football trading

[Jonny_Boy]

Anyone care to elaborate on any football systems they use on betfair, specifically in-play trading, for example i've been trying backing the draw before the match with a view to laying at half time when the match is hopefully still a draw, roughly 60% usually are.  At the same time I would lay the favourite pre match with a view to backing once the price is right in-play

Obviously, this can go either way as if the favourite scores early on and then goes on to win I never get a chance to lay or back at the right price

What do people think of this system? anyone got any tips or views on it?

Cheers

[Graham C]

I tried a similar thing with horses a while back. Worked well for the first few days then I started to lose.  I stopped after I realised risking a fiver to get a quid wasn't such a good deal and it was a shock to see that I'd lost about £150 over a couple of weeks - not big bucks I know but it was to me and at only £5 a go, it's a dent.

However, I have started on arbs recently and would advise you go the same way. What's an arb?  An arb (short for Arbitrage) is when you can get odds at another bookmaker and lay at an exchange for less.  For example today I got 6.00 on a horse at a bookies and layed it for 4.8 at Betfair - instant winner with no risk.

It's pretty much the same as you doing really but elimenating the risk.  The downside is that they don't jump out at you and they don't appear for many things.   The upside?  When your game isn't a draw at half time, you're still a winner and also you don't have to limit yourself to the footy. 

Whatever you do, good luck

[Jonny_Boy]

cheers Silo, ill look into it

[ACE2M]

it's very difficult to arb soccer for a huge profit as the in play is dictated by exchange prices. It's only for the very bright and very experienced who can spot a complicated arb very quickly and place and lay the correct bets quick enough.

There are various tools that will alert you to arbs but as there will be hundreds of people lunging for the same bets the arb don't exist for long.

[ACE2M]

just to add if you are looking for arbs, comparing continental bookmakers prices against uk bookmakers in sports which they may well be inexperienced at (snooker/darts etc) you can stumble accross the odd one.

[Graham C]

They aren't easy to spot at all.  The only place I see them on a forum is at rpoints where there is an arb thread but by the time they are posted, they're usually gone.

Best time is in the last ten mins or so before an event starts - the odds on BF will fluctuate a bit then and you can pick some scraps up.  I think the thing with arbs is though you make a small amount of cash each time, it's little but it's often and more importently, there is no risk involved (unless the odds suddenly change mid bet!)


One problem I'm having with them though is that you need a nice BF account in order to lay off.  I'm just starting out on a small BR and managed to offload £130 of my £160 BF account yesterday and now I have to go through the inconvienence of transfering it from a bookies account!

Good point about continental bookmakers though, try US ones too.  UK ones tend to offer worse odds on UK things - shop about.

Oh and www.oddschecker.com may help you a bit too - good for all sports at a lot of bookmakers.

[Graham C]

I've had a thought (only hurt a little)

If you are betting on a draw then laying off at half time, why not just bet on a draw at half time?  You can do this on BF

[Jonny_Boy]

Good point, saves me risking money if a goal goes in during first half

But by backing the draw and then laying at half time I can get a free bet or make profit with no risk