Skip to main content

🔒 What is a Surebet?

Arbitrage betting, often known as "surebetting", is a risk-free betting strategy that takes advantage of different odds offered by various bookmakers on the same event. By placing bets on all possible outcomes across different bookmakers, bettors can secure a profit regardless of the event's result. This betting strategy is similar to arbitrage in financial markets, where the goal is to profit from price discrepancies.

Example of a Surebet​


Surebet Example

In the match between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool, a guaranteed $56.6 profit can be secured by placing bets on both outcomes of Mohamed Salah's shot tally: over 3.5 shots and under 3.5 shots. This can be achieved by utilizing different odds offered by two bookmakers:

  • Bet $423 on the over at Fanatics
  • Bet $577 on the under at BetOnline

How is this possible?

Bookmakers set their odds independently based on their own analytics and market conditions. This sometimes leads to discrepancies between the odds they offer, creating opportunities for arbitrage bets.

In this instance, Fanatics offers odds of 2.5 (+150) for Salah making over 3.5 shots, while BetOnline offers odds of 1.83 (-120) for him making under 3.5 shots. By betting appropriately on both outcomes, you can lock in a profit regardless of how many shots Salah makes, thanks to these out-of-sync odds.

Potential Risks in Arbitrage Betting​

While arbitrage betting (surebetting) is often considered a risk-free strategy, it is important to note that it is not entirely devoid of risks. Here are some potential risks that you should be aware of:

  1. Bookmaker Voiding Bets: Bookmakers may void bets for various reasons, such as player injuries, event cancellations, or obvious pricing errors. If one leg of a surebet is voided while the others remain active, it can disrupt your calculations and lead to potential losses.

  2. Varying Bookmaker Rules: Different sportsbooks may have different rules regarding bet settlements, and it’s impossible for us to keep track of every specific rule for every book, sport, and market. These rule variations can affect the outcome of your arbitrage bets in ways that may not be immediately apparent. For example, in corner betting, one bookmaker might not count a corner if it was awarded but not taken, while another bookmaker might count it as a valid corner — potentially turning your surebet into a loss. Therefore, it’s the user’s responsibility to verify each bookmaker’s rules before placing bets to avoid unexpected outcomes.

  3. Software Accuracy Limitations: While we strive to make Bet Hero as accurate as possible, we are processing over 35 million odds simultaneously across 350+ sportsbooks. Even with 99.9999% accuracy, some errors can slip through due to the massive scale of data processing. You must always verify that all odds, markets, and bet types match before confirming any wager.

  4. Odds Changes: Timing is crucial in surebetting. If you manage to place one of the bets and the odds on the remaining outcomes change before you can place them, it could destroy the profit margin or even put you at risk of a loss.

  5. Liquidity Issues: Lack of sufficient betting liquidity, especially in less popular markets, can lead to situations where you cannot place the amount needed to optimize your surebet profit.

  6. Account Limitations/Restrictions: Bookmakers often monitor betting patterns, and consistently exploiting surebet opportunities might lead to accounts being limited or even banned. This risk is particularly pertinent to frequent surebetters.

While surebetting provides opportunities for guaranteed profits, understanding and mitigating the associated risks is crucial. Using reliable software like Bet Hero can help minimize some of these risks by providing timely odds updates and alerts, but you should always be prepared for unforeseen changes and adapt their strategies accordingly.

Conclusion​

Surebetting offers a way to make risk-free profits from sports betting, but it requires careful execution, timing, and a solid understanding of betting markets. Tools like Bet Hero can greatly aid in identifying and capitalizing on arbitrage opportunities efficiently, making the process straightforward even for beginners.

Contents