How Much Can You Make From Matched Betting [in 2023]

So, you’ve discovered the magical world of matched betting; a world I described at the beginning of my own journey as ‘turning on the free money tap’. 

It feels too good to be true, doesn’t it? Tax free income, that you can earn from home, and it promises BIG money. 

Naturally, one of the first questions that arises is, “how much can I make from matched betting per month?” 

In this post, we will explore the realistic earning potential of matched betting in 2023, and shed light on the effort and strategies required to maximise your profits.

Disclaimer:

It’s important to remember that there are no guarantees in matched betting. How much you can make from matched betting depends on so many factors: bankroll size, your available time, the offers available and more. Your earnings can vary day to day and month to month. The below is a very rough guide; you could earn a lot more or a lot less.

That said, I know ‘it depends’ is a highly annoying answer and you’re here for some numbers! So I will give you some estimated average figures, and some social proof from real life matched bettors. Just keep in mind that these are just examples!

What is matched betting?

You probably already have some idea of what matched betting involves since you clicked on this article, but let’s have a recap:

Matched betting is a tax-free, completely legal way of extracting profit from bookmakers. We do this by methodically taking advantage of their special offers and promotions. 

Imagine an online bookmaker advertising ‘Bet £10, get a £20 free bet’. Or no need to imagine – you probably see the ads yourself every day. 

First, we need to place the £10 bet to qualify for the offer. We do this using our own funds, but don’t panic – here’s our first trick. We place a ‘back bet’ for the opposite outcome on a different site. Now, whatever happens we’re covered, and the two bets cancel each other out.

And now we’ve qualified for a £20 free bet! Again, we use calculated matched betting techniques to extract a deliberate profit.

That’s a very simplified version but there are matched betting services such as Outplayed.com to walk you through it with video tutorials.

You can make around £40 with a free trial to Outplayed to see how it works – and if you choose to become a paid member, they will guarantee your first £250 earnings. Now that is a good offer.

Here’s a video from Outplayed to explain it better:

Matched betting is available to residents of the UK and Ireland over the age of 18.

I strongly recommend you do not go near matched betting if you have any history of gambling problems, or if you have difficulties with addiction or self control. Although matched betting is not gambling, it obviously exposes you to gambling and some people may find it difficult to stop.

How much can you make from matched betting per month

Alright, let’s get into the meat of it. How much can you realistically expect to make from matched betting each month?

For a casual matched bettor, I would say £200 per month is a realistic and achievable target. Most people should be able to achieve this by dedicating just 30-60 minutes each day. Remember, we’re keeping it relaxed and manageable.

To boost your earnings, it’s essential to go beyond the ‘bet and get’ sign-up offers. Some people do manage to make £400-£500 per month, but it requires a lot more effort. You need to be willing to invest time and learn advanced strategies. You will also want to be part of a service such as Outplayed to highlight the advanced promotions.

If you’re ready to take matched betting seriously and treat it as a part-time job, your earnings can potentially soar even higher. With in-depth knowledge of advanced techniques and a strong commitment, some dedicated individuals reportedly make £800-£1000 per month. However, many people will struggle to reach these figures so I don’t recommend aiming this high when you’re just starting out as it is not realistic for everyone.

I arrived at these estimates based on my own experience, and also from reading many, many, many threads on the Outplayed forums and private Facebook group where members discuss their earnings.

Here’s a peek at one such thread, where members are sharing how much they made the previous month (June 2023, last month at the time of writing):

Every month is different

Here’s the deal: your monthly earnings won’t always be the same. Some months will bring in more profits than others. Take, for example, the infamous Cheltenham festival. During this four-day extravaganza, many people double or even triple their usual monthly earnings. It’s like having a mini bonus period! 

On the other hand, you will have quieter months. Many people find they struggle in summer when the football’s off. So take the above figures as averages. 

This is even more true if you do casino offers as part of your matched betting strategy. You could do several dozen ‘free spins’ offers and make 10p, then make £300 in one spin!

I recommend you treat your matched betting earnings as bonus money and don’t rely on them for essential expenses such as paying the mortgage.

How much can you make from matched betting per hour

The experts at Outplayed estimate that you can earn between £10 and £30 per hour with matched betting. 

In my personal experience I would agree – but I would add that I started at the higher end of the scale, and over time ended up at around £10 an hour, as I used up the most lucrative sign up offers and struggled with the advanced offers.

Some people have the opposite experience and find that their average hourly rate soars as they get faster and more confident!

Also, remember that this is tax free! So if you’re thinking £10/hour is less than minimum wage, hold up – it’s actually equivalent to earning £12.50/hour before tax at the 20% basic rate. Not bad for a side hustle you can do at home in the time you’d usually be watching TV.

Keep in mind that this estimation provides a general range and will vary based on your experience, strategy, and the specific offers available at any given time.

Can you do matched betting full time?

Although a few people boast about being full-time matched bettors – some claiming to earn £2,000-£4,000 or even more per month – it’s crucial to understand their methods. 

Most likely, these high earners are using multiple accounts, which is a big no-no. I can’t endorse or support this approach since it violates betting platform rules. Multi-accounting can lead to serious consequences like account closures or even potential legal trouble. Let’s play it safe and avoid going down that path.

In addition, matched betting is not a sustainable or safe long-term income. Betting regulations evolve, promotion patterns change, and you will lose accounts over time. It’s crucial to have a diverse income portfolio and consider matched betting as a fantastic complement rather than your sole breadwinner.

That said, I am definitely not trying to put you off! Matched betting may not be ideal for a full-time pursuit, but it’s a brilliant side hustle. By dedicating just a few hours each week, you can enjoy a nice additional income boost. 

