How to find arbitrage bets
When two sportsbooks disagree enough on a game, betting both sides can lock in a small profit — if you get both bets down in time.
A worked example
Say one book has Team A at +120 while another has Team B at -105. Split $100 between the two sides in the right proportion and either result returns $103.44 — $3.44 more than you put in.
The catch: those prices move within seconds, and books cap how much you can stake. The $3.44 only exists if both bets land at the prices above — miss the second one and you are holding one ordinary bet with ordinary risk.
| What you bet | Price | Your stake | Returns if it wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team A at Book A | +120 | $47.02 | $103.44 |
| Team B at Book B | -105 | $52.98 | $103.44 |
Team A at Book A
- Price
- +120
- Your stake
- $47.02
- Returns if it wins
- $103.44
Team B at Book B
- Price
- -105
- Your stake
- $52.98
- Returns if it wins
- $103.44
Why two books price the same game differently
Each book moves its prices on its own customers' bets, not on the wider market. Books that take big bets from professionals react to news first; books built for casual bettors catch up more slowly. The gap between them is the arbitrage.
The biggest gaps follow news: injury reports, weather, and starting-pitcher announcements.
Common questions
How often do arbitrage bets appear?
Across 20+ US books, dozens surface daily on games with two possible results — most lasting 30 seconds to five minutes. Games with three (soccer, where a draw is possible) are rarer, but the gaps tend to be bigger.
How much money do I need to start?
You can start with $1,000–2,000 spread across four to six books. A bigger balance catches bigger gaps, because each book caps how much you can stake on one side.
What about bonuses and promos?
Offers like 'bet $50, get $50' can be played on both sides the same way, and the amount you can lock in is usually larger because the book is funding part of your stake. It depends entirely on the offer's terms.