Betting Exchanges

In many cases, you can find better odds and lines at the sports betting exchanges than at reduced juice sportsbooks.

Here are some advantages of the betting exchanges:

• Liquidity has improved greatly at some betting exchanges.  You will normally see relatively large amounts of liquidity at better prices at the exchanges than at most sportsbooks.  Sometimes, you may find only small bids offered on the betting exchanges, but at good prices.
• Note that exchange liquidity and pricing often improves as game time approaches.
• Fees vary widely at the betting exchanges.  They may range from 0% to 5% (and more) on winning bets.  These fees are often separate from the actual transaction and vig, so you need to consider these fees when you enter into any sports betting exchange transaction.
• When using sports betting exchanges, you are dealing with other sports bettors.  As a result, you won’t be banned or have your lines shaded if you prove to be a sharp bettor.

And here are some disadvantages:

• Currently, many betting exchanges do not offer “Second Half” lines on many sports.  Offerings on “Totals” in college hoops and other less-popular markets are also sparse.
• Liquidity for “smaller games” is sometimes limited.
• If the line moves suddenly, the betting exchange may not create a new market at the new line immediately.  This means you will either have to go to a sportsbook or pay the adjusted vig.

Value and Liquidity

Betting exchanges look like they will be the wave of the future. Why pay -110 vig when you can deal with a fellow sports bettor and get -103, +100, perhaps even +105??!!  As sports bettors become more informed shoppers, an increasing number of players will migrate to the betting exchanges. This will lead to increased liquidity, improved pricing for players and a self-fulfilling cycle of increased business for the betting exchanges.

One important point to note is that you can use sports betting exchanges in a variety of ways. Some players will shop the lines offered (called offers” on the betting exchanges and then buy up an offer. If the pricing isn’t great, the player might just use their regular sportsbook.  Other players will put out bids and try to see if other players will accept their offer.

Examples of betting exchanges:

• Matchbook
• Betfair
• Betdaq

Disclaimer

We do not guarantee that the trends and biases we’ve found will continue to exist. It is impossible to predict the future. Any serious academic research in the field of “market efficiencies” recognizes that inefficiencies may disappear over time. Once inefficiencies are discovered, it is only a matter of time before the market corrects itself. We do not guarantee our data is error-free. However, we’ve tried our best to make sure every score and percentage is correct.