The UK’s lockdown has had a huge effect on our lives. It all started in the second half of March, as the coronavirus pandemic began to spread. The lockdown came into force to slow down this disease.

On 16^th March, Boris Johnson advised Brits to avoid non-essential travel. Stores and restaurants began to close at the end of March. Since then, it has been a hugely difficult period. But the end finally appears to be in sight.

Normal life is starting up again. We can see more shops opening and people out and about. But what has happened to matched betting in this period? More importantly, what does the future hold for it?

How Matched Betting Has Been Stopped

By the time the lockdown truly started, sport in the UK had already ground to a halt. The same thing happened all over the world. There was no way to carry on with fears over our health growing every day.

So the last few months have seen an almost total lack of sporting action. This meant that matched betting disappeared too.

It seems a lifetime ago, but the last EPL game was when Leicester beat Aston Villa 4-0. This was on the 9^th March. Controversially, Liverpool also played Atletico Madrid on 11 March. The Spanish capital was already on lockdown at the time.

There was also controversy as the Cheltenham racing Festival went ahead. Tens of thousands of fans packed in here between the 10th and 13th of March. British horse racing came to a standstill shortly after this.

This meant there were virtually no matched betting opportunities for all this time. Some people explored virtual sports betting. Others looked into casino offers to keep things ticking over. But the lack of football and horse racing has been a huge blow.

At the time of writing, almost 3 months have passed since those final games. Life is starting to get back to normal in some ways. More people are going back to work as businesses start to re-open.

One of the next steps is for sport to start again. This will allow us to take part in matched betting again. When can we expect this to happen?

When Are the Football Leagues Restarting?

The time has come to think about sport again. Now that the worst of the pandemic is hopefully over, authorities are looking at ways to restart.

The German Bundesliga was the first major league to return to action. In fact, they have been playing matches there since mid-May. Games have been played behind closed doors since then. A host of other security measures have also been put in place.

When can we look forward to seeing games in the Premier League? There isn’t long to go before this happens, to be fair. Players are already back in training and getting ready to play.

The Premier League is set to start up on 17^th June. This day will see the 2 remaining matchday 29 games completed. So, Manchester City will play Arsenal. The other game will be Aston Villa vs Sheffield United.

After these games are played, everyone will have 9 games left. These games need to be played to see the final league positions. Will Liverpool manage to hand onto their large lead? It is good to be thinking about these things again.

It is worth remembering this remainder of the 2019/20 season will be behind closed doors. The idea is to let fans see all of the games, though.

So what has been dubbed as a World Cup style event will take place. This means that no 2 games will be played at the same time. They will all be shown on TV, to give people the chance to enjoy some action again.

The current season is due to end by 25^th July. This means getting 90 games played after the 2 mentioned earlier. It is a tight timescale, especially when we remember the FA Cup and European competition. These tournaments also need to be finalised.

June 27-28 has been mentioned as the possible dates for the FA Cup quarter-finals.

The FA Cup semi-finals are set for the 18^th and 19^th July, 1^st August is the proposed date of the cup final. This will see the 2019/20 season finally concluded in England. We can then look forward to the next season starting.

Across Europe, other leagues are looking to start up around now too. For example, the Spanish La Liga should begin on 8^th June if all goes to plan. In Italy, Serie A has a 20th June start date penciled in. Before long, there will be lots of games all across Europe again.

There are still 17 games remaining to play in the Champions League too. It has been reported that they will start on 7^th August. There is talk of these games being played every 3 days in August. The final could be held on 29^th August. This is still to be decided, though.

The Europa league also needs to finish as soon as possible. It was abandoned at the quarter-final stage. Some teams had already played the first leg of this round. A decision on how to finish the tournament is still to be made.

Remember that all of this is to get last season’s EPL and Champions League finished. Next season will then start again almost right away. Some teams are going to have a lot of games coming up.

It isn’t yet clear when crowds will be allowed back into football grounds. Some sources suggest that this could happen by the end of the year. Things should certainly be a lot clearer by then. If it goes smoothly, adding crowds is the next step.

The next few months are going to be jam-packed with games. There will be almost no close season to slow things down either. All of this is great news for matched betting.

You can make up for lost time by grabbing the best offers. It is just a question of getting into the swing of it again. After so long away, you should be bursting to get back into the thick of things.

What About Horse Racing?

Horse racing fans in the UK had 76 days without any races. This drought ended on 1^st June. Zodiakos won the first race in the first meeting since the lockdown. This and a series of other races were run at Newcastle.

The event was held behind closed doors at Gosforth Park. Great care was taken to maintain social distancing among jockey, trainers and the others present. There were just 12 runners in each of the 10 races. Each of the jockeys wore face masks and other security measures were in place too.

This first meeting was followed the next day by two more. One at Gosforth Park and another at Kempton. These meetings are to be followed by others, with at least 2 a day scheduled.

What happens now? The daily racing card will now be back up and running again. Bookies’ shops can’t open until 15^th June. But internet betting is possible anyway. It seems certain that a lot more people discover this approach now.

At racetracks, the first 8 days are going to be limited to essential personnel only. So no crowd of spectators are allowed. After this, we could see a gradual relaxing of the rules if all goes well.

The lack of crowds don’t really matter to us in matched betting. The important thing is that horse racing is back. With bets to be placed, there are chances to make money again. Each Way Sniper is back up and running already!

Will the Offers Be As Good As Before?

With this return to action, matched betting is again on the menu. The big question is whether the offers will be up to scratch. Or will it take time for them to get going?

It seems likely that the offers will be as good as before. In fact, they might be even better than they were. That would be a terrific way to start up again.

There is a good reason for this belief. Betting operators have lost out on revenue for close to 3 months. They will be keen to earn some cash quickly once the action is underway.

Eye-catching offers will help them to do this. They know that punters are drawn to attractive deals. Since bookmaker offers are a vital part of matched betting, we can take advantage of them too.

There are also lots of games and races in very little time. This could be ideal for getting people interested again. No doubt, a lot of sports fans will be keen to start betting again after the drought.

Indeed, the bookies noted more bets than expected at that first race in Newcastle. It is a small sample, but it is sure to encourage them. People have been keen to see some sports and to start betting again.

Another advantage for us is the way that football fixtures fall. As we saw, the current season needs to be completed. Then there is due to be only a short break. After this, the new season will kick off.

This provides the chance to maximise offers. You might get new offers for both batches of games.

The same principles are before still apply. So you can start looking for the best offers. You will then want to pick up some cash by using them wisely.

Better Casino Offers Have Started to Appear

There is more good news for matching betting fans. This is because we have seen something of an uplift in casino offers. These deals can help you to diversify.

Using both bookmaker deals and casino offers is a smart move. This gives you two different ways of making money.

Several forum users have commented on the improved deals. Casinos seem to have stepped up a gear in their efforts to attract new clients. At the moment, it isn’t clear how many casinos have done this.

We can only speculate on the reason for this. Certainly, it has been reported that searches for online casinos are at an all-time high. The lockdown has caused many Brits to look online for some entertainment.

It seems likely that casino operators have seen this increased activity. This has led to them using offers to entice new players to sign up. As with bookies, they know that sweet deals attract new members.

If this is the case it is great news. The more offers the better for matching betting purposes. We know that these deals can be highly profitable. It is a matter of using them wisely.

The big question is whether this trend continues after the lockdown. Will casinos carry on offering juicy deals? If they are doing so because of more public interest then what happens?

Well, it depends what people do next. Will the number of online searches remain high? Or will a lot of players forget about online casinos once life gets back to normal?

Perhaps the switch to online casinos becomes a permanent change in habits. People might decide that they like playing slots and other games. The lockdown could have been a turning point in this respect.

Casino operators will be watching closely, to see what to offer. From a matched betting point of view, we want to see the market remain buoyant.

With more new players, the offers will remain strong. We can then use those same offers to make money.

Nevertheless, now is a good time to take advantage of their latest offers. You might manage to play through a few top offers. Do this before the football gets back into the swing of things if you can.

Ideally, you will then have both sports and casinos. This will let you choose the best one and vary your matched betting. It could prove to be a great second half to a difficult year in this case.

What About the Fears of a Recession?

You will have seen a lot of news stories about a possible recession. There are fears that 2020 could see the start of a global slowdown.

The lockdown has severely damaged the economy here and elsewhere. Production rates have plunged and many businesses are in grave danger of going under. Unemployment numbers are rising and people are going to be short of cash if this continues.

Will this have any effect on matched betting? Your first instinct might be to think that it will. After all, less money in the economy is likely to be mean less betting, right?

We have already seen that more people playing online helps lead to more offers. The natural thing is to think that a recession would damage this market. If people don’t have the money to gamble, there will be fewer offers.

Yet, the relationship between a financial crisis and matched betting isn’t so clear. It might not have as big an effect as you fear.

We can look back at the last major financial crisis to get an idea of what might happen. This was back in 2008. The truth is that betting wasn’t greatly affected at this time.

People who love gambling will generally find a way to do so. I would expect any impending crisis to be similar. Betting shouldn’t suffer too much even if the economy takes a nosedive.

Offers didn’t really decline during the 2008 crisis. Therefore, I don’t expect them to drop much this time either. With a bit of luck, we will carry on seeing a lot of great deals.

Any Other Risks to Be Aware Of?

What other factors should we be aware of? At the moment, there are still a lot of unknowns. For example, a second wave of Covid 19 could lead to sport being stopped again.

Perhaps the biggest risk to matched betting could come from tax raises.

An example of how this could work is when the government needs to address a budget deficit. The huge cost of the lockdown and the furlough scheme has to be addressed somehow.

Might they try to get hold of some extra cash from betting taxes? It might happen, but at the moment it is just a guess.

It is too early really to speculate on this. However, it is something to keep an eye on.

Conclusion

After almost 3 months with no sports, it is good to get back to matched betting. With lots of football games and horse races due, we can expect to enjoy lots of offers.

The next few months are for taking advantage of these offers. But don’t overlook casino offers at the same time. This is a great moment to grab some online casino deals.

The next few months are sure to be exciting and profitable. We can make up for lost time and look forward to ending the year strongly. There are some potential risks to keep an eye on. But at the moment, there is nothing definite to worry about.

The post What Will MB Look Like Once the Lockdown Finishes? appeared first on Mike Cruickshank.

If you are going to play in casinos then the RTP is a crucial figure. This is especially true when you want to grab a bonus.

Yet, not everyone knows what this number is. Or how important it is. The fact is that it is the most important information about any slot.

To use your bank wisely, you need to know all about the RTP you get. After covering the basics, we will look at whether casinos can change this figure. You might be surprised at what you find out.

What is RTP?

The starting point for this subject is in understanding the RTP. This is the Return to Player on a casino game. Therefore, it tells you how much of the wagers are given back as wins. You will see it expressed as a percentage.

It would be wrong to think that this is how much you will personally get back. If a slot has a 95% RTP and you bet £100 what happens? You might get back exactly £95. But it is more likely that you receive more or less than this.

This is because the number is worked out over thousands or millions of games. It is meant to be a guide to the overall return to all players.

The more you play, the closer you should get to this number. If you play thousands of spins, you should be close to that 95% by the end of them. The casino expects to pay out that figure overall but not to every player.

This is how casinos make their money

The RTP ensures that they take in more money than they pay out. With a 100% rate, you would get back what you put in, theoretically.

How could a game lose the casino money in the long run? The RTP would need to be over 100% for this to happen. You will never see this sort of figure. It just doesn’t make sense for the casino operator.

Slots will usually have an RTP of between about 92% and 97% or so. But this can vary widely. Even the same developer can have very different RTPs on all of their games.

Either way, it is the key for the casino to make money. It is also the best way of seeing how to make money as a player.

