Matched Betting

Typically, the process looks like this:

• The person looks for a betting site with a free sign-up bonus. 
• They check if they meet the criteria and place their initial bet. 
• The person then claims the free bet with the bookmaker. 
• They place the opposite bet as well. 
• The person waits for the event to end. 
• They collect their earnings and win regardless of the outcome. 

Bookmakers try to detect and prevent such transactions, but there are many matched bettors that successfully exploit the loopholes in the system and bypass restrictions. 

Yes, as it’s considered to be a legal way to make money unless you commit other crimes, like multiple account fraud and other exploitations that are against the platform’s Terms and Conditions. If matched betting is done within the rules and conditions of the bookmakers, it’s considered a fair practice. 

Bonus abuse is the process of exploiting a platform’s system for free bets or discounts, including free splints or “no deposit” bonuses. This is a common practice in sports betting and iGaming. While not all users intend to defraud the platform by claiming such bonuses, some are skilled cheaters who exploit system vulnerabilities for personal gain. That said, not all bonus abuse is considered to be matched betting. 

Matched betting and arbitrage betting differ. The most important fact is that:

• Matched betting involves relying on bookmakers’ free bets.
• Arbitrage betting uses mathematical calculations to exploit odds differences.

While matched betting is allowed, arbitrage leads to banning. It’s also harder to detect because it often involves placing a single bet, unlike matched betting, where multiple bets are placed on the same event. 

For the player, matched betting should always result in winnings. They can lose only if the calculations are incorrect. Sometimes, players get fined (penalties may require repaying previous bet winnings) or can have their account blocked if such an activity is detected, as there are platforms that don’t allow matched betting. That’s because bookmakers lose money due to matched betting.

If you want to attract more legitimate users and not those who abuse the promo system to earn money, you should:

• Have a proper identity verification process (preferably both with document and selfie checks). 
• Set a clear bonus system and criteria for it (don’t be very strict as well since you can lose customers)
• Use real-time monitoring (this includes monitoring user accounts, transactions, or overall behavior on the platform as a way to detect inconsistencies).