Matched betting is the easiest start: low risk, profit from offers, but a limited supply. Arbitrage needs speed and gets accounts restricted quickly. Value betting has the most long term potential but the biggest swings, and it needs patience over thousands of bets.
Matched betting, arbitrage and value betting compared
How the three compare on profit, risk, time and account restrictions.
| Matched betting | Arbitrage | Value betting | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where the profit comes from | Bookmaker offers | Prices that disagree | Prices that are too big |
| Risk on each bet | Very low, if done right | Low, if both bets stand | High, results swing |
| Typical return | Most of each free bet | A few percent per arb | A few percent of turnover |
| Time | Steady, offer by offer | Fast, prices move quickly | Many bets over months |
| Account restrictions | Sooner or later | Usually quickly | Sooner or later |
| Best for | Beginners | Quick, careful people | Patient, numbers people |
What is matched betting?
You back at a bookmaker and lay at an exchange, so the result doesn't matter. The profit is the offer itself. A £10 sign up offer is worth about £7.12 done properly. Sign up offers run out, so the income falls over time.
What is arbitrage betting?
You back every outcome at different bookmakers when their prices add up to less than 100%. Our example makes £3.73 on £100. The risks are moving prices, voided bets and fast restrictions.
Check a set of prices.Arbitrage calculator →What is value betting?
You back prices that are bigger than the true chance, usually found by comparing slow bookmakers with sharp ones. Each bet can lose, but over thousands of bets the edge should show. You need a bank big enough for the losing runs.
Start with matched betting
Most people start with matched betting, because it teaches lay betting, liability and reading offer terms with little risk. Arbitrage and value betting both build on those skills.
Calculators:Matched betting calculatorArbitrage calculatorKelly criterion calculator
Questions people ask
Is matched betting better than arbitrage?
For beginners, yes. It's lower risk and easier to learn. Arbitrage needs speed and tends to get accounts restricted faster.
Can you do matched betting and value betting together?
Yes. Many people start with matched betting and move to value betting once the sign up offers run out.
Which makes the most money?
Matched betting pays the most early on from sign up offers. Value betting has more long term potential but much bigger swings.