In this article, we will be looking at the impact of changed RTPs. It is important to remember that this has a massive effect on your winnings.

This is due to the play through requirements on bonuses. You normally need to play through any winnings 30 or 40 times. Sometimes more. Every time that you play through the cash, the house edge takes a chunk out of it.

Therefore, you need to be very aware of this number. It will have a direct effect on whether you walk away with some cash winnings.

Can Casinos Alter the RTP of Their Games?

You need to bear in mind that most casinos don’t develop their own games. They will add in games from third-party software developers. This is why you might see the same games on different sites.

The developer works out the game’s mechanics. As part of this, the payouts and win frequency are included. This will give an overall RTP for the game. If there is a progressive jackpot then the contribution to this may be noted separately.

This leads to an interesting question. Can casinos change the RTP on slots? Or will you see the same RTP on the same game anywhere you play it?

It is clear that the developer builds a certain RTP into any of their games. But casinos can opt to tweak it if they choose to.

Of course, they are most likely to lower it than raise it. It would certainly be nice if they made some RTPs higher. But in this article we are going to see instances where the RTP is lowered.

We can see confirmation of this if we look for examples. First of all, Video Slots confirmed the adjustment to some slots’ RTP. This was for games from Pragmatic Play, Play’n GO, Red Tiger Gaming and IGT. They said it was done due to new tax laws coming into force.

NetEnt is one of the most popular slots developers in the business. Their classic Starburst title is one you will see on many casinos. Yet, the RTP isn’t always the same. The NetEnt site has it as 96%. Video Slots states 94.05%.

Just because you see Starburst, you can’t assume the RTP is what you have seen before. This is just one example, but it applies to other games too.

Some games creators will also offer a number of options to operators. This can often be seen in the product specifications that they create for casinos. In these technical documents, a variety of RTPs is sometimes given.

This allows the casino to choose the option that they prefer. Do they opt for a low RTP for more profits? Or do they want to attract more players with a higher number?

What is more of a concern is when they change the existing RTP. This may be done with a game that is on the site. If they do this, they need to make sure that players can see the new figure. They need to know the updated chances of winning.

Do Some Casinos Show the Wrong RTP?

You may notice complaints on casino forums about the wrong RTP being used. This seems to occur at times when the casino changes to a new platform. They may neglect to update the information to reflect the changes.

This shouldn’t happen, though. The casino has an obligation to show the correct RTP. They can’t show incorrect numbers.

How can you tell if the RTP that is shown is wrong? The bigger the difference, the easier it should be to spot. A small change is going to be almost impossible to spot just by playing. You might only notice after completing a lot of spins.

So, it is difficult to know when this happens. If you regularly play the same game, you may think it feels different. Perhaps you aren’t winning as often as before. Maybe you can see your funds starting to slip away.

But you probably put this down to bad luck. I expect that you need to play a game numerous times to be sure. By then, you could have lost a lot of money due to the switch.

Of course, proving that they have done this on purpose is almost impossible. It might be a genuine oversight. Or it might be a move to earn them more money.

Let’s look at it the other way and consider why they might do it. What does a casino gain from changing the RTP?

Why Are They Doing This?

The simple answer to this is to make more money. A lower RTP means less money is paid out to players. Even a relatively small tweak can make a big difference over thousands of spins.

If they lower the RTP, they keep more of the wagers. It must be tempting for them to do this. Especially if they are going through a difficult time with low earnings.

Yet they need to get the balance right. Punters will leave if they feel that they aren’t getting value. This is especially true if players feel they are being cheated in some way.

Why would casinos run this risk? Are they so desperate to increase their earnings? Or do they see it is an easy way to squeeze more profits out of their games?

Tax Changes

Perhaps the key is in understanding recent changes to the gambling scene in the UK. I wrote a while ago about the FOBT stake cut. This has changed the online betting industry.

Bookies are losing a lot of money from this change. However, many of them own casino sites too. So they could see this as a way of making up for this loss.

Casinos tend to be profitable ventures. But it is now a massively competitive market. There are new casino sites springing up all the time. This makes it more difficult to attract new players.

We have also seen law changes in other countries that have affected profits. In Sweden, some operators have been talking about losing players. Many are going to unlicensed, offshore sites because of the tough Swedish regulations.

The truth is probably a mixture of these factors. Gambling operators are always looking for ways of boosting their profits too.

They might that a slot is very popular but has a small profit margin. This could make it a candidate for a lower RTP. This is just speculation, of course. There is no way of knowing the real reasons unless the casinos tell us.

Is There Anything That Can Be Done to Avoid This?

You can’t stop casinos from switching their RTPs. We have already seen that this is something that they can do. It might not seem fair but we just have to accept it.

However, you can make sure that you are fully informed before playing. This means checking the RTP before you start. In this way, you know whether to avoid a game or not.

Don’t just assume that it is the same RTP you have seen elsewhere. Or that it used to be on this site. You need to be sure that there has been no change to the return offered.

Thankfully, this is something that is easy to check. Don’t just rely on the casino’s summary of the game in the lobby. You can delve deeper to find out the exact figure.

You can do this by checking the RTP on the site you plan to use. It may be found in the information button (i) with the rules. Or you might see it in the paytable. Either way, the up to date number has to be shown on licensed casinos.

If you can’t see an RTP this is a different worry. Is it an unlicensed casino with an unreliable software provider? Some regulatory bodies are also more lax about this. For instance, casinos and developers regulated by the Curacao authority don’t always list their RTPs.

In most cases, you can now see if the RTP is different. Or if it is still the same as you had calculated. Is it still worth playing this slot? Or should you be looking for something else now?

Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face. You might not like the fact that the RTP has gone up. But it could still be the best option for playing through your bonus. You simply want to find the best possible RTP.Without the exact RTP it is impossible to decide what slot to play. The same can be said about having incomplete information. You need to be fully informed with the current numbers.

What Effect Will It Have on Profits?

The reason the RTP is so important is for the difference it makes to your profits. It is easy to underestimate a small change. What is 1% or 2%, after all?

The truth is that it matters little on just a few spins.

Over more spins, the effect on your profits is clear. A lower RTP reduces the estimated value. Even a small difference can eat into your profits.

It is most important when you are taking advantage of a bonus. This is because you are playing lots of spins to free up the cash. This can mean hundreds or even thousands of spins.

If we look at a slot with a 96% RTP what does a change to 94% mean? It means a large reduction in value.

The more spins you play, the bigger the difference. So when does it really pay to find the best RTP? When there is a big bonus and large play through requirements. This is when you need to be especially careful.

Use a different slot

If you do find the RTP is much lower than you expected, find a different slot. Do not accept taking less value.

Are you going to come across lots of slots with changed RTPs? At the moment, it isn’t something that is too common. Most of the games that you play won’t have been changed.

I have only seen it in some casinos up until now. It is most commonly done with Play N GO games. It certainly doesn’t appear to be widespread on all gaming sites yet.

But this could change in the future. It is possible that other casinos start doing this. It is easy to imagine it becoming a common tactic among casinos.

Therefore, it makes sense to get into the habit of checking the RTP. This will be even more useful in the future if this trend continues. For the sake of a couple of seconds extra, it already makes sense.

As I said, it is most important when there is a big bonus in play. It can help you with a smaller bonus, though. In this case, you have more chance of walking away with something.

Are Casinos Allowed to Do This?

You may be wondering whether this is legal. Changing the RTP certainly seems like a sneaky move, right?

Well, there is nothing to stop them doing this. A casino can change the RTP on any game they want to. There is no law to stop them from making this change.

They have to always publish the correct RTP. As long as they do this, there are sticking to the law.

If you see a game with an incorrect RTP that is a different matter. Every casino has to publish the right figure in this respect.

Conclusion

The RTP of a slot is the best indicator of how suitable it is for use with a bonus. The higher this number is, the better your chance of playing through the bonus.

In most cases, this number is as expected. However, the recent trend for changes is worrying. You should definitely keep an eye on this before playing. If in doubt, always stick to the highest RTPs.

The post Can Casinos Change the Return to Player (RTP) on Slot Machines? appeared first on Mike Cruickshank.

One of the effects of the coronavirus outbreak has been in the sports world. While there are greater problems in the world right now, it is frustrating for a lot of people. Sporting events have been put on hold indefinitely.

The public have been urging football players to take wage cuts. Teams are struggling financially with no income and horse racing venues are closed. Football fans are arguing about whether current competitions should be voided. Then there is the effect it has had on punters.

An acute lack of betting has robbed many people of their favourite hobby. For serious bettors, it could mean the loss of their main income source. Either way, it has left a hole in a lot of lives.

The bookies are suffering too. With no sports to accept bets on, they are losing money every day. It is feared that some could go to the wall. Worst of all, no one knows how long this situation will drag on for.

One of the possible replacement being mentioned by some people is virtual sports betting. Is this a way of carrying on betting on games until the world gets back to normal? It doesn’t solve all of the issues mentioned above. But it could help to ease a few of the problems.

How can you make money from virtual sports betting? To find out, we need to take a close look at what it is all about.

What Is Virtual Sports Betting?

This is a simple but fascinating concept that is relatively new. Basically, the bookie lets you bet on a game that isn’t really taking place. Instead, it is a computer-generated event. Two made-up teams or a group of virtual horses take part.

The odds are listed on their site as normal, though. You place your bets in the normal way before a random result is generated. You either get paid out or lose your stake, as in normal bets.

It is most common in football markets. The virtual footie games seem to have struck a chord with many punters. It seems that lots of people are happy to bet on simulated games like this. It looks a bit like a computer game but no one is controlling the players. They are randomly operated, so even the bookmaker has no idea what will happen.

You can also see it in horse racing and greyhound racing, among other examples. It seems possible that the same approach could be used in just about any sport too.

These virtual games can happen at any time. In fact, most bookies will have an almost constant stream of them. You can bet in this way on a 24/7 basis if you want to. There if often just 2 or 3 minutes between matches or races starting.

How Does It Work?

Let’s go through an example, to see how it works. Right now I can see upcoming virtual football games on SkyBet. They have Nerazzurri FC v Verona Wanderers coming up soon. The home team are 8/13, the away team 9/2 and the draw 9/4. They have 5 pools of teams, including clubs and international teams that they use.

I can also see a variety of correct score odds too. You could also bet on the total goals scored and over/under goals markets. There are games like this every few minutes. You can even watch the action unfold live if you want to. At least 4 attempts on goal will be shown over 60 seconds.

Who will win this match? I honestly have no idea. And neither does anyone else, to be fair. The result is completely computer-generated, so there is no skill involved in it.

Most punters will just choose a team they like the sound of, or the odds that they prefer. In the example above, we know nothing about Nerazzurri FC or Verona Wanderers. We can’t take form, injuries and other factors into account.

I then looked at their horse racing selection. I could see a number of virtual events coming up too. One is at Sandunes Park and another is at Dusty Field. They each have a list of runners and their odds. Again, none of these places, horses or jockeys exist.

For example, the 22:08 at Dusty Field has 12 runners. The favourite is Frampton at 5/2. The biggest outsider is called Nook and is at 80/1. You can even see their colours and the jockey’s name. There are typically flat, jumps and sprint races.

Horse races last up to 45 seconds and take place in different conditions. You might see them run at night or during the day, for example.

Greyhounds, motor racing and speedway are all available on here too. Each sport has its own set of rules that you can read. This tells you the basics about stadiums, competitors, how long events last and so on.

Is It Worth Doing?

To be honest, it is good fun to watch the action. It can get exciting near the end. If your team is a goal down and pushing hard you might find yourself shouting encouragement at them. It isn’t like watching a real game. But if you are used to watching computer games you should like it.

If you are missing your dose of sporting events then this is interesting. But can you make money from it? Is there any way to win on your bets?

