FAQ

Using arbitrage betting in less popular sports can be quite profitable, but with certain caveats and risks. The main advantage of arbitrage in such sports is that bookmakers often pay less attention to them compared to popular disciplines like football, basketball, or tennis. This can result in significant differences in odds for the same event across different bookmakers, creating more opportunities for surebets.

Bookmakers typically monitor odds more closely in popular sports, where there is a large volume of bets and strong competition among bettors. In less popular sports, such as table tennis, darts, water polo, or various local leagues and tournaments, there is often less in-depth analysis, and the market is usually less liquid. This opens up opportunities for arbitrage bettors because in these sports, odds may remain inaccurate or react slowly to changes.

However, there are several risks involved. Firstly, these markets can be less predictable, and information about events in them is not always available or reliable, making analysis and decision-making more difficult. Secondly, bets in less popular sports usually have lower limits, which restricts the potential profit. Thirdly, active betting in such niches can quickly draw the attention of bookmakers, potentially leading to limit reductions or even account suspension.

Calculation of the necessary bankroll for arbitrage betting, considering the cost of purchasing a scanner, involves several factors, including the initial cost of the scanner, average profitability per bet, and the number of bets you plan to place. Here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Determine the cost of the scanner

Let the cost of the scanner be S euro.

2. Estimate the average profit per bet

Let the average profit from one bet be PPP rubles. You can calculate this based on your typical profit per bet after accounting for all costs.

3. Estimate the number of bets per month

Suppose you plan to place NNN bets per month. This number depends on your experience, frequency of using the scanner, and available time.

4. Calculate monthly profit

The monthly profit from bets, excluding the scanner cost, would be P×N 

5. Account for scanner payback

To cover the cost of the scanner within a certain period (e.g., one month)  S , your profit from betting should cover the scanner's cost. Therefore, the required monthly profit is:

P × N ≥ S 

6. Determine the initial bankroll

Your initial bankroll should cover not only the scanner cost but also potential losses in the early stages. For instance, you can use the Kelly Criterion or conservatively set a bankroll to cover M average bets.

For example, if the average bet size is B euro and you want a bankroll that covers 100 bets (a conservative approach), the initial bankroll will be:

Initial bankroll = B × 100

7. Overall calculation

In the end, your initial bankroll should be sufficient to cover your bets until the scanner cost is recouped. For instance, you can calculate the bankroll as follows:

Initial bankroll = B × 100 + S

This calculation assumes that over time, your bets will cover the scanner cost, and the initial bankroll will help absorb potential fluctuations.

Example of scanner payback calculation:

Initial data:

• Scanner cost: S=100 euro
• Average bet size: B =50 euro.
• Average profit per bet: P = 2 euro.
• Number of bets per month: N = 100 bets.

Payback calculation: 

• Monthly profit: 2 × 100 = 200 euro
• Scanner payback: 200 ≥ 100 meaning the scanner will be paid off in one month.
• Initial bankroll for betting: 50×100+100= 5100 евро

Thus, you will need a bankroll of 5100 euro to account for the cost of purchasing the scanner and to provide a sufficient buffer for your betting activity.

When choosing the right time for arbitrage betting, it’s important to consider a few key factors to maximize your chances of success:

1. Personal Availability: Choose a time when you can focus fully, without distractions or fatigue. This ensures you can react quickly to changing odds.

2. Market Dynamics: Experienced bettors know that odds can fluctuate significantly as an event approaches. Factors such as team news, lineup changes, weather conditions, and other bettors' activities can all influence odds.

3. Opening Lines: One of the most advantageous times for arbitrage betting is when bookmakers first release their odds. During this period, you may find significant discrepancies between the odds offered by different bookmakers, presenting profitable arbitrage opportunities. However, be aware that in high-liquidity markets, odds can adjust rapidly, so you need to act quickly.

4. Closer to Event Time: As the event approaches, odds may stabilize as bookmakers adjust their lines in response to market activity. This can reduce the potential for arbitrage opportunities, so timing is crucial.

In summary, the optimal time for placing arbitrage bets is typically when bookmakers first release their odds, but you must be prepared to act quickly and remain vigilant as the event draws nearer, as opportunities may diminish.

Matched betting is a strategy for betting on sports events, where the player uses bonuses and promotions from bookmakers to guarantee a profit regardless of the outcome of the event. This approach involves using free bets provided by bookmakers to new or existing customers, as well as bet insurance.

