To think posters shouldn’t be encouraging people to do matched betting?

[AnywhereAnyoneAnyTime]

Whenever someone posts on here that they need to make money posters rush to suggest matched betting.
Gambling is an insidious pastime which ruins lives. If I ruled the world online gambling would be banned.
Every day in my job I see the impact that gambling has on people, and then we have threads on here from people encouraging people to gamble as a way to make money. Yes, if done correctly you can make money matched betting, but therein lies the problem, it’s all too easy to be lured into deeper gambling to try to make more, and the gambling companies want people to be addicted.

I don't understand it is that where you bet for both outcomes? Doesn't it cancel each bet out ??

You make money on free bet offers/enhanced odds offers and the like

I disagree I'd never placed a bet before matched betting and made around 40k before the offers got nerfed. I stopped around 3 years ago and have never placed a bet since.

It's not gambling. I don't do it, never have, but I have known people over the years who have. You need to be very organised, self-disciplined and good with basic numeracy to understand your position and to make sure you are covering all options.

I also understand it is a lot less attractive than it used to be, as the free offers aren't as good, and companies are quicker to ban people they think are not genuine customers.

It's not gambling and it is rarely a gateway to gambling from what I see in facebook communities. Frankly, investing in stock market and crypto currency will be more akin to gambling than matched betting.

I’ve never done matched betting, though I understand the principle.

Why would matched betting - which isn’t betting - encourage people to bet? The whole point of matched betting is not to risk money.

I agree, Is all too easy to jump from just using bet exchanges to cancel out risks to just using free bets as a free bet to taking a chance you can afford to taking a chance you can’t afford to being in significant debt.

Especially because most people advised to try it are already in a financial mess.

I know people say it’s not gambling but you have to be bright enough to do it properly even if you are doing it for fun and have money to waste.

But that doesn’t mean that others won’t do the same.
I’m not saying that matched betting is wrong, but that it shouldn’t be encouraged as a way to make money. Because gambling is addictive, and it’s far too easy to fall into addiction and spend more and more money.

I did matched betting for about 2 years. Made £££ around school runs and the odd weekend day. I stopped when covid hit and v v v rarely gamble now. Maybe the odd football match or big horse race. Think I've got about £50 in an account I use, might top it up once a year if that.

However 2 people I was close to during MBing both ended up with problems and blew their banks. It is a problem, you need the right mental attitude to it. I saw it as a job and nothing more, nothing less. They saw it as a get rich quick scheme. Did get rich. But then blew it all back to the bookies.

I have never heard of it. How did it work? Do you do it via App / online?

I know technically it's not gambling but it's very easy to see how it could lure people into gambling.

I did it for a while (I wanted to build up a nest-egg during a relationship blip; I think I earned about £800 from the sign-up offers) and do see your point. As a post above says, you do have to be very organised and keep on top of what you’re doing. If you do, you are fine.

Also, don’t place your bets on anything in which you are remotely interested. I bet on football which I couldn’t care less about.

But, it did start to feel a bit seedy after a while and, as you are logged into the sites, it could be quite easy to begin placing other bets if you’re remotely interested in the outcome of sporting events. This could be especially risky if you’re prone to addictive behaviours. These sites are quite addictive environments, especially once you get into casino offers.

I did it for a while and it went well. However I think it's risky because it's so easy to make a mistake and lose a significant amount of money on one bet. Like a PP said it's for people who are very good with numbers and well-organised. I don't think it's a great idea for people who can't honestly say they meet that description.

I did it too and never once actually gambled. It's not even remotely akin to gambling. It's just maths and learning the technique. There is no risk attached, no jeopardy, no thrill of watching a game. The outcome is irrelevant.

The fact that people are saying things like “if you’re disciplined” says it all.

The actual process of matched betting isn’t gambling, but you are placing bets on gambling sites, and those sites are designed to lure people in.

I agree
It can work well for some people but all too often it is recommended to people who are already in difficulties and can't afford to lose any more.

I agree absolutely. I’d never encourage anyone towards any sort of gambling.

It’s very easy to feel morally superior because you yourself aren’t addicted. But I know highly intelligent and outwardly successful people who have secretly destroyed their lives through gambling addiction which started as “a bit of harmless fun” or a money spinner.

I guess it’s the same as certain drugs - some people dabble and just have fun, others spiral into awfulness. You can’t know who will do which until you see how you react. And once you’re addicted, it’s too late.

I see your point.
But turning it around, why would gambling companies etc offer free bets, bets with good odds if they didn't draw people in and encourage them to spend money down the line?

The money you win has to come from someone.
That someone is someone who is a gambler or from the profits of the gambling industry.
So if you are matched betting, you are part of the gambling industry.

And I see your point!

But free bets are free bets, not free money. It’s only when you set free bets off against each other that you eliminate risk. That’s why the bookies hate matched betting; they shut down accounts if they suspect it’s going on.

That said, I do take a dim view of gambling advertising, particularly for online gaming. It’s absolutely everywhere.

I know a few years ago at least, if you Google searched for addiction support services, alcohol anonymous etc enough times you would start to get adverts for online gambling sites. It's actually evil.

This is still the case. If you search for gambling addiction support, some of the top hits are for gambling sites, plus ways to get around gambling blockers etc. And yes, adverts for gambling sites.

The industry gets most of their profits from addicts. (60% or more. Their UK profits were £15 billion last year)

So of course they groom and target addicts. Otherwise they’d make less cash.

I’ve seen the confirmation email that a big casino chain sends when you register for self exclusion, so are clearly a problem gambler. They acknowledge that you’ve banned yourself. They acknowledge how many years it’s for. And they give you a link to click to get straight back in and reactivate your membership when you’re done.

They know exactly what they’re doing. They strongly resist efforts to regulate, and have dug their heels in about a levy on profits to support addicts.

They are one of the top donors of “hospitality” to MPs. I think one of the top three, so it’s clearly worth their while…

And legislation has been slow. I’m not optimistic it’ll speed up (Labour are also sadly recipients of plenty of gambling cash.)

The gambling industry model relies on addicts, so the current “self regulation” Is nonsense. Their “affordability checks” are total BS - they occasionally verbally ask someone who is clearly gambling beyond their means if they can afford the potential losses. Of course they say yes. It’s like asking an alcoholic if they should really be pouring another drink while waving a bottle of vodka under their nose. They’ll never say “actually, good point, I’ll leave it and have an orange juice”.

They’re happy to exploit any weakness. They don’t care if the cash for their profits has come from your family’s rent/kids’ school uniform fund/dodgy loans you can never pay back. And nor does a gambling addict, once they’re hooked in.

Gambling addiction is on the rise. It’s more common than most people probably think.

So again, I couldn’t agree more with the original statement. Some people are fine with a bit of gambling for leisure. But some aren’t, and the industry is vampiric, so encouraging anyone to try it is unethical.

I believe that the advertising of gambling should be far more severely restricted, including sponsorship.

However, if I go to the races then I will place a couple of bets. Just like I will buy a raffle ticket or have a go at a casino. But only when I’m actually present in person.

I also don’t think young people should ever be able to see a gambling advert, logo or branding unless they’re physically at an event. So nothing on football tops, signs, TV backgrounds etc. They can plaster it over the corridors of the stadium, but that should be it.

This. It’s horrible how much constant gambling advertising kids see on TV if they watch sport.