The bookie’s edge in these games is quite large. This can be as high as 30%. Remember that this is how much that the bookie expects to earn over a large number of bets. You might perform better or worse than that.

You can see the RTP listed on the sites. They vary widely, but on SkyBet I saw between 70% and 85% on horse racing. Football was slightly better, with most markets hovering around 90%. So the odds are stacked against you right away.

William Hill has up to 95% RTP on football. But in some cases it is as low as 87%, which is for the correct score market.

Since it is all randomly-generated there is no such thing as insider knowledge or tips. There are no value bets, as you have no way of identifying overly generous odds. Equally, with no betting exchange there is no chance of using matched betting techniques.

Therefore, most of the usual betting tactics don’t work. We are going to need to find a different way of making money.

So, what if we take all of this into account? Betting on a random outcome doesn’t make sense. The odds are just too much in the bookmaker’s favour for this to work. Is there anything we can do to make this work for us?

What About Sports Betting Offers?

The bookies are keener than ever before to sign up new punters. This is why you will find a lot of virtual sports offers just now. As mentioned at the beginning, they are losing money due to the lack of real-life sports.

At the moment, BetFred gives you £5 in free bets. This is given when you wager the same amount on virtual sports. They also have a daily lossback offer. Their free bet club covers computer-generated events too.

SkyBet gives out a £5 bet for free too. You need to bet £10 to get it. This offer is only valid at certain times of day as well.

Bear in mind that you usually need to opt in to a deal. Don’t miss this step out or you’ll lose the offer.

Also, you can get a deal even if you are already a customer. The key is that you haven’t bet on virtual sports with them before. The offers tend to be specifically for your first time betting on virtual games. Certain others are for repeat customers.

The longer that real sport is stopped for, the more offers we will see. As more and more punters turn to virtual sports, the harder bookies will try. They need the income generated in this way.

How to Use These Offers?

As always, the key is in using these sports betting offers wisely. It can help to look on them as being like casino offers.

The truth is that they are more like casino offers than typical bookie offers. Therefore, we need to look for as much value as we can.

The first step is to go back and look at those RTPs. This is just like looking at the value on slots games. The higher the RTP, the better value the offer. There is simply no point in betting where the bookie’s edge is high.

We have seen that the figures vary a lot. Let’s say that you are using that SkyBet offer. We can look through their list of RTPs to find the best ones. Using football as an example gives us the example below.

You will want to avoid the correct score market. An RTP of 80.65% is too low. Their next lowest number is 87.72% for total goals. On the other hand, the best RTP is 92.59%. This applies to under/over goals and Asian handicap. This is a bit more acceptable.

On SkyBet horse racing, the RTP drops as the field increases. You will want to use races with the minimum of 8 horses. The win market is 85.3%. For each way bets, it drops to 83.3% with an 8 horse field.

Research the RTP

You need to do research in this way for each bookie and sport. After that, you can pick the option with the highest RTP.

Next, we need to see the expected value. To do this, we will look at the SkyBet offer of bet £10 and get £5. With the top football RTP of 92.59%, we can work out the qualifying loss. It is £10 x (0.9259-1) = -£0.74.

Using a 70% retention for the free bet gives us £3.50 (70% of £5). Finally, £3.50 less £0.74 leave an expected value of £2.76.

Another useful tip is to spread the stake. You don’t normally to put large wagers on a single race. If you have a large free bet to use, it makes sense to split it up. This gives you a better chance of winning something. Be sure to check if you can do this. Not every bookmaker lets you spread out the bet like this.

What odds should you choose? As we saw earlier, some bets have very large odds. Others are a lot more modest. If you stick to smaller odds the volatility will be lower.

Use the lowest odds possible for the qualifiers.

Then odds around 4.0 for the free bets bets.

However, in some cases you might find that the expected value makes longer odds worthwhile. This will happen when using the bonus cash. But you still don’t want to go too high. With your own cash, you will always want to keep to the minimum odds.

How Much Can You Make using Virtual Sports offers?

At the moment, there isn’t that much to be earned here. This is because the offers are generally fairly small. Plus, there aren’t as many bookies offering virtual sports as we would like. So, you could be looking at up to £8 in EV from each bookie each week.

If you can do this 3 or 4 bookies it will start to add up over the month. Remember that these offers are fast and simple to complete. The action is over in a couple of minutes or less. You are then ready to move on to the next event.

It is still quite a bit away from what we are used to, though. Is there any chance that the winnings get better over time? It is certainly possible. If the sports world remains on lockdown, virtual sports could carry on growing.

This would see more bookies enter the scene. In turn, this would lead to more offers. As the number of punters increases, better offers might be put in front of them.

What Does the Future Hold for Virtual Sports?

I can’t see virtual sports betting ever becoming as big as traditional betting. Some people probably just aren’t interested in it. Others might notice that there is no skill involved in picking a winner. Once real-life games and races are back, others will go back to them.

Yet, for the moment it is a reasonable replacement for part of our betting approach. I wouldn’t recommend relying solely on virtual sports, though. You aren’t going to win a lot even using the current offers.

Instead, it could work to top up your earnings. Use it together with the best casino offers to keep things ticking over. With a bit of luck, real sports action will be back before too long. Until then, have a look to see if this is of any interest to you.

The post How to Make Money on Virtual Sports Betting appeared first on Mike Cruickshank.

The coronavirus outbreak has affected just about every aspect of our lives in the last few weeks. From work to travel and social activities, life has been thrown off track for all of us. So it is no surprise to see that matched betting has been impacted too.

What does this mean for anyone who currently makes money like this? To understand it better, we need to take a closer look at each different area. Let’s see what matched betting and coronavirus really means for you.

The Short-Term Effects

Some of the biggest news stories recently have announced the cancellation of sporting events. At the time of writing, the English Premier League (EPL) had just announced their latest update. Football in England will be suspended until at least the 30^th of April.

The Champions League and Europa League have also been postponed. Euro 2020 has been put back a year. Golf, boxing and cricket are some of the other sports affected.

As each day passes, more events are cancelled or postponed. For matching betting, this means a chronic lack of events. This means fewer chances to make money. Without sports, this way of making money is incredibly difficult to carry out.

One of the great things about this type of betting normally is the variety. You can usually find lots of different options every day. So, it comes down to how much time you have to take advantage of them all.

It is easy to see now that we take this for granted. Have you ever stopped to consider how lucky we are? Matched betting is hugely convenient and you can do it on the sports and games that you prefer.

Yet, the coronavirus restrictions are making life difficult. The lack of sports action means far fewer things to bet on. This is going to affect your profits, of course.

How short-term will the impact be? The simple answer is that we don’t know. Various dates are being bandied about. But no one knows when sport will start up again.

To understand this, we can take a closer look at some sports. What events have been cancelled and what plans are in place to get them played?

More Details of the Cancelled Events

It is difficult to keep up to date with the list of cancelled sporting events. It is a situation that is constantly changing

However, it is clear that the sporting calendar has been decimated. Here is a brief summary at the time of writing. It might very well have changed by the time that you read it.

Domestic Football – Leagues have been suspended in the UK and most parts of the world. It is expected to be at least June before football starts up in Europe. The 30^th of April date given by the EPL for re-starting seems optimistic. It still isn’t clear whether the current league season will ever be finished. The current leaders may be declared champions or the results may be voided. Liverpool fans are praying that the season can be completed one way or another.

European Football – The current plan seems to be to try and finish the big UEFA competitions. The Champions League and the Europa League were at the knock-out stages when suspended. June and July have been suggested for finishing these tournaments. But that looks difficult right now.

International Football – Euro 2020 has already been moved back a year. It will now take place in the summer of 2021. This is partly to free up this summer to try and finish the club competitions. Copa America 2020 has also been moved to next year.

Horse Racing – The latest news is that all British races are suspended until at least the end of April. Irish races are to continue behind closed doors. It is restricted to one meeting a day, though. The Dubai World Cup will also be behind closed doors, on 21 March. It is worth staying up to date on the latest news in this respect.

Golf – Some upcoming events have been postponed. These include the US Masters and the PGA Championship. 5 tournaments in Europe have been cancelled too. There is no word on the British Open yet. This is due to begin on 16 July at St George’s. There is still some hope that the outbreak is cleared up b then.

Tennis – The French Open has been postponed until September. Wimbledon chiefs are still planning on their event going ahead. Wimbledon is due to start at the end of June. Further updates are likely to be issued in the next few weeks. At the time of writing, it is touch and go whether it goes ahead.

It is clear that most sporting events will be off soon. This situation will be for at least a month. However, other estimates suggest that we will be lucky to see any sport before June.

As mentioned before, this is a constantly changing situation. It is worth looking at the latest news to get the current picture.

Should You Withdraw Funds from Bookies?

We should bear in mind the effect that this has on the bookmakers. With little or no sport going on, they have virtually no income. We can see on the stock market that their shares have plunged.

A lot of punters have been looking around for sports to bet on. The likes of the Turkish football league has attracted attention. It is one of the last to shut down. At the time of writing, they are still going despite the health crisis.

Even the Cheltenham Festival disappointed bookies. Huge crowds flocked to one of the last big events before the inevitable shutdown. However, they are reported to have barely broken even. A second Gold Cup win for favourite Al Boum Photo meant that they performed poorly.

What does all of this mean for the bookies? It seems certain that some of the smaller brands may go bust. They simply can’t go on without any sport for people to bet on.

Bigger names should survive, especially those who have diversified. Some of them earn from casinos and bingo sites too. In the same way, a bookie that operates just online will tend to have lower overheads.

Even William Hill is not safe. Their share price has tanked from 192 on the 21st Feb down to 35 on the 19th March. That should give you a clear indication of how it’s effecting some of the bookies.

When I first started Profit Maximiser, William Hill seemed like an invincible bookie. They don’t look in good health right now, I except a merger of some sort to save them.

Since you can’t place wagers, it makes sense to withdraw your cash. It will be safer in your bank account than in a bookie’s account. I’ve written a guide with the different bookmaker deposit protection levels here.

We will also look in a moment at other things you could bet on. The bookies might make money in these ways. Although there probably isn’t a big enough market to go round all of them.

How to Make Money During the Coronavirus Crisis

There is no doubt that your profits will dip in the next few weeks & possibly months. Matched betting and coronavirus don’t go well together.

With a lack of sporting events, you can’t make the numbers stack up. As we have seen, it will likely be some time before things get back to normal. Worst of all, we have no idea when this will happen.

Thankfully, there are some ideas to keep you ticking over. The following are some of the best ones to think over.

Casino Offers

The best casino offers still work well. It is a good idea to focus on them just now. This is a hugely competitive market with dozens of good casinos. They all have worthwhile offers for you to grab.

If you haven’t yet tried casino offers, now is a good time to do so. They offer a sensible way of diversifying your matched betting. This activity isn’t affected by the current health situation.

In fact, more and more people are going online to play. With self-isolation and social distancing now common-place online sites are more popular. This could lead to a boom in internet casinos.

If more people start playing slots and other games what does this mean? It means more money for the casinos. They are likely to boost their offers too. With lots of new potential members, casinos will be keen to get them to sign up.

If they see a jump in internet searches for casinos, they will be keen to cash in. It is the size of the welcome offer that persuades a lot of people to sign up.

Be sure to check out which slots have the best EV.

Virtual Sports Offers

With no sports taking place in real-life, people are sure to look for any alternative. One interesting possibility is that of virtual sports filling the gap.

This is an industry that has been growing recently. With the coronavirus outbreak causing so many sports to be cancelled, this area may grow.

With virtual sports, the bookies accept bets on a virtual sporting event. This could be a football game, horse racing or any other sport. They then pay out on the final computer-generated results. You might be able to watch the event take place in a virtual stadium.

