Arbitrage Betting: Risk-Free Profit Strategies

Arbitrage betting allows you to guarantee profits regardless of the outcome by exploiting price differences between bookmakers. Learn the strategies professionals use for risk-free betting.

What is Arbitrage Betting?

Arbitrage (or "arbing") involves placing bets on all possible outcomes of an event across different bookmakers, guaranteeing a profit regardless of the result. This is possible when bookmakers have different opinions on the true probability of outcomes.

How Arbitrage Works

For a simple two-outcome event (like tennis):

• Bookmaker A offers 2.10 on Player X
• Bookmaker B offers 2.05 on Player Y
• Total implied probability: (1/2.10) + (1/2.05) = 0.976 (97.6%)
• Since this is less than 100%, an arbitrage opportunity exists

Calculating Arbitrage

Use this formula to identify arbitrage opportunities:

Arbitrage % = (1/Odds A) + (1/Odds B) + (1/Odds C)...

If the result is less than 1 (or 100%), you have an arbitrage opportunity.

Stake Calculation

To calculate how much to bet on each outcome:

• Stake A = Total Stake × (1/Odds A) ÷ Arbitrage %
• Stake B = Total Stake × (1/Odds B) ÷ Arbitrage %

Types of Arbitrage

• Two-Way Arbitrage: Tennis, basketball spreads
• Three-Way Arbitrage: Football, hockey (win/draw/win)
• Cross-Market Arbitrage: Different bet types on same event
• Live Arbitrage: In-play betting opportunities

Tools and Software

Professional arbitrage bettors use:

• Odds Comparison Sites: Monitor multiple bookmakers
• Arbitrage Calculators: Calculate stakes and profits
• Alert Services: Notify of arbitrage opportunities
• Automation Software: Place bets automatically

Risks and Challenges

• Account Limitations: Bookmakers may limit or ban arbers
• Stake Limits: Maximum bet restrictions
• Market Changes: Odds can change before all bets are placed
• Different Rules: Bookmakers may have varying settlement rules