Sports Betting Systems- Do they really work? Part 2: Arbitrage
n Part 1 of this series of articles on sports betting systems we looked at the Martingale system which calls for you to increase your bet after each loss, and we saw that this can be a very dangerous strategy that can risk substantial losses for small gains. Here we will look at a system that has been in operation for countless years and has its own following. This is the system of Arbitrage betting.
Arbitrage betting refers to placing bets with different bookmakers offering different odds on the outcome of a sporting event. By selecting the bets carefully it is possible in some circumstances to develop an arbitrage strategy that will ensure a win independent of the outcome of the event. Of course it is not always possible to achieve this and it needs substantial research and calculation to set up an arbitrage.
Additionally the returns on investment are typically very low, sometimes only a few percent, consequently significant stakes are required in order to make it worthwhile. As the profits are on the margin, it is easy to see them disappear due to charges arising from various fees such as currency commission payments.
However well an arbitrage strategy is set up, it is rarely risk free. Sometimes a single cancellation, such as withdrawing one horse, can throw an otherwise perfect arbitrage into total disarray.
Given sufficient time, patience and capital it is possible to make money out of this system. There are a number of tools available on the web that promise to deliver winning arbitrage strategies and they certainly vary in quality as well as price. There is also a number of website available that undertake to supply arbitrage opportunities on a regular basis for a fee. Some of these may be completely honest and trustworthy, but several are scams that fail to deliver.
If you intend to follow this route then note that websites that do deliver what they promise will generally publish their historical results and returns. The advice is to avoid those schemes that promise rapid riches and instead look for those that achieve realistic returns of between 3% to 4% profit.
Sports Betting Systems- Do they really work? Part 2: Arbitrage / Robert Palmer
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