It may seem like a strange idea at first. But it could be the salvation for some bookies. If enough sports-starved punters switch over, it will keep their revenue coming in.

Could virtual sports offer matched betting opportunities too? We have seen Virtual Sports offers this week from Genting Bet, Poker Stars and Betfred.

This is certainly something to keep an eye on in the weeks to come.

Horse Racing

As noted earlier, this is one sport that is still limping on. You could try using the each way no lay value system.

It is a method that involves a small degree of risk. You also need to follow the process closely. If you do this, it can be rewarding.

You could also look out for horse racing offers. As bookies get desperate to attract bets, they could make their offers more tempting.

Naturally, the fewer races the more difficult it is to make money. At the moment, it is already really difficult to make a profit. Any more cancellations and it will be impossible.

Playing Behind Closed Doors

We looked earlier at the suggestion of playing behind closed doors. This is an approach that has been mentioned in many different sports.

For the moment, it isn’t feasible. If we look at the world of football, there are several players and coached infected. We need things to settle down before sport behind closed doors could be considered.

Yet, this could be a huge success. Sports fans stuck at home will be delighted to see games on TV. Even without a live crowd, it would be very welcome.

It could also be seen as a sign of things starting to return to normal.

Most importantly, we could start to bet again. For instance, what if the EPL started up behind closed doors in May? Almost instantly, matched betting would be on the cards again.

It is likely that we would see huge numbers of people betting again. This could make the markets far more liquid.

The same applies to most sports. It is easy to imagine cricket, basketball, tennis and other sports getting played with no crowd.

Stay Positive

It is clear that matched betting and coronavirus restrictions don’t go together. This makes it a difficult time for anyone who is used to earning money in this way.

Yet, there are far more important issues just now. The banning of mass gatherings and the postponement of sports is vital. These are measures that are created to save lives.

The time will come to make money on matched betting again. This is a method that isn’t going to go away. It simply evolves over time, according to the circumstances.

Just like a lot of people, we are frustrated about not being able to go about our normal lives. However, it is crucial that we all stick to the established guidelines.

Once things go back to normal, we can make money again. We will probably be incredibly keen and ready to work harder than ever. With a bit of luck and with everyone working together, it will happen sooner rather than later.

Matched Betting and Coronavirus Conclusion

The current restrictions have virtually put a halt to matched betting. Yet, there are a few possible alternatives we have looked at here.

Virtual sports and probably going to be bigger in the future. So, now is a good time to find out about them.

Perhaps our biggest hope is for sport to start up behind closed doors soon. In this situation, matched betting can start up again as normal.

For the mean-time it is up to everyone to stay safe and healthy. Do this and you will be ready to make money again before too long.

The post Matched Betting and Coronavirus appeared first on Mike Cruickshank.

You need to feel safe when betting online. Yet, you may be worried about the risk of bookmakers going bust. What will happen to your money in this case? This really depends which bookie you have been dealing with.

To understand how this would work, you need to know about protection levels. What are they and how do they work?

The Worst Case Scenario

This issue was brought sharply into focus at the start of 2020. Betting firm Mo Play was declared insolvent and had their gambling license revoked. The site went offline and they stopped processing customer withdrawals.

You may wonder how they could do this. A statement from Mo Play pointed out clause 9 of their terms and conditions. This clause stated what would happen if they became insolvent. “Your funds would not be considered separate to the other company assets”. This was followed by “and you may not receive all your funds back”.

In this case, it was clearly stated in the conditions of membership. Yet, it is fair to say that most people never even read this. Therefore, now is a good moment to look at the issue of protection levels in detail.

What Does the Gambling Commission Say?

The UK Gambling Commission regulates betting in this country. They state that one of their roles is to ensure customer funds are safe. However, there is more than one way to do this.

For a start, they say that fund protection levels need to be explained in the terms and conditions. Gambling firms need to tell customers what will happen if they become insolvent. As we saw, Mo Play did this. But it didn’t help their punters in any way.

All gambling companies need to keep customer funds in a separate account. But this is no guarantee that it will be refunded to you. Mo Play did this but this didn’t help their customers in any way either.

The next step is to mention their level of protection. The crucial point here is that the bookmaker decides themselves what level to say. The regulatory body doesn’t assign a level of protection to each one. Therefore, the protection level that you see has been decided by the company.

The idea is that this lets you decide whether to bet with them. What level of protection did Mo Play have? Unsurprisingly, it was low, meaning no protection. If more people had known this, they might have avoided them.

So, this protection level isn’t really a guarantee either. However, it is a good sign of how they are of meeting their obligations. The company has to explain the level these chose in their terms and conditions. Yet, most people aren’t aware of it.

The Gambling Commission doesn’t approve these ratings. However, they do state that they might check the accuracy of the rating. It seems a bit of a weak rule, to be fair. A regulatory authority that is so strict on other matters should be tougher on this crucial issue.

What Are the Different Levels of Protection?

It is important that you understand these different levels. They are classed as not protected, medium protection or high protection. The not protected status you might see mentioned as low in some cases.

• Not Protected. This is the lowest level. It was the case with Mo Play. If they go bust, your money is seen as part of the company. It is likely that you lose your cash in the event of insolvency.
• Medium Protection. This is slightly better for your peace of mind. A bookie with this level has some sort of arrangement in place to protect you. This might mean an insurance policy of some type. If they go bust, expect to get some or all of your cash back.
• High Protection. Naturally, this is the best choice. The company will hold your money in an account that is separate from the business. In addition, the customer account is independently overseen by someone like an auditor.

Does the Bookmaker Protection Level Really Matter?

Is it really worth going to the bother of finding out the current protection offered by the sites you use? If so, should you cancel your accounts that have no protection?

This is a personal decision for everyone to take on their own. Some people may feel comfortable staying with a bookie who offers no protection at all. Others might want to immediately change to a high protection bookmaker.

It is worth thinking about your own profile and activity. If you only ever bet small amounts you might be less bothered. Perhaps you never have more than a few pounds in your account at any time. The best idea is to not keep any money in the unprotected accounts.

On the other hand, what if you are serious about betting? You might hold large sums in your account all the time. Perhaps you want to earn from matched betting by squeezing every last offer.

Ask yourself one thing. How would you feel if you lost the money in this account? Would you be furious? Would it ruin your life? People are always advised to never bet with money they can’t afford to lose.

This is solid advice for everyone to stick to. But you might lose the cash through no fault of your own. If the bookie goes bust with no protection, your betting strategy goes up in smoke.

Don’t just assume that the industry’s biggest names all have high levels of protection. They don’t. Some of the biggest household names offer no extra protection. Of course, they will probably never go bust.

Yet, they might. You simply never know when a company might crumble. You could be left feeling foolish if you trusted them purely on their reputation. This leads us nicely to the question of what exactly you should be doing.

What Should You Do?

The first step is to understand this matter fully. Remember that funds in a bookie account aren’t automatically protected. It isn’t like your own bank account, which is protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. There is nothing like this in the gambling world.

Once you are clear on this, it’s time to look at individual bookies. I will look at the protection levels of different companies at the end. You will want to see whether you are currently protected or not.

You are now in a position to make an informed decision. If you currently use a bookie with a high level of protection then great. There is nothing more for you to worry about on this matter.

The medium level gives you something else to think about. This is a decent level of protection for your funds. If you never have huge amounts in your account you might be satisfied. Especially if it is a bookmaker that you trust.

Those with no protection have someone more difficult to chew over. If this bookie goes bust, you could be left whistling in the wind for your money. This bookie has nothing in place to protect you. So there is every chance you lose your money if they go bust.

Would you be happy to carry on with this company? You might decide that now is the moment to try another. Ideally, someone who offers a high level of protection to players.

Then again, you might only put small amounts in here. You might think that it is worth the risk. After all, you could be winning more off them than you could ever lose in the event of insolvency.

What If You Have Doubts About a Bookie?

Sometimes, customers get a whiff of something being wrong early on. The bookie might be slow in paying out. This is especially worrying if they are normally fast. Any change to their process could be a sign of financial stress.

You might also see bigger offers. Betting companies can get desperate to bring in new funds. If they need cash urgently then their offers might get almost unbelievably good. As with most things in life, if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is. It could be one last desperate attempt to stay afloat.

A bookmaker in trouble might also stop answering questions. They might be getting inundated with questions from worried punters. Even the bookie’s staff might be in the dark. Silence from a bookie might be confirmation that all is not well.

Or you might see rumors on betting message boards. People may pick up on potential problems long before they are officially reported. If you have any doubts then check out some forums. You are likely to see it is being discussed on here.

In the case of the bookmaker having money problems, you have a choice. The smartest thing is to withdraw all of your cash. If there are serious doubts about them, plenty of others will be doing this soon. You need to be fast. Don’t wait for them to confirm the problem.

You don’t need to close the account. Just take out the money from it. This will put your mind at ease. Even if the bookie doesn’t go bust, you won’t have lost anything.

What If You Are Too Late to Withdraw Funds?

In this case, the protection on offer is even more important. This is because there appears to be the risk of them going bust with your money. If you haven’t already thought about this then it is now urgently needed.

The truth is that bookmakers hardly ever go bust. This is especially true with the bigger names in the industry. It clearly isn’t impossible, as we have seen. However, it isn’t something that happens very often.

It is more likely that the bookmaker carries on as normal. They might get bought out by another bookmaker or merge with someone. It is more common for this to happen than for a struggling bookie to go under.

Yet, you can’t be sure of this. Unless you have a high level of protection, all you can do is hope for the best.

Some of the other gambling firms to have gone bust in the last few years are as follows.

• Canbet started to worry people with their huge offers. They then started showing signs of delaying transactions, but put it down to technical issues. Finally, they shut down at the start of 2014. Apparently, players lost more than £1 million with them.
• Bet Butler. This site started out in 2011. However, they were soon losing more than they were earning. Bonus amounts started increasing. Their communication with customers also started to disappear. As people rushed to withdraw in 2014, the firm collapsed. It was eventually bought out by Momaco, who agreed to honour all outstanding customer funds,

See the Different Protection Levels for Bookmakers and Casinos

At the time of writing, the following lists show you the current status of each gambling firm in the UK. This may change in the future. Always check their terms and conditions before signing up or making a decision on them.

Not Protected

You might be surprised to see so many names on this list. Even more surprising is the fact that there are so many big names, in there.

12 Bet
138
Betfred
Bet Hard
BetSafe
Bet UK
Betway
BGO
Dunder
Energy Bet
Fans Bet
Fun 88
Genting Bet
Leo Vegas
Mansion Bet
Marathon Bet
Race Bets
Red Zone Sports
Rizk
Sport Nation
Sport Pesa
STS Bet
Sun Bingo
Telephone Betting

Medium Protection

There is also a large number of companies that offer medium protection to their customers.

10 Bet
32 Red
888 Sport
Aspers
Bet 365
Bet Bull
Betdaq
Black Type
Boyle Sports
Buzz Bingo
Bwin
Cheeky Bingo
Foxy Bingo
Foxy Casino
Grosvenor Casino
Heart Bingo
Jackpot Joy
Ladbrokes
Magical Vegas
Mecca Bingo
Mr Green
Net Bet
Party Casino
Party Poker
Sky Bet
Space Casino
Sporting Bet
Sporting Index
Spreadex
Unibet
Virgin Bet
Virgin Casino
William Hill

High Level of Protection

Are you surprised to see that this is the shortest section? The truth is that there are very few companies with this high level of player protection. They include some of the industry’s biggest players, though.

Betfair
Bet Victor
Coral
Gala Casino
Paddy Power
Poker Stars
Smarkets

Bookmaker Protection Levels Summary

If you bet with one of the high level firms, your money is protected. There is no risk of losing cash if they go bust. Medium gives you a degree of protection. Not protected means exactly what it says.