The principle of matched betting is that the player places two bets on the same event:

• Back Bet: A bet is placed with a traditional bookmaker on a specific outcome of the event.
• Lay Bet: A bet is placed on a betting exchange where the player "hedges" their initial bet by betting against the same outcome.

As a result, regardless of how the event ends, one of the bets wins while the other loses, and due to the bonuses or free bets, the player ends up making a profit.

The question of using a paid arbitrage betting scanner for free interests many beginners. Some services indeed offer free trial periods or limited free versions of their products, allowing users to evaluate the functionality and decide whether it's worth investing in the full version.

Typically, free versions of scanners come with functional limitations: a limited number of supported bookmakers, lower update frequency, and no access to high-profit arbitrage opportunities. However, for beginners, this can be an excellent way to get acquainted with the basics of arbitrage betting and understand how the scanner works.

There are also promotions and promo codes that provide temporary free access to paid features. Such offers can be found on thematic forums, social networks, or the scanners' own websites.

It is important to remember that attempting to use cracked versions of scanners or illegally accessing paid features can lead to unpleasant consequences, including account bans and legal issues. Therefore, it's better to use legitimate methods for testing and working with scanners.

Of course, you can use promotions to significantly increase your profits from arbitrage betting in the early stages. Registering with all these bookmakers and betting exchanges not only gives you better chances to find low odds across multiple markets but also opens up more opportunities for you.

The value they can add can help implement an arbitrage betting strategy, especially with bonuses that directly affect the odds, such as boosted bets or enhanced odds. Just make sure to read the terms and conditions to ensure you don’t miss any important details, such as wagering requirements, volume, or time limits for using them.

Calculation of the Required Bankroll for Arbitrage Betting Considering the Cost of a Scanner

Calculating the necessary bankroll for arbitrage betting, considering the cost of purchasing a scanner, requires taking into account several factors, including the initial cost of the scanner, the average return from bets, and the number of bets you plan to place. Here is a step-by-step guide for the calculation:

1. Determine the Cost of the Scanner

   Suppose the cost of the scanner is S euro.

2. Estimate the Average Return per Bet

   Let the average return (profit) per bet be P rubles. This value can be determined by estimating your average profit per bet after accounting for all expenses.

3. Estimate the Number of Bets per Month

   Assume you plan to place N bets per month. This number may depend on your experience, the frequency of scanner use, and the time available.

4. Calculate Monthly Profit

   Monthly profit from bets without considering the cost of the scanner: P × N.

5. Consider Scanner Payback

   To cover the cost of the scanner over a certain period (e.g., within one month), your profit from bets should cover its cost.

   Therefore, the necessary monthly profit: P × N ≥ S.

6. Determine the Initial Bankroll

   The initial bankroll should account not only for covering the cost of the scanner but also for potential losses at the initial stage. For example, you can use the Kelly criterion or conservatively set the bankroll to cover M average bets.

   For example, if the average bet size is B euro, and you want a bankroll that covers 100 bets (which is quite conservative), then the initial bankroll will be B × 100.

7. Overall Calculation

   Ultimately, your initial bankroll should be sufficient to cover bets until the scanner's cost is recouped. For example, you can calculate the bankroll as follows:

   Initial Bankroll = B × 100 + S

   This calculation assumes that your bets will eventually cover the cost of the scanner and that the initial bankroll will allow you to withstand potential fluctuations.

Example of Scanner Payback Calculation

Input Data:

• Scanner Cost: S = 100 euro
• Average Return per Bet: P = 2 euro
• Number of Bets per Month: N = 100 bets
• Average Bet Size: B = 5 euro

Scanner Payback Calculation:

• Monthly Profit: 2 × 100 = 200 euro
• Scanner Payback: 200 ≥ 100, i.e., the scanner pays off within one month.
• Initial Bankroll for Betting: 5 × 100 + 100 = 600 euro.

Thus, you will need a bankroll of 600 euro to account for the cost of purchasing the scanner and to provide yourself with a sufficient reserve for betting.

"Limit Reduction" in a Bookmaker's Office refers to the process where a bookmaker restricts the maximum amount a player can bet on a single event. This action is usually taken against players whom the bookmaker considers too successful or suspects of using arbitrage strategies (also known as "surebets").

Why Does Limit Reduction Happen?

1. Protecting the Bookmaker’s Profits: If a arber consistently wins large amounts or actively uses strategies that guarantee them a profit (such as arbitrage), the bookmaker may reduce their betting limits to minimize their losses.

2. Suspicious Activity: Bettors who place large bets on certain events or markets often attract the attention of the bookmaker's analysts. If the bookmaker notices that a bettor is placing bets in a way that is not typical for regular one, it can lead to a limit reduction.

