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Matched betting?! Tell me more...

999 replies

ExpatMrs · 08/04/2017 15:59

Just came across a good few MNers talking about it on another thread. I don't even know what it is but from the jist of the convo, there's good money to be made from having a couple of hours a day to do it... I have those hours!!
Can anyone enlighten me please?

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DangerousMouse · 14/04/2017 16:46

I've just signed up to Betfred to get the free bets, I've placed my initial £10 paid for bet, but I can't find where the bet details are now I've completed the transaction - I can see my balance has gone from £10 to £0 so I guess I've placed it correctly but just wanted to see it to confirm - can anyone help with that?

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 14/04/2017 16:48

I think if you click on "account" you can see "open bets"

If you have placed bets on the sports book, I'd be very wary of laying them in the exchange.

DangerousMouse · 14/04/2017 16:50

I can't see where it says account. This is on Betfred not Betfair..

MaidOfStars · 14/04/2017 16:58

You need to find your statement. I had exactly the same issue at Betfred.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 14/04/2017 17:06

Oops sorry I always get Betfred and Betfair mixed up - this doesn't bode well for my matched betting career Blush

Would it be silly to punt my free votes on some thing in the future (eg French presidential election)? If I was a real punter it might be something I'd have a wee bet on. Obviously it slows down cash flow, but this is a long term game. Plus, if I have those pending it means I have some time to set up other accounts whilst still actively using my Coral account (which would hopefully avoid gubbing).

Spookle · 14/04/2017 17:20

I think I've had a good day using my £30 Betfred free bets. I've done the sums three times now and I'm a bit Shock

Started this morning with
£113.00 Betfair
£15 Coral
£15 BetFred and £30 free bets (not counted in my cash total)

£143.00

After using my free £30 on a £10 and £20 on two local matches I now have

£73 BF
£15 Coral
£95 BFr

£183! £40 for about an hours work quadruple checking everything after my minus £25 horse race fuck up the other day Shock Grin yay for Football

I don't even know how it has happened as the calculator gave me about +£18 total on both matches!

I hope everyone else has had a productive day Smile

GardeningWithDynamite · 14/04/2017 17:25

I've found it incredibly stressful. That's one of the reasons I keep stopping and starting (hopefully just started again). I've done a lot of the start up offers and it has got easier, but it's still time consuming for me. It's not "fun" in that way. I'm hoping that I will get to the point where it just becomes routine.

I haven't actually made any mistakes, but things like not having your bet fully matched or panicking because you don't know if you've done it right makes it stressful.

I find the bookie websites very busy and complex (I know you can home in on the bits you want) and I always check and check and check again.

I know there's forum support (I do OddsMonkey) but I'd still like someone standing by me for a bit to tell me I've done it right or just to be able to watch someone doing the offers (particularly bingo and casinos - I know nothing about those). I've found some youtube videos but not much on it.

Spookle · 14/04/2017 17:30

Mouse - on Betfred at the top you will have the little white head silhouette on a blue background, next to 'messages'. Click that and it will take you to your account.

There is then a pale blue toolbar under the main site toolbar - select statement.

You can then select which type of bets and which dates to show.

Took me ages to find it too.

MissisQuigley · 14/04/2017 17:31

Newbie here - can someone explain about backing a horse to win AND each way?

Example:
BACK £20 ON QUIGLEY (WIN & EACH WAY) @ 12.0
LAY £20 ON QUIGLEY @ 12.5

Quigley doesn't win (ie come first) so lay bet wins and profit
= £16.79

Quigley does win (ie comes first) so back bet wins and profit still = £16.79.

But what happens if Quigley comes 2nd or 3rd? I understand you get quarter/fifth odds from the bookie for a place. So if Quigley is placed I win quarter odds from the bookie, but also win the lay bet because he didn't win/come first?

My brain hurts Confused

DangerousMouse · 14/04/2017 18:26

Ah yes, thats confusing! I've found it now, thank you

DangerousMouse · 14/04/2017 18:27

and one more thing about Betfred - how do you change it to decimal?

Laughsandgiggles · 14/04/2017 18:42

Mouse Go to same bit as you did to find statement. Choose My Details then go to bottom of page and there is the option of bet type. It kept changing back on mine but seems to have registered it now. Betfred website seems the most complicated ive found so far.

DangerousMouse · 14/04/2017 18:46

Thank you! I'm getting there now.. a bit worried about what happens when we run out of initial offers though, sounds a bit confusing after that

imnottoofussed · 14/04/2017 18:59

Has everyone just been doing the sign up offers on all bookmakers? Or do you recommend sticking with one to start with.

I've done coral and now signed up to Bedfred, hoping my sign up offer works as I didn't click through from the email they sent me after signing up, I just went and placed a bet. So hopefully I get the £40 free bet. Made a sight mistake laying it on betfair as I put my stake as £10 instead of £10.16 but I think I should be ok.

Laughsandgiggles · 14/04/2017 19:07

fussed Ive just worked through a few different bookies. Coral, William hill, paddy power and betfred so far as they offered the low qualifying bet and good free bet. Think I'm going to go through as many free bets with diff bookies before figuring out what other offers are available.

I'm really enjoying doing it and figuring it all out. Good to challenge my brain a bit.

MaidOfStars · 14/04/2017 19:14

Spookle
Are you saying you've converted £30 of free bets into £40 cash? I think that's mathematically impossible.

MaidOfStars · 14/04/2017 19:19

Unless there was a massive price boost on one of your matches, I guess (odds change if X scores first etc), that put you into an arbing position?

Spookle · 14/04/2017 19:19

Yes Maid that's why I'm a bit confused. I have my notes if you want to look at what I did?

MaidOfStars · 14/04/2017 19:21

MissesQ I think your logic is correct.

MaidOfStars · 14/04/2017 19:23

BACK £20 ON QUIGLEY (WIN & EACH WAY) @ 12.0
Oh hang on, isn't your stake split in this kind of bet? So the bookie puts £10 for the win and £10 for an each way result?

smileygrapefruit · 14/04/2017 19:34

Oh the each way thing is another brain confuddler

£20 total (£10 for win, £10 for place)

£20 lay the win

Outcomes:
Horse wins: lose lay, win full odds on £10 plus quarter odds on £10
Horse places: win lay, lose £10 win, win quarter odds on £10
Horse doesn't place: win lay, lose £20

Will have to do the maths but I think that means if the horse won you'd be worse off?!

MaidOfStars · 14/04/2017 19:45

Will have to do the maths but I think that means if the horse won you'd be worse off?!
And I learned yesterday that non-equal outcomes = gambling.

MaidOfStars · 14/04/2017 19:48

Your lay bet should always be the same as your back bet (except laying instead of backing, obviously).

So I think MissesQ should have layed 'each way' rather than 'win'?

smileygrapefruit · 14/04/2017 20:16

Yep, it would be a gamble. Albeit a smaller risk than not laying.

imnottoofussed · 14/04/2017 20:23

Just made a rookie mistake, I think on 188 I've bet on odds too low to get my free bets. My odds are 1.8 does anyone know will I get them or should I do another 10 bet at the right odds?