An Arb or arbitrage trading is where you place bets on every outcome and make a profit regardless of the result. When you are matched betting, you are basically creating large arbs, because you are using free bets instead of your own money. However you can still find arbs which lock in profits without the use of bonuses.

What is a Back and Lay Arb?

A back and lay arbitrage opportunity, involves you finding odds that are substantially lower at the betting exchange than at the bookmaker, so that you can make a profit regardless of the result even after exchange commissions have been factored in. You can see a number of these opportunities on a qualifying bet placed on the Coral bet £5 get £20 free offer using the Yesbets matched betting software.

Example of Arbs

What is a Dutching Arb?

Dutching involves placing bets on all outcomes of an event with bookmakers. This will involve you placing 2 or more bets to lock in a profit. If you are dutching a tennis match for example you would place 2 bets, one on either player, but if you were dutching a football match in the win only market, you would place 3 bets, one on either team and one on the draw..

Disadvantages of Arbing

When you consistently take arbs you are not offering any value to the bookmaker. The arb exists because one bookie has odds higher than anyone else and certainly with regards to the exchange. Traders at the bookmakers know this as much as you do and if you repeatedly take arbs you will more than likely see your account restricted, limiting your stakes.

Dutching has an added red flag in that you will often need to place a very specific amount for one of your bets, for example £3.67. This is not a common bet as most people bet in round numbers and repeatedly doing this will draw attention to your betting account.

Scroll to top