What Is Matched Betting?

Matched betting is a sportsbook strategy aimed at making a guaranteed profit. And if that’s not enough, the profit is made using bookmakers’ offers, so that you don’t even have to spend your own money. Does it sound too good to be true? Bear with us and see for yourself how you can turn free bets into cold, hard cash. 

What Is Matched Betting? 

The number one question in your head right now is probably: what is no-risk matched betting? Well, to put it in short terms, matched betting means covering all potential outcomes of a match. This is simply done to qualify for a free bet offered by the betting site so that you can use the free bet to repeat the process! 

While some might consider this bonus abuse, many betting sites allow matched betting. And because all bookmakers want more players to join, many are willing to offer free bets – but only after you’ve placed enough bets first. 

How Does Matched Betting Work? 

Matched betting is pretty simple once you understand the fundamentals. Let’s take an example using tennis betting sites, and say a bookie is offering a $20 free bet if you first deposit and bet $20. 

You’re betting on a very even tennis match between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud, where both players have odds of 2.00 to win. So you deposit the required $20 and bet ten bucks on each player to win. The result is that you’ll win $20 with the first bet and lose the other one. 

Now you’ve fulfilled the betting requirement and get the $20 free bet, but you still have your original deposit of $20. This process is generally known as the ‘qualifying bet’. Next, it’s time to start making a profit with that newly acquired free bet of yours! 

For the sake of this example, let us say you find another tennis match with even odds like earlier, this time between Taylor Fritz and Holger Rune. You bet your $20 free bet on Fritz to win while betting $10 on Rune. 

If Fritz wins, you’ll make a $10 profit: $40 minus the $30 you bet. If Rune wins, you’ll obviously lose the free bet, but you’ll make a $10 profit anyway using your deposited money. 

It’s that simple. 

What You Need To Start Matched Betting 

The list of things you need to start benefiting from matched betting is pretty simple, and you actually might already have it all. 

Here’s what you need: 

• A computer or smartphone
• Internet connection 
• A betting account. 

The best chance of making a profit is by using a betting exchange, but in theory, you can try the same tactic with traditional online bookies as well. But remember, you need to pay close attention to the offers, as you can’t take advantage of matched betting without the free bets. 

Free bets are not only the luxury of new players, as most betting sites offer bonuses to their existing customers from time to time. Make sure to check the promotions frequently, so you’ll never miss a matched bet opportunity. 

Best Sports For Matched Betting 

According to some punters’ opinions on matched betting, football is the number one sport to use this tactic on. The benefit of football is that the season is always on in some parts of the world, so you’ll have no trouble finding matches to bet on. 

But in reality, you can use matched betting in any sport. Making a profit is only dependent on the odds and amounts you bet, so the sport itself makes no difference. Because you’re guaranteed to make a profit, matched betting could be a great chance to get to know new sports. 

Is Matched Betting Allowed? 

One of the most frequent questions we encounter is: is matched betting legal in the US and other parts of the world? The quick answer to this is: yes. There are no laws against matched betting, and how could there be when you are using a benefit offered by the betting site? 

However, even though this tactic is legal, it does not necessarily mean that it works on all sites. Some sites might have placed rules in their terms and conditions hindering the matched betting process, so be careful. 

We recommend that you get familiar with the promotion’s terms before you even dream of making a profit with matched betting. Choosing the right betting site is crucial, so you might want to check out some of the best bookmakers that we’ve tried and tested.

Should You Try Matched Betting? 

We couldn’t recommend matched betting enough. As the examples above show, it’s a great way to make a guaranteed profit using free bets. If you feel like you’re always betting on the same sports, matched betting is also a good way to try something new. 

Start profiting from matched bets by comparing some of the best bookies online. To make the most out of matched betting, you should use all the free bet offers available. After all, it’s your chance to make money for free!