Betting Exchange Benefits

Betting Exchange Guide Contents
Exchange Intro | Why They Exist | The Best Exchanges | The Benefits | The Disadvantages | What the Numbers Mean

Benefits of Using Betting Exchanges

Betting exchanges offer several advantages over traditional fixed odds bookmakers, this explains why betting exchanges are so popular and also why traditional bookmakers are so keen to be innovative and come up with new ways to keep their punters happy - just take a look at the variety of betting markets available these days.

Live Betting

Since this website's main focus is live betting we thought we'd start here! Betting exchanges provide excellent coverage of live sporting events. You will find their coverage is unrivalled by just about all traditional bookmakers. The reason for this is that traditional bookmakers are unable to attract enough betting volume on smaller live events. This makes it too risky for the bookmaker to run a book on these live events - they could have an uneven exposure. On betting echanges you are betting against other individuals that are not concerned about the volume of bets being placed across all outcomes of the event.

Better Odds

If you visit some of the leading betting exchanges you will find that they claim to offer on average 20% better odds than traditional fixed odds bookmakers. It is true that you can often find much better odds by using a betting exchange. The reason being that you are betting with other individuals who all simply following a hunch - they don't need to ensure they have even exposure across all outcomes.

However, we do also need to balance the argument. For example if you look at the horse racing on the exchanges and compare the odds to a fixed odds bookmaker in a race with say more than 8 runners you will find there are some quite long odds being quoted for the outsider. Often the outsider will have much longer odds on an exchange than at the bookmaker. In contrast though, if you look at some of the favourites you will find the odds are much closer, in fact after the betting exchange's commission has been deducted you may find the odds at the traditional bookmaker are better.

On the whole the betting exchange offers better odds.

Lay Selections

Lets look at a horse race with 14 runners, traditionally you needed to pick the winner. At a betting exchange, you can lay selections, so now you can pick the loser. What does that mean? Well you put the telly on and cheer on the other 13 horses to win - quite a novel way of betting.

Here's another example, lets say you back Liverpool to beat Newcastle at William Hill at odds of 2.0 (evens). The match starts and you are watching it on the telly, throughout the first half Liverpool have been piling on the pressure and the commentators think its only a matter of time before they break the deadlock. Anyhow, half time comes and they still haven't scored. You decide to check out the odds on offer in the live betting markets and you head over to a betting exchange. Due to the pressure Liverpool have been piling on their odds have come in slightly, to 1.75 making them favourites. You are getting nervous, despite all the pressure Liverpool have put on they haven't scored, the Newcastle defence looks solid and Shearer only needs one chance to turn the game. You decide to now lay liverpool at odds of 1.75. By doing this you have hedged your bets. Your original back bet will payout if Liverpool win and now your lay bet will payout if they lose.

The Result
Liverpool have a corner in the 91st minute, it's headed clear, it breaks to Dyer who charges into the Liverpool half, he's delayed by Hyppia, Shearer has time to join the attack, Dyer crosses, Shearer heads, Newcastle score.

Newcastle win the match and your hedge bet has saved the day! Read some of our other guides to work out how much you should stake to optimally cover yourself.

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