What is Arbitrage?

Arbitrage is a betting strategy that takes advantage of differences in odds between different bookmakers to guarantee a profit regardless of the outcome of a sporting event. It involves placing bets on all possible outcomes of a sporting event so that the bettor will make a profit regardless of the outcome.

Here are two examples of sports arbitrage with decimal odds:

Basketball: Let’s say that a basketball game between Team A and Team B is taking place. Bookmaker 1 is offering odds of 2.1 for Team A to win, while Bookmaker 2 is offering odds of 2.0 for Team B to win. A bettor can place a wager on both Team A and Team B and will guarantee a profit as long as either team wins the game.

Rugby: Consider a rugby match between Team X and Team Y. Bookmaker 1 is offering odds of 1.9 for Team X to win, while Bookmaker 2 is offering odds of 2.2 for Team Y to win. The bettor can place a wager on both Team X and Team Y, and if either team wins, they will make a profit, regardless of the outcome of the game.

Horse Racing: A horse is 2.2 to win with a bookmaker and the “lay” price on Betfair is less than the “back” price on the bookmaker including commissions, 2.2 back vs 1.9 lay. If the horse wins or loses, you can make a profit, regardless of the outcome of the race.

It’s important to note that sports arbitrage opportunities are rare and can disappear quickly, so bettors need to act quickly to take advantage of them. Additionally, some bookmakers may restrict or ban accounts of bettors who engage in sports arbitrage.