If picking more winners than losers through sports betting is proving more difficult than you thought, you have come to the right place. This article will introduce you to a powerful method called Arbitrage Betting that can guarantee a profit regardless of which team wins. Arbitrage betting is completely legal; it works by taking advantage of discrepancies in the odds that different sportsbooks offer on the same game.
Looking for more calculation options? You can use our free betting calculator to work out all bet types.
Furthermore, if math isn’t your forte, no problem. Our Arbitrage Betting Calculator does all of the hard work. All you have to do is sit back and relax, punch in a few numbers, place your bets, and collect your winnings!
How to Use Our Arbitrage Betting Calculator
If you think you would like to give arbitrage betting a try, here is our easy step-by-step guide telling you how to get started.
Order our handy arbitrage betting calculator
The calculator will not only tell you instantly if your hunch that you have a viable arbitrage betting opportunity is right but the optimal amounts to bet on each side based on the odds and amount you wish to bet.
Search for possible arbitrage betting opportunities
Use any of the following methods to facilitate your search.
- Manually compare the odds at different bookies.
- Use software available online that scans and detects arbitrage betting opportunities. However, these programs can be pricey.
- Take advantage of special sportsbook promotions such as boosted odds on certain outcomes. These offers usually have a specified maximum bet.
When you are settled, follow these steps to use our arbitrage betting calculator:
- Enter the odds for either the favourite or the underdog (whichever offers the best value) at Sportsbook A.
- Enter the amount you wish to bet at these odds.
- Enter the odds at Sportsbook B for the other team.
- Click on Calculate. The calculator will tell you if a good opportunity for arbitrage betting exists and, if so, what your second bet should be to guarantee a profit.
Arbitrage Betting Summary
Instead of placing a bet on just one of the two teams to win, you place separate bets on both teams but at different odds to ensure a profit either way. More specifically, arbitrage betting allows you to use the discrepancies in the odds at different bookmakers advantageously to lock in a guaranteed profit regardless of which team wins.
Arbitrage Betting vs. Traditional Sports Betting
Traditional sports betting typically involves picking one side or the other in a two-sided proposition. For example, you can make a moneyline bet on which of the two teams you think will win the game outright. Typically, one team will be the favourite (requiring you to risk more money than the bet will return as profit if you win), while the other will be the underdog (returning more in profit for a winning wager than the cost of the bet but with a lower probability of winning). However, bookmakers, sportsbooks, and casinos offer odds based on probabilities, not guaranteed results, so there is always a degree of uncertainty. Many contests are highly competitive, and a valid case can be made for either team winning, but even events that on paper look like mismatches can wind up surprising you. Favourites go down and unlikely underdogs eke out victories that even top handicappers never see coming far more often than you might think possible.
If you are just beginning to dabble in sports betting, having your carefully thought-out picks lose must be especially frustrating. Apart from the monetary losses that can play havoc with your bankroll, wrong picks are a blow to the ego and make you question your ability as a handicapper.
But today is your lucky day because you stumbled on a simple but effective tool – our arbitrage betting calculator – to stop losing and embark on a new path of consistent winning. As we mentioned in the introduction, arbitrage betting requires no special handicapping skills or advanced sports betting knowledge. As long as you have a basic understanding of how to read and interpret the odds on a game, you can use this tool successfully.
Arbitrage Betting vs. Hedge and Middles Betting
Arbitrage betting is different from both hedge betting and middles betting. Those methods take advantage of line movement over time at the same sportsbook whereas arbitrage betting calls for placing separate opposing bets simultaneously at two different sportsbooks. Hedge betting is a popular technique for minimizing a probable loss by betting on the other team; it is frequently used during live betting. Opportunities for middles are rare, but when the line movement is sufficient to allow bets both above and below certain key numbers (i.e., from 2.5 to 4.5), astute bettors can clean up.
Pros and Cons
By now, you are probably wondering, if arbitrage betting really can guarantee winning results, why don’t more people use it? Usually, when something sounds too good to be true, it is, so is that the case here? The answer is that arbitrage betting does work, but there are also some major downsides.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Guaranteed profits | Too time-consuming for most bettors |
| No sports handicapping skills required | The software saves time but is expensive |
| The calculator handles the math | Few opportunities and small profits |
| Can be used with sportsbook bonuses and promotions | Sportsbooks may retaliate by limiting or canceling bets |
Be sure to weigh both the pros and cons to decide if arbitrage betting is a good option for you. Our calculator is one click away if you decide to test this strategy out.
