Surebets and value bets: a simple guide
What is a surebet
A surebet (or arbitrage bet) is a set of bets covering every possible outcome of an event, placed with different sportsbooks, that guarantees a profit whatever happens. In tennis there are only two outcomes (player 1 or player 2 wins), so two bets are enough. It happens when two sportsbooks price the same match differently: taken together, the best odds on each side “pay out” more than 100%.
A worked example
One site offers 2.10 on player A, another offers 2.05 on player B. Add up the inverses: 1/2.10 + 1/2.05 = 0.964. That is below 1, so there is a surebet of about 3.7%. With €100 you stake €49.40 on A and €50.60 on B. If A wins: 49.40 × 2.10 = €103.74; if B wins: 50.60 × 2.05 = €103.73. Either way you make about €3.70. SurebetLab does these sums for you and shows the amounts ready to use.
Back and lay (betting exchanges)
On a betting exchange such as Betflag or Vincitu you can back a player, but you can also lay one: you bet that the player will NOT win, acting as the sportsbook. So a surebet can also be built by backing a player with a sportsbook and laying the same player on the exchange at lower odds. In that case the “Investment” column includes the liability of the lay bet.
What is a value bet
A value bet is a single bet at odds higher than the “fair” odds. SurebetLab derives fair odds from the exchange, where prices are set by people backing and laying against each other. If a sportsbook pays more than that, the bet is profitable in the long run, but it is not guaranteed: any single bet can lose.
How to read the page
At the top you will find the opportunities, best first: type, percentage profit, amount to invest and exactly what to do. The “Max stake” column shows the limit set by the money available on the exchange. Below is the table of all matches with every site's odds: the odds to play are highlighted in green with the amount. The page refreshes by itself every 10 seconds.
Frequently asked questions
Is a surebet really risk-free?
The profit is locked in only if both bets are accepted at the odds shown. The practical risks are: odds changing before you place the second bet, different rules between sites (for example when a player retires) and stake limits that some sportsbooks put on accounts. It is best to place the bet on the most volatile odds first.
Why do surebets exist?
Every bookmaker updates its odds on its own and at different speeds. For a few seconds or minutes, odds on different sites can fall out of line: that is when a surebet appears.
How long do they last?
Often from a few seconds to a few minutes. That is why SurebetLab compares odds continuously and refreshes the page every 10 seconds.
Which sites are compared?
More than 20 Italian-licensed sportsbooks plus the Betflag and Vincitu betting exchanges, for tennis only, match-winner market.
Why only tennis?
Tennis has no draw: there are just two outcomes, so surebets need only two bets, which are easier and quicker to place.
Is SurebetLab free?
The public page is free and shows opportunities up to a certain percentage. The best opportunities are in the members area.