdraw them. You never know what a bookmaker might decide—they could block your account without any visible reason, resulting in the loss of a substantial amount. Withdrawn funds can be added to your reserve or spent on something enjoyable.
- Invest in Growth
Allocate part of your funds to connect with new bookmakers, increase your deposit, or acquire more “drops.” If you stick to the same earning level without progressing, you may lose interest, which is the first step toward failure.
Start with Pre-Match Betting
Few things are as disappointing as failed attempts in a new venture. Typically, no one starts making money immediately with live arbitrage betting. These attempts often lead to losses or negligible earnings, driving people away with the belief that “there’s no money here.” The truth is, they took the wrong approach. It’s obvious that before tackling complex tasks, one should practice on simpler ones.
Live arbitrage is challenging even for experienced bettors, let alone beginners. If you’re just starting, focus exclusively on pre-match arbitrage. Pre-match odds don’t change as quickly, allowing you to place bets comfortably. Over time, you’ll gain experience and can transition to live betting.
Avoid the mistakes of those who, after reading “smart” articles about the advantages of live betting, dive in headfirst and get burned. Sports arbitrage is a complex and labor-intensive field; you can’t start making big money right away.
Bet Only What You Can Afford to Lose
Always use funds you can afford to lose without significant consequences. This mindset will help you avoid unnecessary stress and maintain a sustainable approach to arbitrage betting.
When placing bets on arbitrage opportunities, you should only use amounts of money that you can part with as painlessly as if they never existed. If losing this money would be catastrophic for you, do not take the risk. In other words, you should place bets with the mindset that you are prepared for a potential loss and can handle it calmly. Otherwise, it will disrupt your workflow, and you may feel the urge to recover your losses, which often leads to even greater financial damage.
For example, if you have a total working bankroll of 500 eoro, you must be mentally prepared to lose that amount. Of course, as long as you do not risk the entire amount on a single arbitrage bet, the likelihood of losing everything is very low. Nevertheless, you must still be prepared. This is yet another reason why it is crucial to have a financial reserve.
Remember, no loss should ever be catastrophic for you. If you place bets while constantly feeling on edge, your emotional state will deteriorate, making you more likely to experience unfortunate losses. Moreover, your work will stop being enjoyable and will instead become a source of frustration and disappointment.
Never Try to Recover Your Losses
Never try to recover your losses. Nobody is immune to losing bets—losses are inevitable, even if you place bets with extreme caution. The key is to treat losses as a normal part of the process, something that nobody can avoid. Did you lose some money? It’s not a big deal. Keep betting calmly according to your plan. Arbitrage betting is advantageous because, over time, you are guaranteed to make a profit.
What matters is consistency over the long term, not individual wins. For example, if you earn 500 euro per month from arbitrage betting, losing 50–60 euro in a single day should not bother you. That day may end in a loss, but overall, everything will balance out. Under no circumstances should you attempt to recover your losses after a setback. Many bettors have failed because of this mistake—do not join their ranks. Remember that a single losing day is insignificant compared to your overall profit. Sometimes, it’s better to stop working after a loss and start fresh the next day with a clear mind.
Always Close All Sides of an Arbitrage Bet
There are no perfect arbitrage situations. You will inevitably encounter scenarios where you cannot close one side of the bet. For example, a goal may be scored, or the bookmaker may change the odds. What should you do in such cases? Cover the other side, even if it means taking a loss of a few percent. This is still better than losing everything. In future successful iterations, you will easily recover these losses.
Waiting and hoping that the initial outcome will succeed is not advisable, especially if it is unlikely and has odds above 2.0. Similarly, waiting for the odds on the other side to reach the desired level is also a bad idea. The risk of neither scenario happening is too great. It is better to close the bet at a loss and calmly move on to other arbitrage opportunities. This approach is not only less stressful but also more profitable in the long run.
If such situations occur too frequently, it may be a sign that you need to review your approach to work. It could be helpful to read an article like How to Safely Bet on Arbitrage Opportunities. Analyze your mistakes, consider switching to a different sport, focus on pre-match betting, or even take a short break.
