A surebet is when the difference in odds between several betting companies lets you bet on all selections of an event and make a profit regardless of the outcome.
Surebets are prohibited in betting companies. Bookmakers find surebettors using special scanners. If surebets are detected, bookmakers reduce the maximum bet size and may block the option to place bets.
How do betting companies find surebettors?
The security staff of betting companies use the same tools as surebettors. They track surebets using scanners, open accounts in different betting companies, and compare event odds in them. So the security service understands what selections deserve close attention.
After finding potential forks, the security service monitors player behaviour. Surebettors all behave in a certain way.
- Large bets. Surebets do not earn players large winnings on their own, so to maximize profits, players place large bets, most often with all the money in their account or for the maximum available amount.
- Large deposits and withdrawals. When it comes to surebets, one of the bets never wins. To keep playing, surebettors redistribute their money by withdrawing it in one bookmaker and transferring it to another.
- Several bets on the same outcome. To bypass the maximum bet amount, surebettors place several bets. This violates the rules of most betting companies, who often prohibit placing several identical bets to exceed the maximum amount limit.
- Account deposit before a bet is settled. If a new surebet appears, surebettors make deposits to their account and place new bets even if they have already placed bets on other events. Betting company customers usually wait for their bets to settle in order to receive their winnings and plan a budget for the next events.
How do betting companies punish surebettors?
If a customer bets for the first time on a surebet or does so accidentally, they probably will not be punished. In the event of repeated violations or signs of deliberate bets on surebets, the security service will limit the maximum bet amount, for example, to EUR 100. With a maximum bet of this size, surebettors do not benefit from placing surebets, because they will only earn you EUR 1–1,5. Also, betting companies have the right to block such customers from placing bets, which is spelled out in their company rules.