It is up to each player to decide how important this matter is to them. After thinking about it, you can make a decision based on your own situation and needs.

The post What do Bookmaker Protection Levels Mean? appeared first on Mike Cruickshank.

Casino offers provide a great way of earning more on matched betting. If you have been focusing on sports betting then this is something else to consider. Most casinos have decent deals for you to look at.

Yet, you might not be an expert in online casinos. Perhaps you have never used one before. If this is the case, you may be worried about making a mistake. Casinos can seem like daunting places to enter, after all.

Even if you are familiar with them, mistakes can still happen. To make the most of these deals, there are some common mistakes to avoid. The following are some of the main points to be aware of.

Not Checking the EV of an Offer Correctly

There are hundreds of online casinos. Pretty much all of them have offers. These offers are for new players and also so for existing members. They come in all shapes and sizes.

So, we are spoiled for choice. But we can also get confused. You can’t easily compare one offer to another. One might say 100% and the other 200%. But the second one isn’t automatically better. There are other issues we need to know about before deciding.

This means that you don’t need to rush in. Don’t accept any old offer and cross your fingers. Instead, you need to choose carefully. This means looking at the expected value (EV).

This is the figure that tells you what the offer is worth to you. If it is negative then forget it. All you will do is waste your time. It needs to always be positive. The higher this number is the better for you.

This is easily done using the right software. The online simulator at EV Maximiser tells you all you need to know. There is no reason to take a chance on something you don’t understand. Plug in the details and see what comes out.

Even easier, you could look at the list of recommended deals. A list with the EV included will let you choose very quickly. This number isn’t a guarantee of how much you will earn. But it does give you a very good indicator.

Using Unreliable Casinos

If a casino offer seems too good to be true it probably is. Especially if it comes from a casino that you have never heard of. You might end up just wasting time. Or you might even lose your deposit in the worst case scenario.

If it an outrageous deal and you know the brand, look into it. It might be an unmissable offer. Or it might have some terms and conditions that take the shine off it. The key is that with a reputable casino you know they will be upfront with you.

On the other hand, what if it is a casino you haven’t seen before? As we have seen, there are tons of them. You can’t expect to know them all. Naturally, some are better than others.

Fortunately, it is easy to do some research. First of all, do they have a valid UK license? This is what ensures the protection of players. A casino with a license has to stick to a strict code of conduct. You can normally see the confirmation at the bottom of their home page.

A rogue casino with no license can do whatever they want. You have no protection at all. Their offer might be real or it might all be lies. If they are honest and fair why don’t they have a license, though?

You should be aware of non-UK licenses too. Some casinos use them in different regions. For instance, they might use a Malta or Curacao license in every country. It is better than nothing. But it doesn’t give you the protection of a proper UK license.

You could also search for online reviews. It should be easy to see the general feeling people have for the site. If there are a lot of complaints or it is black-listed it will jump out at you. Most sites have a mixture of negative and positive reviews. Scam sites will have far more poor reviews than good ones.

Of course, the best idea is to look for deals on a reputable matched betting site. This will filter out the poor offers from dodgy casinos. It will also cover the last option we looked at, by clearly showing the EV for each one.

How can unreliable casinos mess you around? The offer might be unobtainable because of huge wagering requirements. Or the limit on wins might be tiny. Or they might just decide to not process your withdrawal.

Some dodgy casinos could fix the games too. Basically, if they aren’t licensed you can’t trust them. You have no way of complaining to the authorities either. It just isn’t in your best interests to even consider them.

Choosing the Wrong Games

Some offers give you a lot of flexibility. You might be able to choose any game from the site. In other cases, you might be restricted to certain slots. Either way, you want to choose the right games.

The first thing to do is check the permitted games. Which ones will count toward your play through requirements? Do they count 100% or just partially?

Let’s say that you can only use slots for 100% of the requirements. That is still a lot of games to pick from. You might see hundreds of slots. Some casinos have slots in every genre under the sun. So you need to narrow it down.

The first step is to check out the return to player (RTP). This tells you how much it generally pays out. It is a figure that is worked out on millions of spins. It isn’t a guarantee how much you will earn. But it gives you a good idea.

You can find the RTP for specific games online. Look for reviews or check out the developer’s own site. However, it makes sense to use a matched betting tool. This will show you which slot to use and what stake to put down for best results.

Making the Wrong Bet

Once you have chosen the game, you need to bet correctly. What size of stake do you need to use? This is part of the simulation we just looked at. But you also need to know how to place that stake.

This might not be as easy as it sounds. Casino games are all set up differently. Each software developer will use their own ideas on where to put buttons.

Most slots will have the stake size at the bottom of the screen. You might be able to choose the coin size. Others let you select a number of pay lines to use. In other slots, you can add extra stakes for more features. You can even choose your level of volatility on some of them.

All of this means that each game is unique. You need to take a moment to understand the controls. If you dive in, you might bet the whole lot on a single spin. Work out how to place the exact stake you need. Some people will play a demo version first, to get the hang of it.

Advanced users can use the auto-play function. This makes life easier for you. It also cuts out the risk of accidentally hitting a button between games. You might alter the bet size if this happens.

Not Sticking to the Terms and Conditions

Every casino offer comes with terms and conditions attached. If you break them, you won’t be able to withdraw your money. Worst of all, you might not even realise this. You will only know when you try and withdraw money.

Therefore, the first thing to do is understand the terms and conditions. Is there a maximum bet limit in place? Are certain games excluded? Do you have to complete the play through requirements in a certain time period?

Most casinos will have broadly similar terms. Yet, you can’t afford to take this for granted. Be sure to check their website carefully before going ahead.

The terms and conditions are pretty long sometimes. However, there are certain key points. The main ones are listed below.

• Size of the bonus. This is usually a percentage of your deposit
• Minimum and maximum amounts
• Play through requirements, expressed as 30x, 40x etc.
• Eligible and excluded games
• Maximum winnings
• Max bet size
• Length of time you have to use the bonus
• Free spins amount
• Payment method availability. Some bonuses are only on deposits using certain payment methods.

Not Checking if the Casino is Part of a Network

Some casinos are part of a global network. In fact, many casino operators own more than one site. A good example is the Aspire Global brand. Their network includes the likes of Chilli Spins, Campeon UK Casino, Casiplay, King Casino and a lot more. You could enter one of these casinos without realising this fact.

If it is part of a network this raises some questions. Most important of all, can you claim bonuses on more than one casino? In other words, is only one bonus available across the whole network?

This may seem quite difficult to check but it’s not impossible. The first thing to look for is the name of the operator or owner. This is usually at the bottom of the screen on the home page. After a while, you will get used to seeing the same names.

Next, you can Google their casinos. This is easy to do, as there are several casino sites that gather this information. Just type in something like “Aspire Global casinos”. You can now see how many sites they own.

A further step is to Google again. I typed “Aspire Global more than one bonus”. The first results said that they reserve the right to limit welcome bonuses. It says that “you are prohibited from claiming a welcome bonus at other Aspire Global’s brands”. So now we know not to look at their other casinos.

This is a little bit time-consuming. But it is better than setting up an account only to discover that there is no bonus. As mentioned earlier, you will soon get used to the big names. So, you probably only need to check each operator once.

Of course, this information will also be in the terms and conditions. Yet, with so much information on there, it is easy to miss when you read it.

Not Looking for Winning Caps

I mentioned winning caps earlier in passing. But it is worth spending a bit more time on. This is a condition that can seriously limit your earning potential. Therefore, the first step is to look at the terms and conditions.

If a winning cap in place, you need to see whether it is still worthwhile. Most casinos put some sort of cap on their offers now. However, the exact amount varies a lot.

It is a good idea to re-check the estimated value. Use a lower spin size to see if the offer is still good enough.

Using Low Value Free Spins

At first glance, free spins are fantastic. This is an easy way of trying to rack up some profits. Yet, the terms and conditions can affect you here too.

For example, you need to know the value of the free games. The higher this is, the more you can hope to win. If it is too low then it is a waste of time. You can’t win big prizes with tiny stakes.

A good example is with some recent casino offers. Some places offer 2p free spins. You won’t win enough on them to make it worth your time. You need to focus on bigger offers instead.

Not Being Aware of the Maximum Bet Size

This is similar to the last point in some ways. Are you going to be restricted to a tiny bet size each time you play?

Again, this makes it a lot more difficult to earn a lot of money. You might also need to play many more times to meet the playthrough requirements.

You will see a bet limit on just about every offer. What varies is the size of it. Try to steer clear of really low limits. They are poor value.

Playing Games That Don’t Count 100% Towards the Wagering Requirements

This is another point mentioned under terms and conditions. It is worth going into more detail here, to help you avoid a common error.

When you look at the T&C of a casino offer it will say one of two things. You might see the games that you can use it with. Or you might see the excluded games. In both cases, you should see if some games don’t count 100%.

Since this varies, be sure to take a moment to read it fully. You will want to be completely clear on the games that count 100%. These are the ones that you want to play.

Let’s say that roulette only counts for 50% of the playthrough requirements. What does this really mean? You’ll need to play twice as much.

Imagine the winnings can’t be withdrawn until you complete 40x requirements. With roulette at 50%, this increases to 80x. So, sticking to 100% games saves you a lot of time.

You can choose auto play on some games, such as slots. But some types take longer than others anyway. A slot will tend to be faster than a card game, for instance.

Playing Slot Machines That Are Excluded

In some offers, only certain slots count too. You need to read the list carefully to be sure. Rather than sticking to one game, it is a good idea to be open to new ones. You can check the RTP and volatility of any game that is included.

In terms of free spins, they might only be for use on one slot. The likes of Starburst from NetEnt is a good example. You might see this slot on offers from various casinos.

New slots are sometimes added to offers like this. It gives players a reason to try a brand new title. If this is the case, check it out first. With only one slot to play, you need it to offer good value. If it has a poor RTP then avoid it.

Summary

We can all make mistakes from time to time. This is understandable, especially when casino offers can be confusing.

Yet, by understanding these common errors, you can look to avoid them. There is no reason to make the same mistake that others have committed before you.

Ultimately, you will save yourself time and make more money. Since this is your overall goal, it makes sense to spend a few minutes extra on avoiding these issues.

The post Common Mistakes to Avoid on Casino Offers appeared first on Mike Cruickshank.

You may see the term combining liability used in matched betting. The phrase combined liability is also sometimes used. This is well worth finding out about, as it is something that works to your advantage.

You are likely to notice it when money is removed from your balance on an exchange. This happens after placing lay bets but it might not be the amount you expected. Don’t worry though, as it’s a good thing rather than a problem.

What does all this mean and is it important? Let’s start at the beginning and see what it is all about.

The Basics

To start with, the liability is the amount that you could lose. If your bet doesn’t win then this is what you will lose. With back bets this is easy to calculate. It is simply the amount that you stake on the outcome.

So, a £5 bet with a bookie is a £5 liability. There is no way that you could be liable for more money. No matter happens, you can’t lose more than £5 on the bet. Imagine the chaos is you could lose more than your stake with the bookies. It just can’t happen.

So far, it is very easy to understand. The higher your stake on the back bet, the bigger your liability. But what about the liability in lay bets. This is where things get a bit trickier.

Remember that on a betting exchange you are acting as the bookmaker. This means that you still have a stake. But you also have a liability as well.

The stake on a lay bet is the amount you can win. On the other hand, the liability is how much you can lose. So, you either win the stake or lose the liability.

This can add up to a lot of money. If you are placing several lay bets it can mean a lot of liability. This could be a problem for some people. Thankfully, this is where combining liability can help you out.

