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Matched bettingMatched betting basicsBack and lay bettingExchanges and liabilityComplete your first offerUnderstanding 2Up alerts
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Matched betting·2 min read

Matched betting basics

Matched betting means backing something at a bookie and laying the same thing on an exchange. With the stakes calculated correctly, you get roughly the same result whichever way the bet goes.

Where the profit comes from

A welcome offer might ask you to place a cash bet to earn a free bet. You usually lose a little on that first matched bet, then use the free bet to make more than it cost.

For example, if qualifying costs £0.30 and the free bet makes £7.50 after commission, you're left with £7.20. The actual amount depends on the offer and odds you use.

The four terms you need

  • Back: you're betting on the selection to win.
  • Lay: you're betting on that same selection not to win.
  • Lay stake: what you win on the lay before commission if the selection loses.
  • Liability: what you lose on the lay if the selection wins.

In a 90-minute football market, laying the home team wins if the match is a draw or the away team wins. A “to qualify” bet is different. Both sides must use the same rules.

How an offer works

  1. Check you can claim it, including any deposit or opt-in rules.
  2. Check the qualifying stake, minimum odds, allowed markets and deadline.
  3. Find a back and lay match. Put the odds and your commission rate in the calculator.
  4. Make sure you have the back stake at the bookie and the liability at the exchange.
  5. Place both bets at the checked prices. Confirm the lay is fully matched.
  6. Wait for the free bet, then use the right free-bet mode to calculate the next pair.
  7. Add up both stages once they've settled.

What can go wrong?

Wrong markets, moving odds, rejected stakes and unmatched lays can all cost you money. Different void rules can also leave one side running after the other is cancelled. A bet that misses the offer terms may not earn the reward.

See the numbers in Back and lay, then follow Complete your first offer.