PUREFORM
Australian Horse Racing
The Edge
We all want to be competitive in everything we do. And no more so that with punting on horse racing.
Success in punting on horses, in fact most things reduces down to an information war - the people with the best information make the smart moves.
Books have been and still are the best source of general information, and this applies at least as much in the art of racehorse selection and staking as in any other field.
Author Paul Segar has produced textbooks which cover all aspects of punting. The books alone stand as a complete reference but also provide 'food for thought'. You can develop / improve your own ideas as well as learn some new techniques.
Each book is written in plain English with plenty of practical examples in each chapter. Browse the contents of each book or email for further information, if required.
Improve your punting knowledge today - buy one or all of these
books.
Read the books but want more? It's time to do a course.
The Pureform Introduction Course uses a computer program to show you how and when to bet and how to do it successfully. Check out the details
The Benchmark Handicapper Course continues from the Introduction Course and gives you further weapons to apply when making quality value selections. More...
The Introduction to Dutch Betting using the Ratings Calculator Course gives you an introduction to betting using the Ratings Calculator computer software. More...
Buy all three books now:
$70 posted
A Guide to Arbitrage Betting with Betfair
The TAB in its wisdom offers "offers" at times, usually during carnivals and give prices above the normal price to tease you into have a bet.
Arbitrage betting, also known as "arbing," is a popular betting strategy where a punter takes advantage of the difference in odds between two or more sets of prices to guarantee a profit regardless of the event outcome.
This article introduces the basics of arbitrage betting using Betfair, BF and a traditional bookmaker, TAB. Arbitrage betting can involve placing bets on all possible outcomes of an event at various odds. If done correctly, a guaranteed profit can be made.
For example:
A bookmaker might offer odds of $2.10 to win.
Betfair, odds for the opposite outcome may be available at $2.00.
These small discrepancies can secure a guaranteed profit regardless of the result.
The offered example for this article is for the favorite, EL CASTELLO in the Penfolds Victoria Derby at Flemington 2/11/2024.
The TAB from memory offered a very generous $6 about this horse winning which was a few points longer than generally on offer, but at the same time limited the bet to $10 maximum, so not generous but is fine for this example.
At the time of the event, BF was offering $3.30 about the same horse losing.
Bet $10 on EL CASTELLO @ $6 potential result if he wins: return $60 for a $50 profit. But no win, ta ta to the tenner. And that's a different tenner to the tenor Luciano Pavarotti.
So what can you do?
The first obvious scenario is to bet $10 on EL CASTELLO to lose @ $3.30
Outcomes
EL CASTELLO wins: Return $60 - $10 stake - $10 BF= $40 profit.
EL CASTELLO loses Return $0 Loss: $0
By laying EL CASTELLO off on BF for the win means you can't lose. You don't win anything if he loses but you also don't lose.
You might think he has little chance of winning so bet more aggressively for the lay bet.
Bet $10 on EL CASTELLO @ $6 TAB
Bet $20 on to lose @ $3.30
Outcomes
EL CASTELLO wins: Return $60 - $10 stake - $46 BF= $4 profit.
EL CASTELLO loses Return $20 - $10 = $10 profit.
In this second case, a profit can be made regardless of the result.
Benefits of Arbitrage Betting
- Guaranteed Profits: If executed correctly, arbitrage eliminates risk.
- Diverse Betting Options: Betfair's ability to place lay bets offers flexibility.
- No Skill Dependency: Unlike traditional betting, arbitrage relies on math rather than predicting outcomes.
Risks and Limitations
- Odds Fluctuations: Odds can change rapidly, which may disrupt your calculated profit margin.
- Betfair Commission: Betfair charges a commission on winning bets may impact your final profit.
- Account Limits: Some accounts on Betfair may be restricted due to certain betting patterns, affecting your ability to lay bets.
Some further features of Arbing will be discussed in a future article.