What is a betting exchange & how does it work?
They have low commission rates and offer a brilliant alternative to the others, mainly thanks to how slick the app is. Easybet is a 2024 exchange betting platform with a clean, mobile-first design. Matchbook is a UK betting exchange established in 2004, run by Triplebet Ltd. A mobile-only betting exchange launched in 2019, suited to shrewd bettors and traders. If you are looking for the best betting apps based on all factors then head to our main betting sites page to see all UK bookies listed in order of user review. I’ll guide you through and find the most suitable bookie for you.
It’s important to understand what betting exchanges are and how they work before diving in, including understanding how both sides of the market work as well as how to use them to your benefit. This is because although the markets go up early, there’s a lack of liquidity on most betting exchanges until much closer to the start of the event. And thanks to market liquidity, bettors can potentially place quite large bets if they choose on betting exchanges.
You’ll find that all betting exchanges will also charge a smaller commission, although the exact amount will vary depending on the platform – the average is 5%. In betting exchanges, odds are set by users, rather than the sportsbook. To help explain betting exchanges, there are a few key differences that are important to understand. Below are a few key terms commonly used when discussing betting exchanges.
Betting exchanges provide opportunities to find better odds and boast lower commissions compared to the margins of classic bookmakers. The primary reason for the absence of betting exchanges in the US in the past lies in the complex regulatory landscape. Overall, the future of betting exchanges looks promising, with the potential for significant growth. In the UK, Germany, France, Italy and other European countries, betting exchanges are fully legalized and regulated by local authorities. The use of betting exchanges outside the United States is legal and popular in many regions, especially in Europe.
The minimum deposit is often £5, but it can be much higher for some bookies. If you’re content with your current bookmaker but want a change, or you must provide proof of affordability and are looking for alternatives, we have recommendations for similar sites. Diversifying your bets across multiple bookmakers can also mitigate risk. Larger, more established companies typically present lower risks.
With a betting exchange there are no «bookmakers», just punters coming together to place bets. In the name of fairness and objectivity, it’s worth pointing out that of the four exchanges featured in this article, Smarkets is the one with the poorest liquidity. One thing that really surprised me when I took a closer look at the product was the liquidity of its markets, but it’s with explaining what exactly we mean by that. EasyBet uses Matchbook’s liquidity and offers its customers fantastic promotions, along with a competitive 2% commission rate (4% for UK and Irish customers, 2% for Rest of World players). Although there are challenges, such as liquidity and unmatched bets, the benefits of better odds, trading opportunities, and the social elements make exchanges increasingly popular.
That means that you’re not guaranteed to get odds as good as you might get bookies on other exchanges, and that there won’t be as much money waiting to be matched. So, for example, you might be able to place a bet here at EasyBet exchange for £15 at the great price of 4.5 on a greyhound when it’s just 3.8 at a sportsbook. So even when you factor in commission, it’s often worth placing your bets here as opposed to at a fixed odds bookmaker. Whether you’re backing or laying, you can get really good bets on markets that often have overrounds of just 101% or 102%. One of the newest betting exchange sites is EasyBet – another arm of the Easy Group best known for Easyjet airlines and holidays.
With betting exchanges, punters set the odds giving users a higher chance to profit. Instead of punters betting against the bookie, they wager against each other at betting exchanges. Back and lay betting can be used to hedge your bets or to make a profit if you are confident in your knowledge of the event. Back and lay betting is a type of betting that allows you to bet on the outcome of an event and then lay off that bet with another bet.
However, if the liquidity is not present at a better price then it is a false scenario and the sportsbook is the better place to make the bet. Often betting exchanges are lauded for offering better prices in comparison to traditional online bookmaker sportsbooks. As you can see in the table above, a £50 stake on a 3.00 winning selection, provides, £100 profit, which will be taxed at 2% commission, meaning your nett profit is £98 Let’s compare a simple football bet on the exchanges to see how the commission rates affect your nett return