Use your superior knowledge of City to earn cash
While it’s true that the bookies are rarely wrong, there are times when they are vulnerable - and they know it.
At this time of year, where there’s little actual action to bet on, some of the bigger bookmaker brands offer special markets on topics such as transfers and the managerial merry-go-around.
The spending power at the Etihad means that City feature prominently in many of these markets summer after summer.
There’s usually a price for City, even in relation to players who have barely been linked with a move.
For instance, SkyBet have City as a possible destination for Ross Barkley (22/1), Virgil van Dijk (25/1) and even Andre Gray at 33/1. In fact, City’s name gets a mention in 46 markets in SkyBet’s transfer specials section.
These markets provide a dilemma for bookies. They’re popular with punters and a great way to keep customers betting during the close season.
But - and here’s the rub for Mr Bookie - these markets are extremely difficult to price accurately. Unlike matches or competitions, there are few stats to analyse and getting the odds right is a real issue.
Like most of us, bookies only really know what they see in the media, so they are vulnerable to someone with inside information taking advantage. Chances are, you know more about what’s going on at City than anyone at Ladbrokes, William Hill or SkyBet do.
This is why there are stake limits on those specials markets and also why odds change rapidly when relatively low amounts are staked. The bookies get spooked.
Another way to bash the bookies
Another way of taking the advantage over the bookies is with matched betting.
It’s a relatively new practise that has grown in popularity over the past few years as people have become more aware of how it works.
Basically, matched betting involves generating a profit using the bonuses offered by bookies - usually in the form of free bets. Any risk is neutralised by placing two qualifying bets on opposite outcomes - so you get your stake back no matter what.
It’s fully legal and it’s a sustainable way of making money online at home and thousands of people do it every day.
Matched betting services
The main challenge is having the time to do it and working out the calculations to reduce the risk. Having identified a demand to solve that particular problem, several matched betting services have popped up over the past few years.
The most established matched betting service is Profit Accumulator, which has more than 20,000 subscribers. The Nottingham company was founded in 2014 and is the UK’s leading site of its type.
Members pay a monthly fee to access software including matched betting calculators, step-by-step guides and video tutorials. There’s a team of experts on hand to help members of all levels with any part of the process and they also flag up which offers to do every day to guarantee a profit.
Who can do matched betting
Pretty much anyone over the age of 18 can use matched betting. You do need accounts with bookmakers but it isn’t gambling.
Many people see it as a way of working from home when you want to top up their income on a regular basis with just a few hours a week.
A lot of people who do it are, by their own admission, not sports fans in any way. It’s particularly popular with students and full-time parents, who see it as a way of topping up their income every month in their own time, from home.
Getting started
It can be daunting at first and it’s not for everyone and that’s why most matched betting sites offer a free trial. Profit Accumulator, for instance, shows new users complete two bookmaker sign-up offers that can earn users up to £45.
The best bet (if you’ll pardon the pun) is to do a bit of research to try to get your head around how it works, watch the videos and, if you think it’s for you, give it a go.
So, whether it’s using your superior knowledge of City, or earning cash with with matched betting, there is plenty of proof that the bookies can be beaten.