Use matched betting to top up your earnings, add to your savings, or weather tough times. It’s a flexible side gig that brings in some decent extra cash.

Matched betting income over time

As I mentioned further up, you should expect your matched betting income and strategy to change over time.

Sign up offers

When you’re starting out, sign-up offers will be your golden ticket to some serious cash. Working through the sign-up offers with new bookmakers can earn you around £500-£600 in just a few weeks, and these offers are often the simplest and quickest to complete. They provide a fantastic opportunity to kick-start your matched betting journey and see some impressive results.

Reloads

Once you’ve exhausted the sign-up offers, fear not! There’s still plenty of money to be made through reload offers. However, to make the most of these opportunities, you’ll need to expand your repertoire and learn new techniques. Techniques like 2-ups, extra places, and accas can significantly boost your profits – but be prepared for a steep learning curve. This is where a lot of people give up or see their monthly income drop. 

Diminishing Returns

As you delve deeper into matched betting, it’s essential to understand the concept of diminishing returns. 

Initially, you may encounter highly lucrative sign-up offers that can generate £20 or more from a single bet. However, as you exhaust these initial opportunities, subsequent bets may yield smaller profits, often in the range of around £2-3. Also, many of the advanced offers such as 2-ups do not generate a profit every time.

Don’t worry, though—the cumulative effect of these smaller wins can still contribute significantly to your overall earnings. You just need to be fast, do as many offers as you can, and you will come out ahead overall.

Gubbings

Let’s talk gubbings. This refers to restrictions imposed by bookmakers when they cotton onto the fact that you’re taking advantage. You might be stop getting offered promotions, or you might be stake restricted (limits placed on how much you can bet). In rare cases, you may get your account closed altogether.

There are still ways you can extract profit from gubbed accounts, but it definitely limits your potential. Over time, you will likely find yourself gubbed from all the major bookies, which is when many matched bettors hang up their hats.

Changing industry

Finally, it’s important to note the betting industry has seen changes – smaller promotions, quicker to gub – and with it, matched betting is getting harder than it used to be.

Back in 2016, I cleared over £1000 with the sign up offers and I found that £500-£600 per month was an achievable goal even for casual matched bettors. However, now it’s more of a stretch goal due to the increased stinginess in the industry.

Matched betting definitely still 100% effective and viable in 2023. But it’s more important than ever to see it as a side hustle, not a main source of income. Be prepared that it won’t last for ever – but enjoy it while it does!

Factors influencing how much you can make from matched betting

Alright, let’s dive into the factors that shape your matched betting earnings. These little game-changers can make all the difference in boosting your profits.

Starting bankroll

Your starting bankroll sets the stage for your matched betting adventure. You can kick things off with a minimum of around £100, but having a bit more in the pot gives you an edge. 

The reason is that you will have some money stuck in the exchanges as liability for your lay bet (if you have no idea what I just said, you need to join a site like Outplayed to walk you through! And don’t worry, it really does all make sense after the first couple of bets). 

If you start with just £100, you’ll have to wait until your first bet has settled before you can move onto the next one. And that’s fine. But with extra cash upfront, you can juggle multiple bets at once and fast-track your progress.

Bankroll management

Similarly, the more money you have going forward, the faster you can place bets. It can be tempting to spend all your matched betting earnings as fast as they come in, but if you can be patient and reinvest into building up a large bankroll, you can place more and more bets at one time and watch your earnings snowball! Personally I saved my first £1000 to use as my matched betting bankroll (took me around 3 months) and after that I let myself withdraw a monthly profit.

Time

Time is a precious commodity in matched betting. It’s not just about having enough hours in the day; it’s also about knowing when to strike. Saturdays and any major sporting events present golden opportunities to rake in the cash. Weekday mornings for the horse racing offers can be key once you get onto the advanced promotions. If you can’t do these times, you will still be able to make money but it’ll be limited.

Knowledge and skill

Let’s step up our game, shall we? Don’t get stuck in the ‘bet and get’ rut. These are the easiest offers but supply is limited. To carry on earning after the sign-up offers, you need to expand your horizons and embrace the world of advanced techniques. 

Master strategies like 2-ups, money back offers, extra places, and acca insurance to unlock higher profits. The more you know, the more you grow!

Existing accounts

Many people ask if they can still do matched betting if they already have accounts with the bookmakers. The answer is YES, you can! 

For a start, there are over 100 different sign-up offers on Outplayed so I’m sure you haven’t already joined all of them. Secondly, there are endless reload offers for existing customers to profit from. 

However, keep in mind that the sign-ups are some of the easiest and most profitable offers so you will just miss out slightly on that initial bump.

Conclusion: how much can you make from matched betting?

So let’s recap: matched betting is an exciting way to boost your income, but it’s important to have realistic expectations. As a casual bettor, you could aim to make £200 per month by dedicating a few hours per week. 

If you’re willing to invest more effort and learn advanced strategies, you can increase your earnings even further – say £400 per month or more. However, complicating factors, such as time, skill and bankroll required, mean that higher earnings are not realistic for everyone. 

Remember, the best way to succeed with matched betting is to join a site such as Outplayed. They have lists of promotions (updated daily), step by step instructions, calculators, bet finding tools, customer support, and more. They are currently guaranteeing your earnings up to £250! 

So, go out there, make those savvy bets, and let the pounds pour in!

Related posts

Want to learn more about matched betting? Get all your questions answered here:

• Matched Betting for Dummies: Your Questions Answered!
• Matched Betting for a Living: Is it Even Possible?
• Matched Betting Gubbed Accounts: Your Ultimate Survival Guide
• Is Matched Betting Legal?
• How to Make Money Betting Online – WITHOUT Gambling
• Alternatives To Matched Betting: Make Money Online Without Gambling Sites