Bookmaker accounts are essential to matched betting. You need to open an account with at least one bookie in order to make any money. And the more bookies you open an account with, the more sign up and reload offers you’ll receive. Sometimes though, these accounts can be taken away from you. Or at least, their usefulness when it comes to matched betting. And unfortunately, it’s all at the bookmakers’ discretion. This post will look at how to avoid gubbing when matched betting. If you’re looking for more info on what matched betting is, check out our full guide.
What is ‘gubbing’?
“Gubbing” is a term used by matched bettors to describe betting account restrictions. Restrictions can include things like:
- not being able to bet more than a few pence on a given sports event,
- being limited to only a small amount of winnings,
- the removal of future promotions such as free bets and early payouts,
- the complete closure of an account.
These actions are obviously undesirable as they greatly limit an account’s profitability. If an account is restricted, it can be difficult to make money. Please note that if your account is restricted or closed, your money should be safely returned to you.
Bookmakers gub accounts in an attempt to ‘punish’ for ‘abusing’ bonuses. Unfortunately, many bookmakers see matched betting as bonus abuse. However, matched betting is a completely legitimate way to use bookie offers.
How to avoid gubbing when matched betting
Unfortunately, there’s no sure-fire advice on how to avoid gubbing when matched betting. However, whilst there are no absolute methods of prevention, there are some things you can do to significantly reduce the chances. Or at least prevent it from happening for a long time.
Obscure markets
The first of these is to not bet on obscure sporting events or markets. Placing a large bet on a televised Premier League football match will be absolutely fine. However, if you place a similar sized bet on a ‘corners market’ within a Bulgarian 3rd division football match, the bookmaker is likely to take note and begin placing restrictions on you.
As a general rule, if you haven’t heard of the teams who are playing, it’s best to avoid the game totally. Instead, select a slightly less profitable matched betting opportunity in a more recognised market.
In the OddsMonkey forum, we list the week’s main sporting events. The idea being that these should be alright to place bets on without raising suspicion. Other key indicators include if the event is being shown on television or the amount of money traded on it at the betting exchange. You should be able to determine if an event is high profile enough to not cause concerns.
Exact amounts
Another method to try to avoid gubbing is to deposit more than the minimum amount. For example, if an offer says to deposit and bet £10, consider depositing £15 or £20. Always depositing the exact amount asked for it could look like you’re just there to grab the sign up bonus and move on. Instead, having a little extra money in your bookie account suggests that you’re likely to stay with them.
Similar to this is to sometimes bet more than the minimum amount required for an offer. For example, if you need to bet £10 to get a £10 free bet, consider betting £15. It may cost you a few more pence to lay it off, but a ‘healthy’ account can be worth so much more in long term profitability.
Arbitrage betting
The third thing to watch out for is arbitrage betting. Arbs are when you can back an event at the bookmaker for a higher price than you can lay it for on an exchange. This results in a profit, regardless of the result. Arbs are often a result of a misprice at the bookmaker or taking advantage of them trying to balance their own books. The small profits you can make before being restricted are tiny compared to the long term profits of a healthy account.
Offer grabbing
Finally, continually using bonuses, offers, and promotions can flag your account up. Therefore it could be worth sitting offers out now and again. Especially if they’re not worth much or if it’s for a sport you have never touched before. Again, not taking a few pounds once in a while can be worth it for avoiding gubbing and long term profits.
Long winning streaks at very high odds can also not help your account health but sadly there’s no way to prevent these from happening.
What to do if you’re gubbed
If your account is gubbed, it’s not the end of your matched betting. Whilst you’ll no longer be able to profit from free bets, you can still make money. As long as your account isn’t stake restricted, you can do things like extra place pay out offers on horse races. These fall under standard terms and not bonuses. They can be especially lucrative and there are often several opportunities each day to generate profits from this method of matched betting.
OddsMonkey has all the tips, training, and tools you need to profit from matched betting, even if your accounts are gubbed. Start your free trial today.
