- What is a matched betting and why does it need a calculator?
- How to use a matched betting calculator
- Why a matched betting calculator isn’t needed in the US just yet
- More issues to consider before using a matched betting calculator
- Better alternatives to using a matched betting calculator
- Conclusion - Check back to see when you can use a matched betting calculator
- Matched betting calculator FAQ
What is a matched betting and why does it need a calculator?
Matched betting is a betting strategy that aims to guarantee that you don’t lose money when putting down your bets while benefiting from picking up bonus credit along the way.
It’s a strategy that requires you to put down two opposing bets on the same sporting event from two different betting sites. So the first bet will say that team A will win, while the second bet will say that team A won’t win - this is known as a lay bet. These bets will cancel each other out, but your first bet will unlock a sportsbook bonus.
So far, all of this sounds simple. However, you will need a calculator to carry out a number of calculations. First of all, you will need to balance out the two opposing bets in terms of the betting odds and the stakes that you are putting down.
Secondly, the second bet is a lay bet which can only be carried out at a betting exchange. Betting exchanges are places where you bet against other bettors rather than the sportsbook. The sportsbook will add a commission fee to all bets won and these must also be factored into your calculations.
All of which shows that there is plenty of need to use a matched betting calculator when using this strategy. Let’s have a look at how a matched betting calculator would work in action.
How to use a matched betting calculator
The good news is that you can use a matched betting calculator on pretty much any sporting event. For this example, we’re going to take an MLB game between the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The first thing that you need to do is to find a betting site with a sign up offer that gives you free bets. These are deals that you get for signing up to the sportsbook for the first time, and the free bets will usually be unlocked by you putting down a qualifying deposit.
Once you’ve done this, you will enter in the stake and odds of the baseball team that you are backing. For the sake of an example, let’s say that you are backing the Mets at odds of -50 with a stake of $10. Putting down this bet would activate the welcome bonus bets.
Next you have to type in the odds for the bet that you are laying. So at a betting exchange you found the lay odds were -100 and there was a 2% commission. All of this information would be added to the calculator. This would be fed into the calculator which would reveal what kinds of stake you could put down to lay the bet and you’ll be shown your overall liability and profit.
Why a matched betting calculator isn’t needed in the US just yet
While a matched betting calculator is a pretty interesting piece of kit, it’s not going to get you too far in the US. This is because there simply aren’t any betting exchanges in the country. As betting exchanges are an integral part of matched betting, it’s fair to say that a matched betting calculator isn’t going to do you much good.
The main reason why there aren’t any betting exchanges in the US is down to the law that stops you from betting over state lines. As such, the customer base for a single state isn’t enough to provide the number of bets needed to sustain an effective betting exchange. All of which means that matched betting in the US isn’t going to happen anytime soon.
More issues to consider before using a matched betting calculator
So matched betting isn’t a reality in the US just yet and here are a handful more reasons why a matched betting calculator might not be suitable for certain kinds of bettor:
Math - While some people enjoy a mathematical challenge, some sports fans could do without it when we just want to enjoy betting on sport. So get ready to do lots of staring at a calculator if you want to try matched betting.
Bans - You might get banned by an online sportsbook if it catches you in the act of matching your bets. Surely not a good outcome for your betting future.
Better alternatives to using a matched betting calculator
While matched betting is out of the picture in the US at the moment, you can at least take advantage of expected value betting. This is a betting strategy that is also known as EV betting. It basically sees the bettor examining the odds on offer by a sportsbook to see if they are overvalued or undervalued. As such, the bettor will know to bet on those odds that could give them extra value over the long term.
It’s one of the more skillful betting tactics and it’s great fun too. After all, you’re putting your sporting know-how to good use. All of which means that EV betting is a good option for true sports fans in the US.
Conclusion - Check back to see when you can use a matched betting calculator
While a matched betting calculator isn’t possible in the US just yet, it still looks like an interesting way of betting. Plus it’s given us an excuse to talk about expected value betting which is another interesting way to take on the sportsbooks and you’ll find that you can do it right now in the US unlike matched betting.
Hopefully all of this has shown you how an effective use of math is at the core of many important betting strategies and that a decent calculator can help you upgrade your bets. So although you probably won’t get to use a matched betting calculator in the US at the moment, our guides will give you a constantly updated way of improving your sports betting knowhow.