An Example

As always, an example can help to make this clearer. Let’s say that you are you placing a lay bet on Liverpool. To keep it simple, the bet is for £5. The odds are 3.0, which translates as 2/1 if you prefer. In this case, the liability is easy to work out – it is £10.

Some people find it easier to think of themselves as the bookie. This means that the lay stake is the same as the bet made by a punter. If Liverpool win, you need to pay out the liability. If they don’t win, you get to pocket the stake.

With the example we just looked at, a punter bets £5. If their bet loses then you win their £5. If they win then you lose the £10 you need to pay out. It is quite a simplistic way to look at it. But it could be useful for understanding the subject better.

The liability for a single bet is easy to see. The big question is how much this liability could reach on different bets. You might think that you add them all up. That would make a tidy sum. Is this true, though?

What Is Combined Liability?

We have now seen what liability is. The next question concerns combined liability. What does this add to what we have already looked at?

Basically, combined liability involves more than one lay bet. You don’t need to add the liability all together. Well, in certain cases you don’t need to.

These bets need to be made in the same market. If that is the case, we can combine the liability from all of the bets together. Your combined liability will be overall maximum that you could lose. This isn’t the same as adding them all together.

If they are not in the same market then this doesn’t apply. In this case, the individual liabilities are just added up.

Again, looking at yourself as a bookie can help. If you have five punters all betting on different winners how much can you lose? Only one of them can win the bet. The others are all going to lose. So there is no chance of your liability being the total of all of the liabilities.

The amount you could lose or win will vary. This depends upon who actually wins. Since the odds are all different, each one has a different liability. Overall though, there is a maximum you could lose. This is the worst case scenario and is your combined liability.

An Example

This is a bit more complicated to work through than a single lay bet. Another example will help us to see it more clearly. The earlier example was for Liverpool. We can now say that it was for Liverpool vs West Ham.

Let’s list all of the possible outcomes.

• We made a £5 lay bet on Liverpool at 3.0 odds. This gives us a liability of £10. If they win we pay out this amount. If they lose, we win the £5.
• In addition, we also placed a £5 lay bet on West Ham. The odds in this case were 2.0. So, we have an extra liability here of £5. This is what we pay if they win. If they lose, the £5 is ours.

Both lay bets add up to £15 in liability. In other words, if both teams won then you would need to pay £15. This means that you would need to have the full £15 taken from your account. This would cover you for losing both bets, a £10 liability and a £5 liability.

However, we know that this is impossible. There is simply no situation in which you would need £15. In this example we are looking at the same game. Liverpool and Spurs can’t both win the same match. So, it is impossible for you to lose both bets.

All you need is the liability of the highest odds selection providing you are staking the same amount.

By combining liability, the most we can possibly lose is £10. Therefore, it is £10 that will be taken out of your account. There is no need for the exchange to deduct more than this.

Does the Order of the Bets Matter?

So far so good, but there is a point to remember when combining liability. This is the order that you place the lay bets in. Is it important for any particular reason? We need to work through the example again to find this out.

We need to go back to the example of Liverpool vs West Ham for this. As we have seen, the combined liability is just £10. This is how much needs to be deducted from your account. Yet, what happens when you place the bets in different orders?

Well, you might place the lay bet on Liverpool first of all. In this situation, the liability is £10. This means that this amount will be taken off right away. You have now had more deducted than the combined liability.

When you then place the West Ham lay bet, the liability does not increase. This is because you are now combining liability on related bets. The good news is that the exchange takes this into account.

On the other hand, you might place the West Ham bet first. This has a liability of £5, which will be deducted right away. When you place the Liverpool bet, a further £5 lay liability will be taken.

The end result is the same in both cases.

A Look at Combining Liability in Horse Racing                                    

While the first example was for football, it can also apply in other sports. Horse racing is a good example of this. You might use a matched betting tool to find several bets in one race. This is a great way to earn risk-free bets.

However, it means putting on a number of lay bets. Combined liability makes it easier for you do this.

Again, only one entrant can win a single race. So if you place lay bets on 3 or 4 horses then only of them can lose you money. This means that you are combining liability as in the football example. There is no need to add up all of the individual figures.

Here is an example of me submitting a lay bet on 5 separate horses. You will see I only need the liability to cover the selection with the highest odds – Centerfoldprospect – odds 7.0 and liability £30.

The process is exactly the same as with the football game we looked at. You can work out the liability for each bet. You then need to work out the combined liability by seeing the maximum you could lose. This is how much will be deducted from your account by the betting exchange.

Combining liability is more important in horse racing than in football. This is due to the number of possible outcomes. Adding up all of the individual liabilities can lead to a big figure. Yet, the combined figure is likely to be a lot lower.

Other Types of Bet

The concept of combining liability works in other markets too. Let’s imagine that you are looking at the top scorer in a football tournament. Or at the winner of a tennis match. Or the team to win a cricket match. As long as you are betting on related outcomes, this applies.

As we have seen, it is more important when you place several lay bets. If there is only one possible eventual outcome, this will keep the final liability low. It is always worth considering this before going ahead with a bet.

Having said that, it only works where there can be a single winner. If more than one bet can win then combining liability doesn’t help you. Therefore, stick to markets where only one entrant can eventually win.

The Advantage of Combining Liability

There are some reasons why combining liability is good news for matched bettors. The first is that you don’t tie up your funds as much. If we look at the example of the horse race this is a good example. The combined liability is going to be a lot lower than the total of the individual bets.

This is especially true if you put on a lot of bets. Without combining liability, it could add up to more than you have available. It is important for bettors who are just starting out. If you have a small bank this can open up more opportunities for you.

This means that it is a way of using your funds more smartly. You can cover a range of outcomes with less risk. So there is a better chance of building up funds quickly.

It also means that you can use your bank for more offers. Rather than tying up too much on one bet, you spread it around. This can let you take advantage of more offers. It also means that you aren’t waiting around for results to place more bets.

This is especially important if you have a lot of small wins. This type of approach means that the volume of bets is vital. The more bets that you place, the more you win.

Summary

The subject of combining liability is well worth knowing about. This is something that directly affects how you use your bank.

Best of all, it is done automatically by the exchange. You just need to place your lays bets and the liability will be combined automatically. All you need to do is be aware of how it affects you. Above all, bet on the same game or event if you want to take advantage.

The post The Facts about Combining Liability appeared first on Mike Cruickshank.

Slots can play a big part in any matched betting strategy. These games give us a chance to easily pick up some tasty profits from casino offers. But you need to understand slot variance first of all.

What is this and how does it affect your strategy? The good news is that it is a fairly simple subject to get to grips with.

What Is Slot Variance?

To start off with, it is important to point out what this isn’t about. This isn’t Return to Player (RTP). While they might seem similar, they cover two very different things. RTP tells you how much a slot pays out overall. A 95% RTP means that there is a house edge of 5%.

The RTP is worked out over millions of spins. It shows us how much the casino expects to make from the money put into it. With the example above, the house would expect to profit £5 from every £100 wagered.

However, it gives us no idea how payouts are made. Do they come as huge jackpots or lots of little wins? Will the wins be shared out over all of the players? Or will one lucky punter walk away with a fortune? This is crucial information, as we will see shortly.

On the other hand, slot variance is related to the size and frequency of the payouts. You may also see it referred to a slots volatility. It’s the same thing with a different name. Variance and volatility can both be used when talking about slots.

The volatility level doesn’t affect the RTP. As we have seen, these are two different factors. If you know one of them you can’t simply guess the other. But it does affect your strategy.

A slot can have a high RTP and a low variance. Or it could be the other way around. Or they could both be high or both be low. The point is that if you only know the RTP you only have half the story. You need to know about the slot variance too.

Some people call this the risk involved in a slot. This is because there is more chance of losing your money on a high variance slot over the short term. High variance means high risk for the player. A low volatility game is less risky, so it is sometime called low risk.

Let’s take a look at how they work in order to fully understand this.

How a Low Variance Slot Works

This is usually a safe and steady type of game. It will pay out quite regularly, but with only modest sums. The biggest prizes on this kind of slot are usually low. You are unlikely to get a huge jackpot on it, for example.

A look at the paytable will usually show small prizes for getting five of a kind. But don’t expect the winnings to build up rapidly. Instead, it is likely that your funds fluctuate around roughly the same level. This is especially true if you are using small stakes.

If there is a bonus round, you will probably trigger it sooner or later. It is just a question of adding a bit of extra cash.

This kind of slots are perfect for beginners. Most losses will be followed quite closely by a win or two. So, you could end up with close to what you started with for longer. You might have a small profit and then drift into a minor loss or vice versa.

Is this a more boring approach? It really depends what you are looking for. It is a smart way of working through bonus funds smoothly.

Anyone who plays slots for thrills might not be so keen on lower risk slots like these. If you want to see huge wins you will be disappointed.

There are few big swings on this sort of game. Unless you increase your stakes a lot, that is. It really just depends what you are looking for. Not everyone wants the same thing, which is why there are different slot variance levels in the first place.

How Slots with High Variance Work

Naturally, this is pretty much the opposite case to the previous point. A high slots variance means that it pays out less frequently. You might spin the reels several times in a row without success. These slots require more patience.

On the other hand, it offers the chance for bigger prizes. You could win a lot more even with modest stakes. Some high variance slots also have progressive jackpots attached to them. These increase the chances of winning a large sum of cash.

A look at the paytable will give you an idea if it is extremely volatile. High volatility slots will tend to have bigger prizes for winning combinations. If you can see huge jackpots then you won’t expect to win them very often.

These high slot variance titles are designed to pay out rarely. This makes sense, as they can’t pay out a lot all the time. There needs to be fewer winning lines if each of them is worth more.

Instead, you are more likely to have long losing streaks. This can be incredibly frustrating to any player. Spin after spin could see no payout and an ever-decreasing balance.

In terms of bonus rounds, they can be really hard to obtain. You could be waiting several hundred spins before you hit one. Yet, when you get them it could lead to some dazzling winnings. Bonus rounds are often fantastic on these slots.

The higher level of volatility means that you are more likely to bust out. There is no way of knowing when you start.

Over a longer time, this will even out. A big win should hopefully see you recover some of the earlier losses. However, the increased risk of the higher slots variance will always be present. In matched betting, the biggest fear is of going bust before being able to withdraw.

Again, it comes down to what you are after. A  matched bettor involved in high risk casino will love high variance slots. For matched betting purposes, this isn’t as suitable for beginners or people with small banks.

What About Medium Volatility Slots?

As you would expect, medium variance slots fall somewhere in the middle. You shouldn’t have to wait for so long for wins as with high variance games. But you probably won’t get them as often as you do with low variance titles.

The wins will also be in between the two extremes. Five of a kind on a payline should give you a decent prize. This will be better than on a low volatility game. But the payouts aren’t going to be as tempting as on higher risk games.

This might suit someone who is undecided over the slot variance issue. Perhaps they like the thought of winning some big prizes. But aren’t so keen on long losing streaks. In that case, they might see that as being a decent compromise between the two extremes.

For matched bettors, how suitable are these slots? Well, a medium variance slot with a high RTP can be worth a try. However, we will look at this issue more fully in a moment.

How to Find Out the Variance of a Slot

Ok, so let’s now imagine that you want to play a certain slot. But you aren’t sure how volatile it is. You might want to find this out before going ahead. After all, you have a strategy to stick to. Knowing the slot variance is a big factor in this.

Otherwise, you might be specifically looking for a certain type of slot. Perhaps you want a slot with low variance and don’t care which one. All you want to do is stick to a steady approach. How can you find out this information?

Slots developers will often note the RTP in the help section or paytable. Yet, don’t expect to find the slot variance given in here. You need to find this information out for yourself. As mentioned earlier, without this detail you only have half the story.