Do Not Monitor Matches You Have Bet On
It’s Simple: Place the arbitrage bet, close the match, and move on
The rule is straightforward: place your arbitrage bet, close the match, and move on to the next opportunity. Alternatively, step away from your computer. Do not obsessively monitor the match. First, watching it will not make it go faster. Second, new arbitrage opportunities may arise during the match, tempting you to place additional bets—something you should absolutely never do. Bookmakers can quickly figure out that you are an arbitrage bettor, as they often see repeat bets placed on the same match (in most cases).
Even if a new arbitrage opportunity arises during the match that is ten times more profitable than the one you took earlier, you must not place a bet on it! How can you overcome this temptation? It’s very simple: do not watch the match. Once again, place your bet and move on to other tasks. After some time, check the results and continue your work. Our goal is to earn consistently and minimize the chances of being subjected to betting limits. Chasing quick wins or placing impulsive bets is completely unnecessary.
Do Not Bet on Your Favorite Teams
Are you a passionate supporter of a specific team? Then do not include them in your arbitrage bets. One reason is mentioned above—you will likely monitor the match, wasting time, and may even want to place additional bets, which is absolutely forbidden. Supporting a particular team makes it difficult to work objectively, and you may be tempted to bet on them despite the circumstances.
You may also feel uncomfortable about placing a bet against your favorite team. In short, keep your fandom separate from your work—they should never overlap.
Learn to Take Breaks
It is essential to take breaks from any activity, even if it is enjoyable and does not seem tiring at all. Even if you only spend a couple of hours a day on arbitrage betting, you should still have at least one day off, preferably two. These breaks do not have to fall on Saturdays or Sundays, when there are many matches; they can be in the middle of the week. The key is to allow yourself to rest, clear your mind, and recharge.
If you work every day, your focus will start to blur, and your brain will get tired of the repetitive tasks. This can lead to mistakes, such as selecting incorrect odds or placing bets incorrectly, which will result in losing money. To prevent this, take a proper break. Do not spend it sitting in front of the computer; instead, go somewhere outdoors, visit nature, a park, or even go to the movies, swim, or take a walk in the fresh air.
Rest assured, after a full break, your body and mind will reboot, and you will return to work with renewed energy. Avoid making silly, unnecessary mistakes. Even if you feel full of energy, your brain still gets tired. Give it time to rest.
Create a Work Schedule
This advice follows naturally from the previous one: rest is essential. Equally important is to establish a clear work schedule for yourself. Do not just suddenly sit down at your computer and start working; your brain will not be prepared, and you might lack the motivation. Set specific timeframes for when you work and when you rest. On weekends, when there are more matches, you may need to work longer, but prepare for this in advance. During weekdays, dedicate a specific block of time—perhaps four hours—for arbitrage betting.
Create a timetable and stick to it as much as possible. Working without a plan is a surefire way to experience burnout and potentially lose your bankroll. Remember, arbitrage betting is not just entertainment but a source of income and should be approached responsibly. Of course, there will be times when you need to deviate from your schedule, but as long as it does not happen too often, it should not be an issue.
Do Not Waste Time Arguing with Bookmakers
Time is money. Always keep this saying in mind if a bookmaker blocks your account and refuses to pay out your winnings. Every arbitrage bettor faces this situation at some point. The most reasonable course of action in such cases is to objectively study the reasons for the sanctions and ask a few specific questions to the bookmaker’s customer support. Usually, it becomes clear right away if the bookmaker has no intention of paying and instead demands impossible documentation, such as a psychiatrist’s certificate.
The best solution in this situation is to avoid conflict. If there is no chance of winning the argument, abandon the account and accept the loss of a certain amount of money. If your bankroll is properly distributed across multiple bookmakers, this loss will not be critical.
It is better to lose a small sum and continue working than to waste time unsuccessfully trying to retrieve your winnings. If a bookmaker has decided not to pay, they will not pay, especially if they are unlicensed. You can recoup the loss later through continued betting. Avoid sending offensive messages to customer support, asking unnecessary questions, or making threats. These actions will not achieve anything but will cost you valuable time and nerves. Sometimes, it is better to let go of the situation and accept the loss.
Conclusion
We have provided you with 11 valuable tips from psychologists. Follow these guidelines to avoid losing money, time, and nerves, and to work comfortably. Always be reasonable, stay calm, never borrow money for betting, and do not gamble with your last funds.