Nowadays, many sports enthusiasts place bets with bookmakers, hoping to make money. However, the majority of players end up with losses, as most betting strategies currently in use are not very effective.
That said, some bettors manage to earn a steady income from wagering by using a strategy known as sports betting arbitrage, or surebets.
What Are Surebets in Bookmaking?
An arbitrage opportunity (or surebet) is a situation in sports betting where a bettor places bets on all possible outcomes of an event in such a way that they are guaranteed a profit, regardless of the result.
These situations arise fairly frequently, mainly because bookmakers can’t always adjust their odds fast enough after new developments in a match. Delays in odds updates create temporary imbalances.
Another common reason for surebets is competition among bookmakers, which often drives them to offer inflated odds. They can also result from simple errors in the odds offered by certain bookmakers.
Types of Arbitrage Situations
Surebets can be categorized based on two main criteria: the number of outcomes and the timing of the event.
By number of outcomes:
- Two-way bets: The simplest and most common type.
- Three-way bets: More complex and riskier to manage.
- Multi-way bets: Involving four, five, or more outcomes. These are quite rare.
By event timing:
- Pre-match surebets: Found in events that haven’t started yet.
- Live surebets: Found during events currently in progress.
What Does a Surebet Look Like?
Example:
- Bookmaker 1: Handicap -1.5 (Team 1) = 1.84, Handicap +1.5 (Team 2) = 2.14
- Bookmaker 2: Handicap -1.5 (Team 1) = 2.07, Handicap +1.5 (Team 2) = 1.83
These are the odds for a Spanish La Liga match from two different bookmakers, focusing on handicap bets.
To the average bettor, these odds might not mean much. But an experienced arbitrage bettor will instantly notice that the odds for Team 2 +1.5 at Bookmaker 1 and Team 1 -1.5 at Bookmaker 2 form a surebet because both odds are above 2.0. This means placing simultaneous bets on both results guarantees a profit, despite the final outcome.
This is a simple example of an arbitrage situation, though such clean opportunities are rare. In reality, finding surebets takes significant time and skill to calculate quickly and accurately.
That’s why many professional bettors rely on surebet-finding services (like BetBurger), which automate the process and make working with arbitrage situations much easier.
If you are just a newbie in the world of sports betting, you might be interested in this review: A Review of Sports Wagering & Gambling Addiction Studies Executive Summary
A Few Helpful Tips
If you decide to work with surebets, it’s crucial to follow some key rules for maximum success:
- Mix surebets with regular bets to avoid detection.
- Round your stake amounts (e.g., $5.00, $10.00).
- Don’t chase high-profit margins — beginners should stick to surebets with a 3–7% return.
- Avoid frequent withdrawals from betting accounts, which can draw attention.
Conclusion
Surebets can genuinely help bettors beat the bookmakers, as shown in this article. However, making money with this strategy requires the ability to find, calculate, and properly execute arbitrage opportunities.