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In the last of our three comparison articles, we analyse how arbitrage betting compares to value betting.
What is Arbitrage Betting?
Also known as ‘arbing’, arbitrage betting is the practice of wagering on all outcomes in a market simultaneously to guarantee a profit. These ‘surebets’ take advantage of a disparity in the odds offered by different bookmakers. Remember, there are dozens of online bookies, so arbing opportunities come along virtually every day.
In general, it works best for markets with only two outcomes, such as the winner of a tennis match or the over/under goals market in a football match, although there are opportunities in three-outcome markets. To benefit from arbing, you need to open as many bookmaker accounts as possible.
In the screenshot above, we see that you could benefit from a guaranteed profit of 16.33% if you have Pinnacle and SBOBET accounts. There are also plenty of arbing calculators to help you out.
As you can see, by dividing your £100 stake evenly, you guarantee a total return of £16.34 no matter the outcome, 0.01% higher than the website suggests!
While there are numerous arbing chances each day, your potential profit depends entirely on how many betting accounts you have, your bankroll, and how long you last on an account before being banned. With a large enough bankroll, you could make hundreds of pounds each day as long as you are very quick on the draw.
Pros
- As long as you get the maths right, you enjoy guaranteed profit.
- There are ample opportunities if you have the requisite accounts.
- It is a perfectly legal process.
- There is minimal risk to your stake.
- No knowledge of the sport is required.
- Some sites that tell you where arbing opportunities are, and calculators to do the work for you.
Cons
- Bookmakers don’t like arbers and tend to restrict them reasonably quickly.
- Arbing opportunities are often gone within a few seconds!
- You need to open dozens of accounts to make a long-term profit.
- The long-term viability of arbing is questionable due to likely restrictions.
Why Value Betting is Superior to Arbitrage Betting
- You need fewer bookmaker accounts.
- Restrictions are less likely as long as you focus on beating the odds of sharp bookmakers.
- You can allow Mercurius to use our AI to help generate long-term profit with minimal time input from your end.
- You spend far less time tracking markets and keeping records with Value Betting than with arbitrage betting.
