What is Arbitrage Betting? A Beginner's Guide (2026)

Since the expansion of sports betting in the US in 2018, arbitrage betting has exploded in popularity, with thousands of Americans turning to this smart betting technique to make reliable profits from sports betting.

But many more are missing out, either because they’re not familiar with the concept, or not confident about putting it into practice.

But don’t worry, we’ve got your back! Read on for all the information you need to start your arbitrage betting journey with a bang. We’ll cover everything from what it is and how it works to the best arbitrage betting platforms out there, as well as other techniques you can use to bank profits from sports betting.

So let’s dive in!

1. What is Arbitrage Betting?

Arbitrage betting is a smart betting technique that involves strategically betting on opposing outcomes of a sports event or game to ensure a profit. Also known as arbing or sure betting, its popularity in the US has exploded since the 2018 expansion of sports betting.

While arbing falls under the category of a sports betting strategy, when done correctly it involves zero actual gambling. With the help of smart software that identifies discrepancies between different sportsbooks’ odds, arb bettors can secure consistent monthly profits using this technique.

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What The Data Says

As of 2026, the Arbitrage Betting subreddit alone has grown to over 11,000 weekly visitors. Just a fraction of the total arbitrage betting audience, the growth of this channel mirrors the overall growth of the strategy in the USA in recent years.

- Reddit

2. How Does Arbitrage Betting Work?

Arbitrage Betting in a Nutshell: Step by Step

Making an arbitrage bet is actually a pretty simple process - just follow the steps below:

1. Find an arbitrage opportunity where the odds on each outcome at two different sportsbooks allow you to lock in a profit.
   
   
2. Work out your stakes. Either manually, or with the help of an arbitrage tool or calculator, work out your optimal stakes to produce a profit from this bet.
   
   
3. Place your bets. Place a bet, with your recommended stakes, on each outcome at the two different sportsbooks.
   
   
4. Await the result. Sit back and watch the game, knowing you’ll profit no matter who wins.

Collect your profits. Once your bet has been settled, you can withdraw your funds from the sportsbooks and use your profit however you like!

An Example of an Arbitrage Bet

To illustrate how this process would work on a real game, let’s look at the following example:

1. Find an arbitrage bet. You can search manually, but tools like ProfitDuel’s Arb Matcher make this a breeze by constantly scanning for arbitrage opportunities. In this case, let’s say your software highlights a game between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears, with the following odds at different sportsbooks:
   
   Bears to win: +420 (Fanduel)
   Packers to win: -385 (DraftKings)
   
   
2. You place your back bet of $100 on the first team (the Bears) with Fanduel.
   
   
3. You place your hedge bet on the second team (the Packers) with DraftKings, ensuring that you lock in a profit no matter the outcome of the game. The Arb Matcher works out your optimal stake, and tells you that if you place $413 on your hedge bet at odds of -385, you will make a total profit of $7.27, regardless of which team wins.
   
   
4. Once the game has concluded, you withdraw your profit from the sportsbook.

Understanding the Math

Arbitrage betting relies on discrepancies in odds between different sportsbooks. It’s totally normal for sportsbook odds to vary somewhat, but occasionally these variances offer an opportunity for the savvy bettor to step in, bet on both sides of an event, and secure themselves a profit no matter what happens.

So how exactly does that work?

Well, you may be aware that odds can be translated into what we call ‘implied probability’, which is the percentage chance of an event occurring implied by the odds you see.

Arbitrage betting relies on discrepancies in odds between different sportsbooks. It’s totally normal for sportsbook odds to vary somewhat, but occasionally these variances offer an opportunity for the savvy bettor to step in, bet on both sides of an event, and secure themselves a profit no matter what happens.

In theory, the implied probabilities of all the possible outcomes for an event should add up to 100%. However, because sportsbooks add on a profit margin (also known as ‘vig’ or ‘juice’), the real odds you see on any given sportsbook will generally add up to more than 100%, with the extra percentage forming the sportsbook’s profit.

In the example above, you can see that the implied probability adds up to 105%, meaning that the sportsbook’s vig on this market is 5%.

However, if you could find a market where the total implied probability was less than 100%, you’d have the opportunity to make a profit by betting on each possible outcome.

