What is matched betting all about?
The purpose of matched betting is to make guaranteed profits from promotions offered by online gambling sites. In the majority of cases, these promotions are free bets, enhanced odds and/or risk-free bets. To carry out
no risk matched betting
you need to place both a back bet and a lay bet. This means picking a selection to win at a betting site (the back bet) and betting against that outcome at a betting exchange (the lay bet).
The best matched betting bets involve close matches between the back and lay odds. But because there are so many betting markets out there, finding those close matches is extremely difficult - that is where a matched betting calculator is so invaluable. A matched betting calculator is usually provided by specialist matched betting websites. It gathers together all available betting markets from all available betting sites and exchanges. This enables the calculator to work out the very best matches for your bets. It will also tell you exactly how much to back and lay in order to maximize your profits.
Matched betting calculator: An example of a matched betting offer
- New customers at an online betting site can claim a $10 free bet if they join and place a first bet of at least $10 on a sports market.
- Using a matched betting calculator, you can see that there is a close match between the back and lay odds if you bet on the Jacksonville Jaguars to beat the Arizona Cardinals in an upcoming NFL game.
- The
matched betting
calculator works out that if you place a $10 back bet on the Jaguars at +400, you can lay it on a betting exchange using a stake of $9.80. The odds at the exchange are +405.
- If the Jags win the game, you will make a $40 gain at the betting site, but incur a $40.20 loss at the betting exchange. A Cardinals win gives you a $9.80 win at the exchange, but obviously your $10 back bet has lost. Because the calculator minimized your
matched betting risks, you have made a loss of $0.20 regardless of the result. You have also qualified for the $10 free bet.
- You can use the matched betting calculator to maximize your profit from the free bet by again finding a close match between the back and lay odds.
- Using the same game and the same odds, the matched betting calculator tells us to use our $i0 free bet on a Jaguar's win and lay this outcome at the exchange using a stake of $7.83.
- Should the Jags win, your free bet will give you a win of $40 at the online betting site, but a loss of $32.17 at the exchange. The reverse result would make you $7.83 at the exchange but see you lose your free bet.
- Whatever happens in the game, you have a profit of $7.83. So taking the 20 cent qualifying loss into account, you have an overall profit of $7.63.
Is a matched betting strategy viable in the United States?
A Federal Wire Act was passed in 1961 to prohibit any form of cross state gambling. This means that any gambling activity (online or in-person) has to be conducted within the confines of a single state. Confining betting markets to single states severely limits market liquidity levels. In turn, this means that a betting exchange would find it very difficult to pay out on winning bets. Consequently, there are no betting exchanges legally operating in the United States.
The absence of betting exchanges means that matched betting is not a viable option for US gamblers as it is impossible to lay bets. However, US gambling laws have changed radically in the past, so it is possible that matched betting will become an option in the future.
What is EV betting?
In the absence of matched betting in the USA, gamblers opt to use a variety of other strategies in order to optimize their betting returns. One popular option is Expected Value (EV) betting. This strategy takes advantage of betting site promotions by looking for positive expected value in betting markets.
The concept of expected value refers to the average winnings you will make if you placed the same bet ad infinitum. This is based on the event conditions and the betting odds remaining constant throughout. By using this approach, EV betting tells you the true long-term value of a bet. The EV betting strategy focuses on betting options that will outperform their odds over the long term. This is known as positive EV. On the flip side, negative EV refers to bets that will underperform their odds over the long term.
Putting together betting markets
When online betting oddsmakers put together odds they need to strike a balance between making a profit and offering something that will appeal to players. They do their due diligence in researching the events in order to get a clear idea of the likelihood of each outcome, and they also apply a small commission to the odds. This is known as the ‘vig’ and it creates a big problem for gamblers as it pushes the odds in favor of the oddsmakers. For this reason, an EV betting strategy uses promotions in order to push the EV back in favor of the player.
How to find sports bets with positive EVs?
One way of finding positive EVs is to have a comprehensive knowledge of sports betting markets. This involves intense research of both sporting events and betting markets. Clearly, this is a very difficult and time consuming way of approaching the strategy.
The easier option is to use an expert EV betting site. These sites take much of the time and effort out of EV betting. Most importantly, you provide you with an
expected value betting calculator
to work out the EV of specific bets and find the best EV betting options available to you.
Conclusion - Matched betting calculator
A matched betting calculator is an essential tool for anyone who is looking to use a matched betting strategy to make profits from sports betting offers. It will save you time and ensure you find the best possible matched bets. Of course, the current federal gambling laws in the United States mean that matched betting is not currently an option for players. In the absence of matched betting, EV betting represents an excellent and potentially very profitable alternative. By identifying bets that have positive EV you can optimize your chances of landing winning bets from promotions.
Whether you decide to use a specialist EV betting site or opt to conduct the research yourself, you need to be meticulous in the way you approach EV betting. Always double check your bets before placing them, always read the terms and conditions of offers, and always stick to reputable sports betting operators.
Matched betting calculator FAQ
🤔 Is EV betting the best gambling strategy?
That really comes down to individual preferences and circumstances. Despite
matched betting USA
not being possible currently, there are still a wide range of betting strategies available to players in the US. These strategies come with varying degrees of risk and require varying degrees of sporting knowledge. You can read about all of the betting strategies available to you at CaptainGambling.com./faq-item]
Matched betting football offers can be extremely profitable as many betting sites regularly run promotions on the NFL and CFB. These promotions regularly change, so make sure you regularly read the expert guides to betting promotions at CaptainGambling.com. Also, make sure you check the legal news at CaptainGambling.com to stay on top of the current laws relating to online gambling in the US.
🙌 What is the best way of completing an EV betting strategy?
There are two options available to you. You can use an expert
EV betting
site or you can conduct all of the research and work yourself. Clearly, the former option is easier, but it is definitely worth thoroughly looking at both options and making your own decision. To help you out, you can read the EV betting articles at CaptainGambling.com as well as our guides to alternative betting strategies.
