The Student Room Group

Matched Betting - Using Free Bets More Than Once

Well after completing all the sign-up bonuses that the various bookmakers offer I ended up with just under £2000, for doing not-a-whole-lot. I know there is another technique called arbing but it seems like there's very little return considering the risk and the headaches it can cause.

So, I've been trying to convince my friends and relatives to get into matched betting. Pretty much all of them declared that they just couldn't be bothered to go to the trouble. Admittedly, I anticipated that they would say this so I offered them the chance to use my own capital to gain all the qualifying bets and cover all the lay bets, as well as do all the leg-work, but most of them refuse. I realize that I'd be using their identity but I'd be there with them, but they wouldn't have it. I mean, they wouldn't even get into talking about what each cut would be.

Has anyone managed to convince people to do this? Seems to me like people think it might be too good to be true, lol.

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Just start Arbing, odds monkey membership is £8 a month you can make it back in a day
What is arbing?
Reply 3
Original post by Patchey1000
Just start Arbing, odds monkey membership is £8 a month you can make it back in a day


Isn't the return on an arb like £2-£3? Sounds like minimum wage to me.
Original post by Dark Horse
Isn't the return on an arb like £2-£3? Sounds like minimum wage to me.


Yeah but with his float of £2000 he could do a loads a day, when theres big races like ascot on I can make £20 a day, not massive money but good for a student
Reply 5
OK could someone please explain matched betting to me in simple terms (I actually pretty much already understand it I just need a push to give it a go) and point me in the right direction? Have heard from a few people that it is a good idea but they didn't really give me much info.

How long did it take you to earn £2000 by the way?
Reply 6
Hell yeah £20 a day is ace! That's like a whole night or more of drinking
Reply 7
Also does anyone have any other tips for easy money at uni other than actually getting a job?
Reply 8
How did you manage 2k?

I made about 400 with my card and the girlfriend's. So 800 total; and that's including bet365 which was good for about £170.

*I use to make about 800 p/m selling Kindle ebooks on ebay but my paypal was closed for being linked to too many ebay accounts. If anybody has a ebay seller account and verified paypal I can do all the leg-work and go 50/50 on the earnings. Legitimate opportunity - I can show my previous sales.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 9
Original post by meloncoly
How did you manage 2k?

I made about 400 with my card and the girlfriend's. So 800 total; and that's including bet365 which was good for about £170.

*I use to make about 800 p/m selling Kindle ebooks on ebay but my paypal was closed for being linked to too many ebay accounts. If anybody has a ebay seller account and verified paypal I can do all the leg-work and go 50/50 on the earnings. Legitimate opportunity - I can show my previous sales.


How many free bets did you do? I used pretty much all of them and still felt like I came up short. I didn't take advantage of any cashback offers and I missed the boat on a £150 free bet with Stan James because they changed the offer a few weeks after I'd used it.

Why were you linked to multiple eBay accounts?
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Dark Horse
Well after completing all the sign-up bonuses that the various bookmakers offer I ended up with just under £2000, for doing not-a-whole-lot. I know there is another technique called arbing but it seems like there's very little return considering the risk and the headaches it can cause.

So, I've been trying to convince my friends and relatives to get into matched betting. Pretty much all of them declared that they just couldn't be bothered to go to the trouble. Admittedly, I anticipated that they would say this so I offered them the chance to use my own capital to gain all the qualifying bets and cover all the lay bets, as well as do all the leg-work, but most of them refuse. I realize that I'd be using their identity but I'd be there with them, but they wouldn't have it. I mean, they wouldn't even get into talking about what each cut would be.

Has anyone managed to convince people to do this? Seems to me like people think it might be too good to be true, lol.


How many bookies did you do?
Reply 11
Original post by sil3nt_cha0s
How many bookies did you do?


I preferred counting the money rather than the bets.

But before freebets4all was revamped, I used every bet on the list barring around 5 of them.
Original post by SirMasterKey
What is arbing?


Backing at higher odds than you lay so you profit on either outcome
Reply 13
Original post by Patchey1000
Just start Arbing, odds monkey membership is £8 a month you can make it back in a day


Have you been making much doing this?

I made £2k from the free bets but in total I have a bankroll of £4000, so I'm thinking it might be worth it? Does oddsmonkey just provide you with good odds for arbing or do they have a calculator and whatnot for you to help you work it all out? I could do the maths on my own but a small error could cost alot.

I'm also resenting the Betfair commission. Do you use Betfair or WBX?
Original post by Dark Horse
Have you been making much doing this?

I made £2k from the free bets but in total I have a bankroll of £4000, so I'm thinking it might be worth it? Does oddsmonkey just provide you with good odds for arbing or do they have a calculator and whatnot for you to help you work it all out? I could do the maths on my own but a small error could cost alot.

I'm also resenting the Betfair commission. Do you use Betfair or WBX?



Odds monkey finds the best odds and calculates it for you, I use smarkets mostly as its 2% commission. Pm me of your signing up and I'll give you a code for a free £5
Reply 15
Any off you guys used an automatic site like fixtheodds or did you just do the offers yourself? i myself manage to make a max of £400 something like that, yet hear of people making £30,000 or something stupid!!
Original post by Happyhula
Any off you guys used an automatic site like fixtheodds or did you just do the offers yourself? i myself manage to make a max of £400 something like that, yet hear of people making £30,000 or something stupid!!


If you want to use FTO, then use it on a low starting offer like Totepool or Titanbet.
When you have used it once they do it yourself.

Dont use FTO for bookies which are known for big offers as you will lose hundreds in potential profits.

If you have more to start, you can earn more quickly, but the number 1 rule is dont use money you cant afford to lose.
Reply 17
I'm thinking about getting in to all of this but I don't understand how matched betting is different than arbing???
Reply 18
Original post by RussellJ
I'm thinking about getting in to all of this but I don't understand how matched betting is different than arbing???


Arbing is indeed Matched Betting. "Matching a bet" simply means that you have backed and layed the same outcome, i.e. bet on Man United to win and took a bet AGAINST them to win.

Please remember that taking a bet, otherwise known as "laying" is the reverse of what most punters are used to. You're becoming the bookmaker. It can only be done on betting exchanges such as Betfair, Betdaq, SMarkets (lowest commission at 2%) and WBX.
Reply 19
Original post by Dark Horse

So, I've been trying to convince my friends and relatives to get into matched betting. Pretty much all of them declared that they just couldn't be bothered to go to the trouble. Admittedly, I anticipated that they would say this so I offered them the chance to use my own capital to gain all the qualifying bets and cover all the lay bets, as well as do all the leg-work, but most of them refuse. I realize that I'd be using their identity but I'd be there with them, but they wouldn't have it. I mean, they wouldn't even get into talking about what each cut would be.

Has anyone managed to convince people to do this? Seems to me like people think it might be too good to be true, lol.


Its fraud unfortunately. You are not them and having their permission is irrelevant unless you have the permission of the bookmakers and more importantly the banks when money is being deposited and withdrawn. Say there is a fraud (a real one nothing to do with you) and the person you are helping loses £5k because of it. Normally banks refund it. When asked did anyone else know the details or use the account they either lie and say no (and at this point are in REAL trouble if its found out they lied, like prison trouble!) or they tell the truth, say yes, and get no refund from the bank they broke the T&C of only them operating it.

I mean do it if you want but I dont think its worth the risks and I have read some real horror stories about it at a few of the forums.

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