What is Arbitrage Betting?

Arbitrage betting is an advanced betting technique that involves placing a bet at one sportsbook and then making a similar wager at another to guarantee a profit regardless of which team wins. This type of wager is most common with basketball as the game offers a variety of exciting markets with two possible outcomes. However, this type of wager is also great for football and hockey where the odds tend to differ slightly between sportsbooks.

The biggest downfall of this form of betting is that the margins are usually too small to make it worthwhile to spend the time tracking money lines, spreads and totals for major NFL, NBA and NHL games. Furthermore, a sportsbook may notice that you are arbing and ban your account for suspicion of attempting to manipulate their line prices. This is why it is important to only arb at multiple sportsbooks and never at the same one.

Spanky has a unique skill set that allows him to predict line movement and buy back his bets at just the right time. Most people do not have this level of knowledge or power and, as a result, they can often miss out on arbitrage opportunities. However, this method of betting can still be profitable for those that do have the time and patience to monitor price movements and find arbing opportunities. This may not be a lucrative career for most, but it can certainly help to grow a bankroll and supplement a recreational betting habit.