What are surebets (Arbitrage bets) and how to use them

What Is an Arbitrage Bet? These are two or three options for a market, and the sum of their odds at a single bookmaker never exceeds 100%, meaning that if you bet on all of the outcomes there, you’ll end up at a loss.

At a different bookmaker, however, one of those options may carry a significantly higher price, allowing you to combine it with the other two from the first bookmaker and win, regardless of how the match ends.

This technique is often called “arbitrage” or “arbing” and is used by experienced bettors to secure a guaranteed profit, regardless of the outcome of the sporting event. The core idea is that you bet on all possible outcomes of an event across different bookmakers, so that the final result becomes irrelevant to your profit.

How Do Arbitrage Bets Work?

Arbitrage bets take advantage of differences in the odds offered by different bookmakers. If two bookmakers offer different odds for the same match, you can bet on opposite outcomes at each one, thereby guaranteeing yourself a profit.

Example of an Arbitrage Bet

Let’s say the match Liverpool vs Manchester United carries odds of 2.15 for “Liverpool to win” at Bet365, 3.60 for “Draw” at 1XBet and 4.20 for the away win at Betfair. This way, if you stake £100 on the home win, £120 on the draw and £100 on a United win, you’ll win the same amount regardless of the final result.

Here’s another simplified example: if Bookmaker A offers odds of 2.00 for team X to win, while Bookmaker B offers odds of 2.20 for team Y to win in the same match, you can split your stakes between the two teams across the two bookmakers and secure a profit no matter which team wins.

And that’s it. These sure bets let you stake different amounts across any market and win with certainty. If you’d like to find out whether a best betting strategy actually exists, arbitrage is definitely one of the safest options out there.

Major tournaments are especially rich in opportunities. Check out our World Cup predictions, European Championship, Champions League, Europa League, English Premier League and all the other major leagues and tournaments.

With an arbitrage calculator and betting software, you can calculate the final payout for every outcome or work out exactly what stakes to place, so that you always come out ahead with our football predictions.

Arbitrage Calculator

To make your calculations easier, you can use our arbitrage calculator below. Simply enter the amount you want to bet, the number of possible outcomes for the event, and the odds for each one to get the exact bet distribution for a guaranteed profit.

The calculator works for both two-outcome markets (e.g., tennis) and three-outcome markets (1-X-2 in football) making it suitable for most types of arbitrage opportunities. The result shows exactly how much you need to bet with each bookmaker to secure an equal profit regardless of the final outcome. This saves you time and reduces the risk of errors that can occur with manual calculations.

Which Sports Are Suitable for Arbitrage Betting?

Any sport can be suitable for arbitrage, as long as sufficiently significant differences exist between the odds offered by different bookmakers. Football is a frequent choice due to the large number of markets on offer and the high liquidity found in most matches.

Sports with fewer possible outcomes, such as tennis or baseball, are often considered better suited to some of the more advanced strategies, since splitting your budget across fewer outcomes is simpler.

That said, as long as there’s a discrepancy in odds between bookmakers, an arbitrage opportunity can appear in any sport or market.

Tips for Using Arbitrage Bets

Arbitrage opportunities exist across all sports, but it’s essential to spot them in time, as they typically last around 20-30 minutes. Bookmakers quickly notice their mistakes and correct them. So what do you need for arbitrage betting? First and foremost, you need a computer, laptop, tablet or phone.

If you have several devices, even better, as you’ll be able to act faster and keep track of ongoing changes across all bookmakers.

Next, make sure you have a fast and reliable internet connection that won’t drop out, since it’s quite possible to place a bet at one bookmaker and then fail to place the second one in time. That would be a very unpleasant situation for you and your bankroll.

As for your bankroll, this is the most important part. You need to set aside an amount that will bring you the profits you’re after, even with small variations in the odds. If you’re going to get into this, you’ll certainly want to earn a decent amount, so we’d suggest putting aside as large a sum as you reasonably can.

Here are a few additional guidelines to keep in mind:

• Finding opportunities – use specialised websites and tools to identify arbitrage opportunities, and make sure you have sufficient funds available at both bookmakers.
• Precise stake calculation – calculate the amount you stake on each selection precisely, so that the profit is guaranteed regardless of the outcome.
• Time management – arbitrage opportunities can disappear quickly, so be ready to place your bets the moment you spot a suitable opportunity.
• Checking the terms – make sure you understand the withdrawal rules and wagering requirements at the relevant bookmakers.
• Constant monitoring – keep an eye on your bets so you can react to any changes in the odds.

How to find arbitrage bets

Finding them can be done either independently or with the help of specialised software.

The first method takes longer, since it’s very difficult to spot differences in odds with the naked eye. If you use this method, it’s advisable to stick to markets with only two possible outcomes, or to make use of the services of an experienced and proven tipster like Betinum.

There is software available that compares the odds for an event across different bookmakers and suggests the best offer. This is a more reliable and faster way to arrive at a safe selection. Your only remaining task is to work out the stakes required, with the help of mathematical predictions, so that you end up with an equal profit regardless of the result. You can also use our arbitrage calculator above to quickly check whether a given combination of odds delivers a genuine profit.

You can use Oddspedia’s surebet tool to check this week’s opportunities.

Pros and Cons of Arbitrage Betting

Arbitrage betting offers a number of advantages, but it also carries certain risks that you should keep in mind:

Advantages:

• Guaranteed profit
• Low financial risk
• Independence from the outcome of the match

Disadvantages:

• Difficulty in spotting opportunities
• Need for sufficient funds across multiple accounts
• Possible restrictions imposed by bookmakers

Advanced Strategies for Using Arbitrage

Arbitrage in sports betting can be divided into several advanced strategies, each with its own characteristics.

Arbitrage Using “Back” and “Lay” Bets

This strategy uses betting exchanges to bet against a particular outcome, while betting for that same outcome at a traditional bookmaker. In this case, the higher odds offered by traditional bookmakers can be used to secure a guaranteed profit.

Full-Coverage Arbitration

Here, the punter distributes their budget among all possible outcomes in a given event to ensure a profit. This strategy is often used in events with a limited number of possible outcomes, such as tennis or baseball.

In-Play Arbitrage

This involves placing bets during the event itself, as the odds shift in real time. This strategy requires quick reactions and a reliable internet connection, in order to take advantage of changes in the odds.

Risk Management in Arbitrage Betting

Although arbitrage may seem like a strategy with no risk of loss, there are still some risks you should keep in mind.

Account Restrictions

Some bookmakers may restrict or close the accounts of bettors who regularly use this method, since it represents a loss for them. This is why it’s important to be discreet and to vary your betting activity.

Changes in the Odds

Odds can change quickly, so it’s important to place your bets as quickly as possible. Arbitrage can become difficult if the odds change while you’re placing your second bet.

Human Mistake

Errors in calculations or incorrectly placed bets can lead to losses instead of profits. Make sure your calculations are precise, and check every bet carefully.