3. Using Arbitrage Betting: Bookmakers do not favor arbitrage betting because it guarantees the arber a profit regardless of the event's outcome. If the bookmaker discovers that a bettor is actively engaged in arbitrage betting, their betting limits may be drastically reduced.

What Does This Look Like in Practice?

After a limit reduction, the bettor might find that instead of placing large bets as before, they are only allowed to bet small amounts on an event. For example, if they previously could bet thousands of dollars on an event, after the limit reduction, this limit might be reduced to just a few dozen dollars or even less. This makes the arber’s strategy ineffective and often leads them to stop using that account for betting.

What Are the Consequences for the Bettor?

• Decreased Profitability: The bettor can no longer place large bets, making their strategy less profitable.
• Ineffectiveness of Arbitrage Betting: Arbitrage bets require significant amounts to ensure noticeable profit. With reduced limits, this strategy becomes almost impossible.
• Inconvenience of Using the Account: The limits might be so low that it becomes pointless to place bets on that account.

Overall, limit reduction is a way for bookmakers to protect their business from bettors who are too successful or use methods that are disadvantageous to the bookmaker. For such bettors, this is a signal that they need to look for other strategies or move to other bookmakers.

Arbitrage betting can be successfully used in various sports, and there is no definitive answer to the question of the best sport for it. However, arbitrage opportunities (value bets and middles included) are often easier to find in sports with clear rules, stable odds, and high competition between bookmakers. Football, basketball, tennis, and baseball are often considered suitable for arbitrage betting due to their popularity and wide coverage by bookmakers. It's important to choose sports not based on what you like or know more about, but those that are better suited for arbitrage betting due to the nature of their markets and the behavior of odds. Here are some factors to consider when choosing a sport for arbitrage betting:

1. Popularity of the Sport

Advantages of popular sports: Sports with high popularity, such as football, tennis, basketball, and hockey, offer a large number of events and markets. This means more opportunities to find arbitrages, as well as greater competition among bookmakers, leading to more frequent discrepancies in odds.

Disadvantages of popular sports: Bookmakers often adjust odds more quickly in popular markets, making arbitrages less stable and requiring bettors to react quickly.

2. Volatility of Odds

Sports with high odds volatility: Sports like tennis and basketball often have significant fluctuations in odds, especially in live betting (in-play betting). This makes them an excellent choice for arbitrage betting, as the chances of finding arbitrage opportunities are higher.

Lower volatility: Sports with more stable odds, such as football, especially in popular markets, may offer fewer arbitrage opportunities, but the arbitrages found are often more stable.

3. Market Availability

Variety of markets: The more different markets offered in a sport (e.g., match result, totals, handicaps, goals, etc.), the more chances you have to find an arbitrage. Sports with many markets, like football and tennis, provide more opportunities for arbitrage betting.

Specific markets: In some sports, there are unique or less popular markets where arbitrages can be found due to bookmakers’ slower reaction to changes. For example, betting on games in tennis or individual totals in basketball.

4. Features of Tournaments and Matches

Frequency of matches: It is important to choose sports with regular tournaments and matches. For example, in tennis and football, matches take place almost daily, ensuring a constant flow of events to bet on.

Seasonal sports: Be cautious with sports that have a pronounced seasonal character. For instance, baseball and American football may offer many arbitrage opportunities during the season, but opportunities will be limited in the off-season.

5. Access to Information

Ease of access to data: It is important to have up-to-date information on the chosen sport, including team line-ups, statistics, and other critical data. This will help you make more informed decisions when selecting arbitrages and reduce risks.

6. Knowledge and Interest in the Sport

Personal interest and knowledge: If you have a good understanding of a particular sport and are interested in it, this can be a significant advantage. Deep knowledge will help you better assess the situation in the market and make more accurate decisions when engaging in arbitrage betting.

7. International and Regional Features

Local and international events: Pay attention to regional differences in the popularity of sports. For example, cricket can be an excellent choice for arbitrage in South Asian countries, while hockey may be more suitable in Northern European countries. Less globally popular sports may offer unique opportunities for arbitrage betting.

In bookmaker betting, the terms "lay" and "back" have a specific meaning. It is most often used on betting exchanges such as Betfair.

"Lay" means placing a bet against an event. In this case, you are betting that the event will not happen. This is different from traditional betting, where you bet that an event will happen. By choosing a "Lay" bet, you get the opportunity to act as a bookmaker, accepting bets from other players.

You can read more about these types of bets in the article on our website.