This is pretty much unheard of at the same sportsbook - but by checking the odds for each outcome across two different sportsbooks, it’s often possible to find markets where favorable odds result in a profit, no matter the outcome of the event.

3. Is Arbitrage Betting Legal?

Arbitrage betting is totally legal in states where sports betting has been legalised. Sportsbooks might not be thrilled about arbitrage bettors, but from a legal perspective there’s nothing at all to stop you from betting across all outcomes of an event.

Be aware, though, that the laws around sports betting vary from state to state. Some states only allow online betting, while others restrict you to in-person betting. The type of betting permitted in your state could have an impact on the profits you can make.

4. What are the Benefits and Risks of Arbitrage Betting?

Benefits:

• Risk Management: arb betting can reduce or remove potential losses.
• Can Produce Profit Regardless of Result.
• Flexibility: allows bettors to adapt to changing circumstances.
• Protects Against Unforeseen Events.
• Benefits From Odds Fluctuations.

Risks:

• Palpable Errors: if a set of odds is extremely profitable, it could be the result of an error - and the sportsbook may void your bet.
  
• Account Restriction: if you only bet on arbs, you may attract the sportsbook’s attention and find your account being restricted.
• Using the Wrong Approach: if you’re looking for significant profits in the short term, you may find that arbitrage betting doesn’t meet your needs.
• Wasting Time: arbitrage betting can be a long process if you have to spend hours manually looking for opportunities and calculating your bets.
• Trying to do it All Alone: without the tools and support of an arb platform, you could easily find arb betting overwhelming and give up.

5. What are the Different Arbitrage Betting Strategies?

The two main arbitrage betting strategies are:

Odds Arbitrage (A.K.A Arbitrage Betting)

This involves tracking down small discrepancies in odds on sporting events across different sportsbooks or betting exchanges, often using specialized tools like an Arb Matcher (or an arb calculator if you opt to find arbs manually). The bettor then places bets on both sides of the event to lock in a profit, regardless of the result.

Pros:

• Straightforward
• Beginner-friendly
• Effective long-term strategy

Cons:

• Smaller profits on each bet
• Takes time to build up profits

Bonus Arbitrage (A.K.A Matched Betting)

Like standard arbitrage betting, matched betting involves placing opposing bets on an event. However, with matched betting you use this technique to unlock a sportsbook promo (like a bonus bet). You then repeat this step with your bonus bet to lock in a profit.

For example: Bet MGM is running a promo offering $150 in free bets when you bet $5. You follow the below steps to lock in a profitL

1. Following the instructions on the ProfitDuel Dutch Matcher, you bet $5 with BetMGM on the LA Lakers to beat the New York Knicks (which unlocks your bonus bet).
   
2. You then bet $2 on the Knicks to win on DraftKings. This matches your bet, and means that you roughly break even on your qualifying bet.
3. Once the game ends, you receive your $150 free bet. You use this bonus to lock in a profit of around $100, through the exact same process, no matter who wins the game.

Pros:

• Simple process once you’ve mastered the basics
• Great availability of tools and software to help
• Possible to earn significant monthly profits

Cons:

• Can be a little intimidating to beginners (though this is mitigated by helpful guides and tools like ProfitDuel’s)

6. How Much Can I Make Arbitrage Betting?

More than anything else, the amount of money you make arbitrage betting depends on your chosen strategy and the amount of time you have available to devote to it.

Most arbitrage bettors make a small profit of less than $10 per individual bet, but by betting consistently you’ll build up consistent monthly profits, forming a great top up for your income.

Ideally, you should combine arbitrage betting with other smart betting techniques to maximize your total profits.

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What The Data Says

"Research covering 11,933 top‑five European soccer matches shows that 19.2% of games offered genuine arbitrage opportunities, demonstrating how often disciplined bettors can lock in risk‑free profits."

- Uni Muenster

7. Which are the Best Sportsbooks for Arbitrage Betting?

Sportsbooks themselves may not be thrilled about arbitrage bettors, but legally speaking you’re completely in the clear in states where sports betting is legal. You can therefore place arbitrage bets at most sportsbooks, but some of the most popular include:

• DraftKings
• FanDuel
• Caesars
• BetMGM
• Fanatics
• ESPN Bet
• Hard Rock Bet
• Bet365
• BetRivers
• Tipico

8. What are the Best Arbitrage Betting Tools For Beginners?

It is possible to manually scour sportsbooks looking for arbitrate opportunities, and do the math yourself to work out your stakes.

