The Matrix - Sentinal

Sometimes you discover something that makes you realise that we’re not that far from living in the Matrix. This is how I felt when I first realised that online bookmakers install spyware onto our computers to monitor our betting activities.

That’s right. Spyware.

They aren’t using it to collect our personal data. Or so they say. They are using it to monitor our betting activities to see what kinds of bets we are making, with whom, when and if we are also using betting exchanges. They want to know if we are matched betting.

So they have one up on us right from the very start when it comes to being able to restrict our accounts or “gub” us entirely. They can see what we’re doing. It’s like making love to your partner and looking up to see a delegation from Unibet peering over the headboard. It’s an invasion of privacy, though the bookies dress this up as a requirement to keep an eye on money laundering activities.

The good news is, just like Neo and his band of rebels, we can fight back.

Remove Iesnare

Iesnare is the spyware that bookmakers use to keep an eye on our betting activities. Is it legal? Possibly not, but they seem to be able to get away with it. Despite matched betting being completely legal and no mention whatsoever of the software by name in any of the bookmakers’ terms and conditions.

But, just as bookmakers can install this program on our computers, we can remove it. Yesbets offers its members step-by-step instructions on how to preserve our anonymity from bookmakers so we can continue to use matched betting to supplement our incomes.

iesnare removed

Give More To The Bookies

This is a “keep your friends close, but keep your bookies closer” kind of tactic. When bookies advertise their free betting offers, they will require us to deposit and bet a certain amount in order to qualify for the bonuses.

Depositing the bare minimum in order to qualify for the promotional offer gives the bookie the idea that we are signing up solely in the hunt for bonuses. Which we are. Depositing slightly more in the major bookie accounts makes it seem as though we aren’t just in it for the bonuses, but because we want to bet and bet and bet. Which we don’t.

Make a higher deposit

Become A Normal Punter

Appearing like we are just passionate sports fans wanting to place a few bets to try and bag a few cheeky quid is paramount if we want to avoid having our accounts restricted.

Bookies offer us free bet bonuses to entice us to use their services. This is completely normal. Normal punters would be out of their minds not to accept them (and, in many cases, we don’t even need to add a promotional code to qualify for our bonuses, though Yesbets does detail any such requirements in the details for the relevant sign-up offer).

Grosvenor Casino Sports - Exclusive Offer

But to keep us coming back for bets, bookies also offer reload bonuses. These bonuses might take the shape of free bets if your horse finishes second, or money refunded as a free bet if your football team goes two goals up but fails to win the match. Bookies will also text and email us offers of various kinds in a bid to turn us into loyal customers.

When we first learn matched betting it’s super tempting to take advantage of every single offer the bookies send us. I mean, why wouldn’t we want to take advantage of these?

But bookmakers monitor our account activities and, if they deem us to be solely hunting after these promotional offers, they might well feel as though we’re only in it to make money off them. Which, of course, we are. But it’s imperative that we come across as regular punters if we don’t want the bookmakers to cotton on to our activities.

Which all makes matched betting sound completely underhand. Which it isn’t. It’s completely legal, just like the bookies installing secret software on our computers isn’t. It’s dog eat dog out there and, frankly, I’m feeling peckish.

Be A Mug

Mug bets are bets that normal people would make, like betting on their favourite football team to win. Mug betting is part of creating a normal punter’s profile, often involving backing favourites.

Ladbrokes Mug Bet on England

To this end, even if you support one of the “big” Premier League teams, it’s worth picking a team outside the top 6 to fictionally support. The odds will often be more favourable and you are more likely to see your money finding its way into the betting exchange rather than being caught up in bookie accounts.

Most football fans will also have an interest in other European leagues. Betting outside of the UK is perfectly normal, but sticking to the “big” leagues of Spain, Germany, Italy and even France will be more likely to avoid raising suspicions.

Leave The Horses, Take The Horses

Live ITV Racing

A quick glance at the Yesbets Reloads page showcases shed loads of bookmaker reload bonuses, free bet offers designed to entice us to place bets. As we’ve just said, snapping up every single one of these is a sure-fire path to having our accounts restricted. And plenty of them revolve around horse racing.

But if you bet on football week-in, week-out and suddenly swoop in with a big bet on a random horse race, it’s going to raise a red flag for the bookies.

But that said, everyone likes to throw a few quid at the ponies when it comes to big race meets. Cheltenham, The Grand National, Ascot, the Yorkshire Cup, Chester May Festival. These are all big race meetings that are shown live on TV. Bookmakers will be alive with promotional offers, bidding to tempt us to their accounts. These big race meetings are the few occasions when we can go hell for leather and take every reload bonus under the sun. Otherwise, stay away from the ponies and stick to the footie when you’re starting out.

Spin Some Slots

Betfair Live Roulette Table

Now, this is an unproved theory. But the rumour has it that we seem a more attractive proposition to a bookie if we spin a few slots or throw some cards at their various casino offerings.

It can’t hurt. Unless you get carried away and spaff your matched betting profits on slots. In which case you’re going to have a bad time. But if you stay frosty and keep these tips in mind, there’s no reason you can’t supplement your income and avoid any restrictions on your multitude of betting accounts.

 

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