What is no risk matched betting and how to use the technique?

no risk matched betting

Matched betting has been around for a number of years and is a technique that allows a bettor to create a profit from the sign-up offers that are provided by bookmakers. By covering both sides of a single bet allows a bettor to make a profit without taking any risk. It might seem complicated at first but once you get used to it, it is a very simple way of betting.

How to get started

Get your funds organised
Scout the bookmakers for current sign-up offers
Join a betting exchange as well as a bookmaker

As with placing any bet, the first step is to make sure that you have funds in place to bet with. It is possible to start matched betting with only a small amount of funds but a larger commitment early on will open up more betting opportunities so commit what you can without betting more than you can afford to lose. Then you are ready to start.

Every bookmaker will have some sort of a welcome offer that they use to bring new customers in. We have reviews of the best betting sites where you are able to see the offers that are out there and decide which ones are going to suit you best to start.

Different offers will have varying wagering requirements so it is important to find the right ones. Generally, a Deposit and bet X to gain Y are the best ones without too many rules and regulations. You will need to find a betting exchange to join as well, stick to a big name here rather than one of the lesser ones as the liquidity will be better.

Each matched bet has two sides to it, a back bet with a bookmaker and a lay bet at a betting exchange. The idea is to have a bet on a selection at a bookmaker and then lay the same selection at the exchange to cover them both winning and losing.

The way that an exchange is set up means you will make a small loss on that first bet. This is known as a qualifying loss which is natural. The profit will come from the free bet when you are using the bookmaker's funds to play.

Placing your first bet

Finding the right selection for a bet
Using a betting calculator
Get everything set before committing

Making the qualifying loss as small as possible is the key first step for your first bet. There are a number of betting calculators on the internet that will help you. Insert the prices and it will tell you what amount you will need to back and lay at the prices you input to keep that qualifying loss smaller.

With this in mind, you need to find a bet where the prices at the bookmaker and the exchange are as close together as possible. Exchange prices are almost always bigger so you do not want to back something at 2.0 at a bookmaker if the exchange lay has to be done at 2.6. Try and find a 2.05 or 2.10 to keep that qualifying loss as small as possible.

The closer to the start of an event, the quicker the prices on a betting exchange move. The liquidity is stronger at that point but the constant moving of the prices can make it hard for a new matched bettor to get the right prices.

Make sure that you have everything fully set up before you commit. If the price moves, then go back to the bet calculator and input the changed price. The calculations will be slightly different and it is important that what you place is spot on to make this a no-risk strategy.

Using the free bet

This is the stage when a profit is realised. You have made a small qualifying loss but now you are using the free bet from the bookmaker so you are playing with their funds provided to you. The process is exactly the same. You want to try and find something that will provide the biggest profit margin which is why another use of a betting calculator is advised.

Place a back bet at the bookmaker and a lay bet on the exchange and because you are betting with the free funds that were given to you by the bookmaker, no matter what the outcome is, you will make a profit!

From this point, it is a rinse-and-repeat method. Use the sign-up offers from as many bookmakers as you can get to obtain more free bets and turn them into a risk-free profit. Each bookmaker will have slightly different terms and conditions for their offer so make sure that you read our reviews on each bookmaker carefully so that you know exactly what to do to gain the rewards.

There are so many bookmakers out there that this is a process that is going to take some time so don’t feel like you need to rush through them. As with any betting, it is important to do this with a clear head to ensure that mistakes are not made.

Don’t feel like you have to understand all of this immediately. Sometimes it is hard to grasp things like this instantly but fundamentally, matched betting is just backing a selection to win and then betting the same selection to lose.

At the very base level, it really is as simple as that. The nuance of it is trying to find the right bets early so that you do not suffer a big qualifying loss on your first bet and then making sure that the right selection is picked to maximise your profit when using the free bet from the bookmaker.

Final Thoughts

Matched betting is a simple process once you are confident with how it works. With new bookmakers popping up every year and top-up offers from current bookmakers if your account has been dormant for a while will always keep the opportunities to make a profit rolling in. As with all betting, make sure that you do matched betting with a clear head and never chase any losses. Even though when done correctly matched betting is no risk, there can be mistakes made that will cause a loss so keep calm and do your matched betting carefully.

What is no risk matched betting and how to use the technique?

How to get started

Placing your first bet

Using the free bet

Final Thoughts

More about sports betting methods