How anti-gambling Mio makes his profit from matched betting

After joining Profit Accumulator 15 months ago, member Mio now sticks almost exclusively to risk-free offers. He is closing in on reaching a landmark amount of profit from matched betting ...

Tell us a bit about yourself

My name is Mio and I was born and have always lived in Telford, Shropshire (born before Telford even came into existence!).

I used to work in IT, initially as a programmer but later moving on to other things, until I got made redundant in 2006 after 21 years of service.

Matched betting mistakes and recovery

After a couple of jobs since then I had a complete career change four years ago when I started doing sports massage therapy. And it was one of my clients who introduced me to matched betting and PA on March 4, 2016.

Because he was someone I trusted, I looked into it that evening, joined up, and started on the first two offers.

After only two weeks I cancelled my monthly membership in favour of an annual membership

Had I done them correctly, I would have made £35, but a mistake on the second offer when using the free bet – getting an unmatched bet, not knowing what to do, cancelling the unmatched part – meant I only made £22.

Although this wasn’t quite enough for the first month’s membership, I saw that the process worked, and so I signed up for platinum membership on March 7. After only two weeks, I cancelled my monthly membership in favour of an annual membership.

Gubbed for the first time

Was I sceptical about matched betting? To be honest, I can’t remember, but I suspect not because of who had told me; had I just read about it, I probably would have been sceptical and thought it to just be another scam.

In my first month I made more than £1,000, thanks in large to the Super Monopoly Money loophole on a number of sites. In April, I came back down to earth with a measly-in-comparison-profit of a little under £600, but order was restored in both the next two months thanks in May to a £400 win on a William Hill free scratchcard, and in June thanks to some more casino wins and some fabulous daily offers during the Euros.

The day after the Euros I lost my first big account, Paddy Power. Following those first four months I thought I would comfortably make £10,000 in my first year, but things don’t always quite go to plan and my monthly profits decreased, but still always over £400. May 2017 was my first month where I didn’t make £400, but still over £300.

A change in matched betting strategy

Following a few matched betting and casino losses my attitude to non-risk-free offers changed; I seemed to have made a non-conscious decision to only do risk-free offers.

I’ve never really been a gambler, having never placed a single bet before I joined PA, although I do enjoy challenges and competition, but I am disciplined with my money and I would only spend as much as (or less) than one might spend at a restaurant in an evening, so I just regarded it as entertainment.

I am particularly referring to live poker, which I started playing in 2004. I won in only my third tournament, and then the fourth too, playing a total of 20 tournaments in five months, reaching nine final tables (45%), and winning four.

I regard matched betting as entertainment, and to be able to make money from it is a huge bonus

The only non-risk-free offer I tend to do now is Coral’s Bet £20, Get £20 in-store offer. Matched betting is sold as ‘guaranteed profits’, and that’s what I prefer to do. If it’s not risk-free then it is gambling, regardless of the estimated value. And with a couple of very good mathematicians on the PA team now we are able to lock-in profit on many more offers than we did even 12 months ago.

Closing in on a landmark

Some 15 and a half months on from when I started, I’m nearly in the club, needing just under £200 to reach it; I hope to be able to do that within the next three to four weeks maximum.

I don’t have any plans for my profits, just use it as and when needed. As I’ve already said, I regard matched betting as entertainment, and to be able to make money from it is a huge bonus – wouldn’t be doing it otherwise! I can’t really say how long I spend each day doing matched betting, but I do spend many hours when I’m not working either doing matched betting, reading the forum, learning and trying to help others.

I’ve introduced two people to matched betting and PA and regularly speak with them, helping them where I can, discussing what we have been doing, and generally working out strategies for doing matched betting in general and certain bets in particular, as well as how to look after accounts, although this part is simply speculation as we can only guess as to why we get gubbed.

My matched betting advice? Just do it

My advice to anyone who is thinking about matched betting: JDI – Just Do It! If you do the opening two offers you can easily make between £30-£45 - more than enough to cover your first month’s membership.

Many matched bettors talk about making £1,000 each month. I would suggest to not have any targets; instead just be happy with anything you make over and above your PA membership fee.

I only do risk-free offers and I’m still able to make over £300 each month

Don’t look at £300 for the month and think "that’s not much", instead look at £3,600 for the year and ask yourself would you turn that down if someone offered it to you.

If you start trying to chase £1,000 every month you could end up taking high-risk offers, or even start gambling because you feel that you now know how, and you could well see all of your profits disappear.

Apart from the Coral in-store offer I mentioned earlier, I only do risk-free offers and I’m still able to make over £300 each month.