But this involves a lot of time and effort, and by the time you’ve found a good arb and calculated your stakes, the odds could easily have changed.

Instead, the best way to get started with arbitrage betting as a beginner is to sign up to a platform like ProfitDuel, where you can access the ProfitDuel Arb Matcher, the best and most complete arbitrage betting tool on the market.

The Arb Matcher: The Ultimate Arbitrage Betting Tool

The Arb Matcher is a powerful tool that scans available odds across American sportsbooks in real time, identifying arbitrage opportunities the moment they appear.

Instead of having to spend hours searching manually, launch the Arb Matcher to immediately view profitable opportunities, with all the information you need to take advantage of them.

Start your ProfitDuel trial today to get instant access to the Arb Matcher.

What Does the Arb Matcher Do?

The Arb Matcher tracks down pricing discrepancies across sportsbooks and turns them into low-risk profit opportunities.

Placing bets on all outcomes of an event at different sportsbooks to lock in profit regardless of the result — without relying on promos or bonuses.

This is pure arbitrage betting, powered by real-time data.

How Does the Arb Matcher Work?

Using the Arb Matcher is simple:

• Step 1: the tool scans thousands of odds across sportsbooks and identifies arbitrage opportunities
  
  
• Step 2: enter your initial stake, and the built-in calculator shows exactly how much to wager on your opposing bet
  
  
• Step 3: place both bets and lock in profit, regardless of the outcome

For example, you might bet on the New York Yankees at one sportsbook and on the Texas Rangers at another — resulting in a profit no matter the outcome of the game.

Why ProfitDuel?

Unlike standalone arbitrage tools, ProfitDuel combines powerful software with structured guidance and expert support, making it the best arbitrage platform out there for beginners and expert arb bettors alike.

With ProfitDuel, you get:

• Real-time arbitrage opportunities
  
• Built-in calculators to remove guesswork
  
• Step-by-step guides and strategies
  
• Access to a community of like-minded bettors
  
• An advanced platform trusted by over 500,000 users across the US and Europe

9. What are the Best Arbitrage Betting Sites for Beginners?

The best and most powerful arbitrage betting site for beginners (or experienced bettors, for that matter!) is ProfitDuel.

Why? Because finding a good arbitrage betting platform relies on three key things:

• Powerful Software
• Easy-To-Follow Guides
• An Experienced Team

And at ProfitDuel we’ve got all three.

The proof? At ProfitDuel, we’ve spent over 15 years of experience helping 500,000+ members across the U.S. and Europe make consistent profits through arbitrage betting, matched betting and EV betting.

With a suite of ultra-powerful matched and arbitrage betting tools, a range of walkthrough guides - from beginner through advanced - and a team of experts on hand to offer support, ours is the most complete arbitrage platform on the market today.

The best part? You can start right now! Get access to all the software, strategies and support you need to start earning from arbitrage betting.

10. What Is ProfitDuel?

Arbitrage betting allows you to lock in profit by covering all outcomes across different sportsbooks. ProfitDuel gives you the tools and data needed to spot these opportunities quickly and execute them confidently.

Trusted by over 500,000 users across the USA and UK, ProfitDuel is the smart betting toolkit built to help you maximize profit and minimize risk. We equip our members with real-time data, cutting-edge tools and expert support to help our members make consistent profits through strategy, not luck.

Centered around proven techniques like matched betting, arbitrage betting, and value betting (EV betting), our betting calculators, betting tools and live market data make it easy to spot hidden edges and turn them into profit.

From converting sportsbook promos and casino bonuses into cash to maximizing your long-term winnings using EV software, we’ve got you covered.

Whether you’re an experienced bettor sharpening your edge or a beginner looking for a profitable side hustle, ProfitDuel gives you the software, systems and expert support to boost your monthly earnings with confidence. Because the smartest way to bet isn’t gambling — it’s strategy.