Matched betting calculator

Matched betting is a technique for extracting the value from bookmaker free bets and sign-up offers by covering every outcome. You back a result at a bookmaker and lay the same result at a betting exchange, so the bookmaker's own promotion becomes close to guaranteed cash rather than a gamble. It only works with the free bets and offers, not as a way to beat the bookmaker on your own money.

For a qualifying (real-money) bet it sets your lay stake so the profit is the same whichever way the event goes, accounting for exchange commission. For a stake-not-returned free bet it does the same but ignores the returned stake, because a free bet only pays you the winnings. The result is the lay stake, your liability at the exchange, and the locked-in profit or small qualifying loss.

It is legal in the UK and not gambling in the statistical sense, because every outcome is covered. The practical risks are human error (a wrong odds entry or a mistimed bet), bookmakers restricting accounts, and needing enough float at the exchange to cover liability. Always double-check the numbers before placing, and never bet money you cannot afford to have tied up. If gambling is a problem for you, this is not a workaround: see our responsible gambling page.