The most obvious approach is to play the game. After a while it should be obvious what kind of game it is. You will soon see if you get regular small wins. Or if you need to wait longer for bigger prizes. Checking the paytable will help too, as we covered a moment ago.

Slots reviews will sometimes mention the volatility level. But they aren’t always completely accurate in this respect. This is because they are often based solely on the reviewer’s limited testing time. Unless they have seen the developer’s specs, they will be guessing or copying other reviews.

For instance, I just typed in “Terminator 2 slot volatility” to Google. Most reviews say that it is medium volatility. If I do the same search for Jack and the Beanstalk, some reviews say medium and others say it is high.

With Mega Moolah, most reviewers agree it is low volatility. But some say it is a medium risk slot. One review even tells us that it is highly volatile. Which of those reviews should I trust?

This makes it clear that we can’t always rely on what reviewers say. It can be a decent starting point, but not much more than that. We still need to find a better way of getting the details we want.

Some developers are known for making games with a low or high slots variance. For example, you might see NetEnt mentioned in this respect. They certainly have high variance slots like Dead or Alive and Gonzo’s Quest. Does this mean that you can class all of their games in the same way?

No, because you will also see some low variance slots from NetEnt. These include the likes of Starburst and Bloodsuckers II. Basically, every developer has a mixture of different slot variance levels in their portfolio.

They do this because they want to appeal to different kinds of player. They know that not everyone wants the same risk level Also, some slots are quite old and others are newer. The developer’s thoughts on slot variance could change over time.

Bearing this in mind, there is only one safe way to find this information. Using an online simulator at EV Maximiser will let you see how volatile the game is. This lets you see how much you should win when using a certain bonus on a specific slot. Just plug in the details and it will show your chances of cashing out.

Why Does This Matter?

The variance of a slot affects the estimated value (EV) that you receive. Using a higher variance slot causes you to bust out of the offer more frequently. This increases the EV as it lowers the average amount of wagering completed. I’ve written a detailed guide that explains more about this here.

Low variance games suit offers with a smaller wagering requirement (x10 or less). As you will win regularly, the funds shouldn’t disappear too quickly. You just want to maintain your funds long enough to cash out.

What if you choose a slot with higher volatility? Well, these are suited to high risk casino offers. However, the risk of going bust before completing the playthrough requirements is also increased.

This means that different strategies can be used, though. Might you want to just stick to low variance? You can hope to withdraw the bulk of the bonus in this way.

Using a high variance slot could mean boosting the EV. But it could also mean losing it all. So it would suit someone who is doing high-risk offers.

The important point is that you know why you choose a certain slot. By understanding the RTP and slot variance, you are going into it with your eyes open. You can pick the right game for your strategy.

Other Things to Look Out For

Of course, casino operators know all of this too. They know exactly which games give you the best chance of winning a bonus. The last thing they want is for you to cash out a big sum of free money.

This means that they sometimes restrict you to certain slots. Take a look at the bonus terms and conditions before you get started. This will show you what you can and can’t do.

You might see that some titles are excluded. Or only count as a percentage of the normal weighting. If this is the case, it is going to be more difficult to play through the bonus. You will want to focus on slots that make it easier for you.

There are also offers focused on a single slot. If you are awarded free spins, they might be for use on a certain game. You need to know more about that slot. Does playing it suit your strategy or not?

This is important if you want to choose the best offers. You don’t want to waste time on offers with a low EV. Understanding the slot variance will help you to make a smart decision every time.

Summary

Slot variance has a direct effect on your matched betting results. Thankfully, it is easy to find out for each game once you know what you are looking for. There is no need to waste casino bonuses once you understand this subject.

The post How slot variance can increase your profits appeared first on Mike Cruickshank.

Everyone knows what accumulator bets are. This hugely popular type of bet brings together different elements in one wager. You might bet on several horses winning their races. Or a selection of football teams all winning their games.

The chances of winning are slimmer than on a single wager. The more bets you include the lower your chances. But the potentially huge wins make them attractive to some gamblers.

Can the no lay accas strategy twist things in your favour?

What Are No Lay Accas?

No lay accas make this type of wager simpler and more effective. You are taking advantage of offers to increase your possibilities of clearing a profit.

If you are used to matched betting then you may wonder when you make you make the lay bet. You don’t. There is no lay bet needed for this. This type of accumulator is just about the back bet as it’s an value betting strategy.

So, you make the back bet on several different wagers. You might pick 5 teams to win their respective matches.

Then you just wait to see if you win. Well, it’s not quite as simple as that. We will also look in a minute at the offers that make this more attractive.

Are no lay accas risky? Yes, the fact that there is no lay bet makes them a higher risk option. You aren’t protecting yourself with a lay bet. The advantage comes from the offers. But they won’t stop you from losing some of your wagers.

There is no doubt that it is thrilling to place a series of bets like this. You will then watch with growing excitement as the results come in one after another.

This isn’t right for everyone. Is it right for you, though? To understand whether it is or not, we need to go into a bit more detail.

Why Should You Not Lay Off Accas?

If you are used to matched betting you may wonder why there is no lay bet here. Wouldn’t it make more sense to place lay bets on your accumulators? After all, it is a tried and trusted method.

The truth is that it isn’t worth the time and hassle. You would need to lay off each lay individually. This would make it a quite a tough task, Instead, you just place the back bet and that’s all there is to it.

Don’t forget that the estimated value of an accumulator offer is about £3 on average. There is just no good reason to lay off these bets as it’s too time consuming.

That doesn’t mean that you get to place bets without any thought. It is a strategy that requires you to place smart bets.

There are still some issues we need to look at next. These include the offers that make no lay accas more interesting and worthwhile.

Types of Offers

Accumulators are pretty high-risk bets. All you need is for one to fail and you lose the bet. This means that it is possible that you lose more than you win. In fact, some people lose far more often than they pick up winnings.

Thankfully, there are plenty of bookie offers that you can use. Choosing a good offer lowers the risk, so let’s take a look at some of them.

• Acca insurance is a great help. This kicks in when only one result from your selection lets you down. In that case, you get a full or partial refund. However, you still lose the full amount if more than one prediction lets you down. If all of them win, you get the full payout.
• Free bets clubs can give you interesting offers. Most of the big bookies have some sort of offer of this type. A high-value accumulator is a good but risky way of using your free bets.
• You might also see some other on-going offers. These include the Bwin / Genting Bet / Mo Play weekly free offer. They are well worth looking out for. The usefulness of each one will depend upon the exact details.

Placing accumulators without any sort of offer increases the risk greatly. These are tough bets to win. Even if you choose a series of hot favourite, the odds are against you.

Bankroll Management on No Lay Accas

You already know that good bankroll management is vital in betting. Is the approach to no lay accas any different from other strategies?

The fact that this is a high-risk strategy is certainly a factor to take into account. This means that you won’t want to put too much on any bet. If you place large wagers, your bankroll could quickly disappear.

I would suggest not using more than 1% on any bet like this. Any more than this and you risk losing control of your bankroll.

Will you bet only on no lay accas? Or will you combine them with something else? It’s up to you, but I would recommend not relying purely on this approach. It is a little too high risk to be the only type of betting for most people.

Something steadier like matched betting will keep the profits rolling in. Adding a few accumulators now and then gives you extra excitement. As well as the chance to pick up some bigger profits too.

As for the individual bets, choosing favourites that have close back odds compared to the Exchange is your best move. You can use a tool like Accumulator Generator that will find the best value bets for you.

How Much Can I Make Each Month?

There are a number of factors to take into account here. For example, how many bets will you place? What offers will you take advantage of and what will your success rate be?

You need to first of all consider how much time you will dedicate to it. Then you can see how many bets you are going to place.

A reasonable profits figure is up to £300 per month after balancing out winning and losing bets. These figures are based on you placing at least 50 or more bets a month. Fewer wagers mean that it might not be worth the effort.

Give it a try for a month or so, to see what sort of figures you can manage.

How Much Time Will it Take?

Some betting strategies take a lot of time and effort. With no lay accas, this isn’t a huge concern. These are quick and easy to place.

Since there are no lay bets, expect this to take about 5 minutes on each bet. As you can imagine, this means that you can place a lot of accumulators if you want to.

However, it is important to stick to your plan and control your bankroll. It isn’t wise to go wild and place too many bets. Keep it steady at the start and look for a pattern to emerge.

Losing Runs

There is no denying the possibility of losing runs with this strategy. This is the type of bet that you just can’t win with every single time. If you expect to win all the time then you will soon get frustrated.

To deal with losing runs, you need to have an idea of how long they can be for. This lets you plan ahead and prepare for the worst. I used an online expected losing sequence calculator to work this out.

At average odds of 4.0 I have a 25% strike rate. This means that if I place 100 bets I can expect a maximum losing streak of 16. This is a pretty long losing run. As you can see, it isn’t right for everyone. Not everyone can handle losing 16 bets in a row.

For a start, you need to have enough bankroll to deal with it. Apart from that, you also need the ability to deal with it mentally. Some people will give up after a poor run like this. Or they might run out of cash.

To get a better idea of the possibilities, I looked at a sample size of 1,000 wagers. This increased the maximum losing sequence to 24. Would you be comfortable going through that sort of sequence?

Knowing these figures will help you to see if this is right for you. You will be going into it with your eyes wide open.

Tips for Reducing Exposure

One of the temptations with football accas is to stick to the same teams. There are probably some teams you expect to always see win. Barcelona, Liverpool, PSG, Celtic, Bayern Munich etc. These teams are usually always at short odds. So it is tempting to rely heavily on them.

The problem this raises is when they lose. Let’s imagine that you put Bayern Munich on all 10 of your weekly accumulators. This is fine when then win. But when they lose, you automatically lose all of your bets. That’s not a wise use of your funds.

For the best results, don’t put the same team on too many accas. I recommend never putting any team on more than 3 accas on any weekend. This gives you a good balance. You can place more bets but without too much exposure on one team.

Looking to the future, your bankroll will increase as you win. This lets you increase your exposure in terms of the number of teams you choose.

Carry on Recording Your Results

Keeping control of your betting is crucial with any strategy. No lay accas can be very profitable. But we have also seen here that they produce losing streaks.

Therefore, good record-keeping is even more important. You should look to record the following basic details.

• Your EV
• Cumulative EV
• Profit / loss
• Cumulative profit / loss

Having access to these figures lets you see exactly how you are doing. This is crucial, as you can control your bankroll in this way.

It is a visual representation that lets you see that things are working. It is even more important that you have this when you go through a difficult period. You will gain confidence from seeing how it has worked in the past.

You might also see patterns for things you need to change here. If your results aren’t what you had hoped for, what is the reason?

Remember that we have seen a couple of important issues so far. The volume of bets and not having too high an exposure to one team are hugely important. There is a good chance that one of these things is letting you down. Can you identify where you have gone wrong without these records?

Just get into the habit of recording every bet. It might seem like a waste of time at first. But this information will come in useful at some point later on. You will also get faster at recording the details and at interpreting the historic numbers.

How Many Bets Should You Place a Month?

I have already mentioned that the volume of bets is important. So let’s go into more detail here about how many of them you should do.

The key point here is that it is up to you. How much time do you have for it? What is your bankroll situation like?

Everyone will have a different number of bets from other people. However, this is a good point to put in some general guidelines to help you out.

I think you should be aiming for a minimum of 50 no lay accas a month. This might seem like a lot. But remember that these bets are fast and simple. At 5 minutes each, there isn’t a huge amount of time needed each month.

There is also the fact that you can take on smaller value offers. £10 offers are worth it, as you don’t need to bother with laying off. This will open up possibilities for you on deals that wouldn’t be worthwhile otherwise.

