Is Matched Betting Legal?

Punters use matched betting to make money from bookmakers, using free promotional bets offered by the bookies.

Matched betting represents no risk for the punter and a potential loss to the online bookmaker. This technique is legal and uses spread betting (betting on multiple eventualities to cover all outcomes) so that a punter does not lose their money.

Matched betting is entirely legal in the UK – it’s up to an online betting site if they want to give free bets after all – and is a legitimate way of winning money as long.

Find out more about bet matching and matched betting today:

What is Matched Betting?

Match betting is a technique that enables punters to capitalise on betting promotions without risking their funds.

Generally, a bet of this type is usually placed during a promotion, where a punter is given a free bet and good odds from their online bookie; you can then use different techniques to make sure you have no chance of losing.

This is done by spread betting on different outcomes – using actual money and the free bet – to ensure that there is no possibility of being at a loss, as you are guaranteed to at the very least break even.

Matched Betting UK Law

In the UK, the law does not prohibit matched betting; it is entirely legal. How an online betting customer uses an official free bet is entirely up to them.

Graham Sharpe from William Hill racing states,  “There’s no illegal element.  It’s a free bet and you can do what you like”.

One bookmaker did attempt to make match betting illegal but fortunately did not succeed.

The only thing that is not legal is creating more than one account with the same bookmaker or using different names to match bets. This could potentially lead to trouble with fraud, so be very cautious.

How do Bookmakers View Match Bets?

Bookmakers are a business, and no business likes to lose money. However, most of the leading horse betting sites are hugely profitable businesses. The number of people who win substantial cash from them on matched events is small. It is unlikely to have a significant impact on these profits, so although they may not particularly like it, they aren’t overly concerned – otherwise, they wouldn’t have offered free bets in the first place.

That said, it is something that all online bookies will keep an eye on. If they do notice or feel that a customer is taking advantage of their free bets, they could close the account or stop offering the promotional free bets to that person. This applies if they know you hold multiple accounts to take advantage of free bets.

Bookmakers have every right to do this under the law; they can choose with whom they want to do business.

If a bookmaker decides to shut down your account, there are plenty of other sites out there offering free bets, so it will just be a case of moving on to the next one.

Is There a Punishment for Match Betting and Betting on Matches?

There is no formal punishment for matched betting. It is implausible that the bookmakers will be able to identify which accounts are genuine gamblers and which belong to matched bettors or people who practice matched betting professionally.

That said, some bookies have access to top-of-the-range technological features. This can provide accurate and precise information regarding account activity, which can help identify fraudsters and, in some cases, match bettors.

Although there is no legal punishment for being seen as a persistent “match bettor”, your account could be closed, as mentioned. This is known as “gubbing”.  You will be notified by email and will have time to withdraw any funds from your account before the limitations or shutdown of your account can proceed.

Find out more about gubbing in our blog – what is gubbing?

Account Restrictions for Match Bettors

If an online bookmaker decides not to ban you, they could impose other restrictions instead, such as a max stake restriction. This will prevent you from placing bets over a particular stake, or they will provide you with limited and reduced odds. These are odds that are lower than those of other bookmakers, in essence, to try and get you to move accounts.

The bookies may also enforce promotional restrictions on your account, which will prevent you from accessing promotions and free bets. This is probably the worst-case scenario, as it is these free bets that would typically allow you to take full advantage of the bookmakers with matched betting and make a profit.

How Can Gubbing be Avoided?

You can avoid gambling by occasionally “mug betting”. This makes you look like a regular customer. Mug betting is essentially placing a few poor bets that deliberately lose, to throw a bookmaker off your scent.

Account activity for a matched bettor may be flagged because the account consistently generates a profit, even though this is a legal practice.

Mug betting may include placing a few bets per month in the casino (where there is a high chance you will lose your bets).  Alternatively, it’s placing regular bets on the same team and wagering money on popular events.  These small tricks will help blend your account into the regular punters and not stand out.

Some match bettors find the simple process of placing at least three mug bets for every promotion taken the best version to follow. However, there are many other tried-and-tested versions available.

Is Match Betting Worth It?

It is undoubtedly worth it, and many tipsters like to promote this type of bet, giving their followers the chance to make some money without risking anything. The fact that you don’t need to put anything on the line means it’s always worth a try.

You will be advised on the best way to do this before placing your matched bet by such a tipster. It’s worth venturing into matched betting, and it’s one way that can genuinely work in outsmarting the bookmakers.

Is Matched Betting Risk-Free?

In short, no, it is not entirely risk-free.

If you are betting on a football match and you put money on both a win and a loss for a particular team, but the game ends in a draw, then you’ll lose money. So, if the event has more than two outcomes, you need to be cautious, as there is a risk.

Ensure you understand the type of bet and what is required, then you could reap the rewards and, at the very least, break even. It may be hard to believe, but when done correctly, you have the chance to win money online with no risk.

The amount you can win varies depending on the restrictions imposed on the promotion and the odds assigned.

Frequently Asked Questions About Matched Betting

Here are the most popular questions we get asked about matched betting:

Is Matched Betting Safe?

No form of betting is entirely safe, and it would be irresponsible to say differently, but essentially, betting with free bets and spread betting certainly reduces the level of risk for the punter.

Is Matched Betting Still Worth it in [YEAR]?

Yes, match betting is still worth it in [YEAR], and you should always take advantage of free bets from bookmakers.

Is Matched Betting Legal in the UK and US?

Yes, matched betting is perfectly legal in the UK and the US. How a customer decides to use an official free bet from a bookmaker is up to them. A bookie may have certain restrictions, but there are no legal restrictions on match betting.

Is Matched Betting a Scam?

No, matched betting is not a scam; it is a method of using free bets to reduce overall risk when betting online.

Why do Bookmakers Allow Match Betting?

Bookmakers allow matched betting as it’s a way of making people deposit and bet with them. Free bets are a great perk of a betting account, helping to keep current customers happy and coming back.

Summary of Matched Betting

Matched betting is essentially the method of using free bets from a bookmaker to place bets and minimise potential losses.

It is a perfectly legal practice, and although bookmakers generally prefer not to lose bets, the amount they stand to lose with matched betting is small in comparison to their overall business and profit.