Above all, it just isn’t worth it to place fewer wagers. The risky nature of them means that you need a decent volume. This is what will see you grab an overall profit.

The Benefits of No Lay Accas

This is a system with a range of benefits. The following are some of the most important advantages to be aware of.

• It is possible to have selections that play at the same time. This is better than the standard accumulator with games at different times. You can look to get more value in this way.
• Save time by avoiding laying off bets. You just need to place the accumulator and it is ready to go. This makes it more suitable for someone with limited time available.
• No need to hold funds in a betting exchange. You will be placing your bets directly with the bookmakers. Yet, you will need to have a fairly high balance with the bookies. Remember that you will lose a percentage of your bets.
• EV is higher than when you lay. This is because you aren’t paying lay commission on winning bets.

Are There Any Downsides to Using This Strategy?

No betting strategy is perfect. The secret is in finding one that is right for you. With no lay accas, you need to look at the downsides. Are they big enough to put you off doing it?

In this case, the biggest advantage is the fact that you will go on losing runs. As we saw earlier, these streaks can go into double digits. That is enough to put off a lot of people. It is understandable that not everyone is comfortable with losing.

If you want a safe and steady approach, this might not be for you. Anyone who hates losing runs might stay clear of accas. However, if you are happy to deal with losses, it is a good strategy.

It is probably best for someone with a bit of experience. If you have used bookie offers in matched betting this will be easy for you. It gives you a different approach to try out and hopefully benefit from.

No Lay Accas: Conclusion

People love placing accumulator bets. This is one of the most exciting ways of wagering in sports. By using the no lay accas strategy and finding good offers, you can make money from them.

It is a way of betting that doesn’t suit everyone. However, if you like the look of it then you can make good money. Stick to the recommendations on here and you won’t go wrong.

The post The Full Story on No Lay Accas appeared first on Mike Cruickshank.

We have looked before at how to adapt to change. This is something that is important in any walk of life. You need to know how to react to big changes that come your way. Standing still and hoping that nothing changes isn’t an option if you want to prosper.

This is something that doesn’t just apply to matched betting. There are sure to be plenty of moments in your life when you need to adapt. However, for the moments let’s look at how to deal with matched betting changes.

What has happened lately to this way of making money? More importantly, we will look at ways to carry on benefiting from it. The good news is that there is still a lot you can do to make money.

Has Matched Betting Died?

I have seen this question several times recently. There’s been heated debates about it on the Profit Maximiser forum. I’ve also seen it being asked on other forums too. So, is it time to say goodbye to this way of earning money? A lot of people seem to worry that it is.

The short answer is no. Matched betting is still going strong. Many of us are still making money from it every week and every month.

There is no need to bid a sad farewell to matched betting yet. It is a money-making method that is still alive and kicking. Plenty of people are still doing it and making extra cash.

Why do people think that it is over then? Maybe it is just human nature. We all fear that a good thing will come to an end. If you have been making good money you might worry about it all ending.

Or maybe you believe that that the bookies have figured it out. Is it possible that they have cracked down on the best strategies? This would be a disaster for you too.

Neither of these fears is justified. It isn’t too good to be true. This technique works and will keep on working. This is because there are solid principles behind it. It isn’t a gimmick or a short-term trick.

In the same way, the bookies haven’t stopped it happening. Because they can’t. We will look at the reasons for this in a minute.

Overall, this is a good time to look at the whole issue. What is still working? Is there anything that no longer works? You can then see which types of bet it is best to start with.

Has It Changed from Years Ago?

You might have seen people saying that matched betting has changed. Maybe they say it was easier in the past. Or that it used to be more profitable for everyone.

Are established traders’ memories letting them down? Could it be that they are nostalgic for golden days that never existed. Well, the truth is that matched betting has changed. It used to be easier to get bigger profits. But that is only part of the story.

The most notable difference is in terms of value. There is definitely less of it around now. Why is this the case? There are some different reasons to bear in mind.

• FOBT stake cut hitting bookies profits. This was a massive source of easy profits for them. Bookmakers have suffered since the lower stake limits were introduced. This has led to them lowering their offers to players. So, this is a factor that affects matched betting but doesn’t really come from within it. It is just one of those things that happen sometimes.
• The popularity of matched betting has been soaring. Just a few years ago, hardly anyone had heard of this method. This meant rich pickings for the few people who did it. Now, the increasing popularity has made it more difficult to earn like before. It still isn’t exactly mainstream. But more people doing it means lower profits.
• The tougher rules on data protection have harmed bookmaker profits too. This has led to sky-rocketing marketing costs for them. All of this has had an effect on the bonuses they can offer. When profits drop, they look for ways to cut back.
• The UK Gambling Commission has also played a part. They have been handing out lots of fines to operators. This typically happens when they break advertising rules. When this happens, they tend to cut back on new player offers. These offers are a big part of matched betting. So we miss them when they disappear.

All of these points mean lower profits now. But it isn’t the end of the road. You can still make very healthy profits with matched betting. It is a question of being more focused. And of getting value whenever you can find it.

Don’t give up because of these changes. They are simply issues to be dealt with. None of them is serious enough to stop you earning a profit. Even if more factors like this appear, matched betting will carry on.

Why Don’t Bookies Stop Matched Betting?

You might wonder why bookies haven’t cracked down on matched betting. Surely they don’t like people getting free money like this? Isn’t there something that they can do?

The problem for them is how to do this. They certainly try their best to spot anyone who has an unfair advantage. This is why it is so important to follow a clever, sustainable system. You don’t want to make it easy for them to spot you.

They will try to stop you if they can. So it is up to you to stay one step ahead. You need to evolve for this reason too. There is no point carrying on with a system that the bookie can catch you on.

Thankfully, there are some tried and tried ways of doing this. The systems we will look at in a minute won’t get you gubbed. Of course, they might stop working at some point for this reason. For this reason, you need to stay up to date on what still works.

Basically, the bookie can’t stop it even if they want to. If we look at the issue of offers, we can see how this works. The bookies need these offers to attract and retain clients. If they stopped them, they would lose more money than they do through matched betting.

It isn’t really worth their while removing all offers. This would stop their flow of profitable new clients.

All they can do is accept that some people will use these deals cleverly. They still come out ahead, as most people waste the offers. For every person who profits, there are many others who don’t.

What Should I Focus On?

So far, we have seen that matched betting is still going strong. We have also seen that it is something that changes over time. You need to understand these basics at the start. But what comes after that?

What is your ideal starting point? You should be looking to get started as smoothly as possible. While also aiming to rack up some nice profits early on, of course.

This means looking at the highest value offers right away. These are the deals that give you big profits. Starting with them will give you a big boost at the beginning. There is nothing like a big win early on to get you going.

Remember to stick to you bankroll limits. You need to be sensible and scoop up the offers that make sense. This doesn’t mean rushing in and making hasty decisions. Yet, you need to get started well. You want to start earning good money as soon as you can.

What are the benefits of choosing the high-value bonuses? These give you the best earnings per hour. That is important for a couple of reasons.

For a start, you will build up your bankroll. This will let you take on more offers and access extra ones. It will also have a positive effect on your confidence. You will see that good money can be won in this way. Even if you don’t spend much time on it, you will see profits worth getting.

Focus on These Offers

You need to start with a sharp focus. Don’t waste time on offers that aren’t worth it. If you do this then you might give up too soon. Choosing the best offers lets you carry on with confidence.

What are the very best offers to take on? Here are some of the main deals you should focus on at the beginning.

• Bet365 2 up. This is a football betting offer that still works well. In fact, it is the most profitable sports deal just now. However, there is the risk of losing runs with it. So, you should only start if you are committed to seeing it through.Basically, this deal pays out when your chosen team goes 2 goals up. Why is this such a good idea for matched betting? Well, what if the back bet is paid out at 2-0? You could still win the lay bet if the other team eventually wins. It gives you that possibility of a bigger win than normal.

• Each Way Sniper no lay. In this case, you can get an average of 20% of the back stakes in profit. There’s lots of value to be found here. With no shortage of bets, you can make a lot of money. It can be done daily.The lack of lay bet means that there is some risk involved. You are likely to hit a losing streak at some point. However, the value involved means that these each way bets should give you decent profits over time.

• Profit Maximiser calendar offers. This is another way to focus on the high-value stuff. You will find a variety of low-risk casino offers. These come with about £10 or more in estimated value.In addition, you will see low-risk sports offers with good value in them. It is a question of getting in the habit. Check out these offers regularly and you will see how they help you.

• Price boosts. This is a fast and easy type of offer. They are never going to make a fortune for you. But that isn’t the point. It is all about racking up good profits day after day. This is ideal if you want a consistent approach.It is the kind of offer you can pick up every day. If you have a busy lifestyle this is perfect. You don’t need to spend a lot of time on it. This makes it easier to fit into even a busy day.

• Lay to lose. This is a clever system that you should be taking advantage of. It is an arbitrage approach. You can either lock in a profit or underlay. Both methods are capable of giving you regular wins for good amounts.There are quite a few bookies that now offer a lay to lose guarantee. The process of placing the bets is easy enough. Just be sure that you are ready to follow the odds at the right time.

Your profits will soon start mounting up with these methods. This means that you will see right away how this works. There is no sitting around for weeks worrying if you are going to make money.

You can also follow the dedicated Facebook thread on this. This will show you where they are posted. Even a newcomer will soon feel comfortable making money like this.

Naturally, there are also other methods you could use. If you have the time, there is nothing wrong with investigating them all. You might find something that suits your personality perfectly.

Yet, I would suggest that these 5 ideas are the best starting point for anyone. They have been proven to work over and over again. What better way is there to start making money and feeling good about it?

Which One Should You Try?

As you can see, we have covered a few approaches above. Each of them has some good advantages going for it. This means that they suit different people and varying situations.

There is nothing to stop you giving each of them a go. You might end up dipping in and out of all five of them. Or else you could discover that there is one or two you particularly like.

The key point is to get started. The sooner that you do this the quicker you will make money. So what’s stopping you? If it is the fear of the unknown then now is the time to conquer it.

These are all easy systems that you will soon get to grips with. There is nothing to fear from any of them. If you still aren’t convinced then prepare to be surprised. These are all terrific money-making methods you can use from day one.

Will They Always Work?

Bear in mind that these are some of the best methods that work just now. That doesn’t mean that they will always work in the future. The bookies might close a loophole. Or they might stop being profitable for some other reason.

Matched betting is all about taking advantage of what is currently available. We can’t be certain what the future will bring. Yet, we can certainly expect it to bring changes. Matched betting techniques have evolved in the past. And they will continue to do so.

All we need to do it adapt to these changes. Once something stops working, we look for something else. This approach has worked well until now. There is no reason to think that it will stop working in the future.

However, you should focus on the present for now. Wring all of the value that you can out of these systems. Once they stop working, I will give you fresh ideas on something else.

Lots of us have been benefiting from matched betting for years now. With the benefit of this experience, we can see how it works. When one door closes, another one opens. The secret is in knowing which door to choose and when.

There is every reason to believe that this a sustainable approach. Matched betting is all about making money day after day. This isn’t a get rich quick scheme. It isn’t about making all that you can today and quitting tomorrow.

If you are going to give it a try then take a long-term approach. You can keep on making money long into the future. Do it well and it will bring you huge lifestyle and financial benefits.

Conclusion

I could keep on posting all day about this subject. However, it is really all about taking the next step and starting. Above, there are 5 simple systems for you to smash the bookies with. Choose one or more and start making money.

It is true that there may not be as much value as in previous years. But you can still make a healthy profit just focusing on a few simple ideas. Get going with matched betting and see how you can make money very easily. You won’t regret taking the first steps.

The post Adapting to Change: Part 2 appeared first on Mike Cruickshank.