A sports betting system is a combination of parlays involving 3 or more events. Let's break down what this means with examples. Is it worth betting using a system?
Bookmakers are ready to offer a wide variety of sports bets – singles, totals, handicaps, exact score, parlays, and more. Beginners can easily get confused by the vast options available. In this article, we’ll explain what a betting system is, how it works, and provide some tips for using it effectively. If you're looking for reliable platforms, check out the top betting platforms for the best odds and variety of betting options.
General Information
The betting system is not very popular among bookmakers. This is because its calculation process is quite complicated, and beginners often struggle to understand it, or they simply don’t want to spend time figuring it out.
A betting system is a combination of parlays. The key feature of system bets is that you don’t have to predict every outcome correctly in order to win, which significantly increases the chances of a payout.
System bets come in different sizes. For example, 2 out of 3 or 3 out of 4. The first number indicates how many parlays are included, while the second represents the total number of results. For instance, if a user places a bet on a 5-out-of-6 system, this means that 5 parlays will be created from different combinations of 6 outcomes. The stake is evenly distributed among the parlays.
Calculation Principle
To fully understand the sports betting system in bookmakers, let's use an example. For simplicity, we’ll consider a 3-out-of-4 system where the user has placed 400 rubles. The following events were selected for the bet:
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Barcelona to beat Real Madrid — 1.8
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Chelsea to beat Arsenal — 2.0
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Liverpool to draw with Manchester City — 3.0
From these events, according to the betting system rules, 3 parlays were formed, with 100 rubles placed on each.
Betting Limitations
Every bookmaker has its own rules for sports betting, which all players must follow. Here, you can find information explaining what a betting system is, along with calculations and examples from the bookmaker.
Overall, the rules for legal bookmakers are similar. Below, we highlight some basic limitations:
Maximum Number of Outcomes
A system bet can include up to 12–20 outcomes, depending on the bookmaker’s rules. If the user attempts to add too many matches, the bookmaker will simply prevent the bet from being placed. We recommend not creating systems with more than 6–8 events.
Minimum of 3 Events
While a parlay requires just 2 outcomes, a system bet must include at least 3 events.
Minimum Stake Amount
The minimum stake usually ranges from 20 to 100 rubles. However, each bookmaker has its own specific rules.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Now that we've explained what a betting system is, let's review the pros and cons of this type of bet.
Advantages:
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Insurance: For fans of parlays, a system can be a lifesaver. Instead of manually creating multiple parlays, it's much easier to form a single system bet. Moreover, there are different system sizes, such as 2-out-of-6, which gives the player 15 different parlay options.
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High Odds: While the potential payout is slightly lower than a parlay, it still remains at a high level. In case of a win, the bet amount can be multiplied by 2 or 3 times.
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Wide Range of Sports: A system bet works for football, hockey, tennis, and other sports. Most bookmakers offer this option.
Disadvantages:
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Increased Margin: Along with the odds, the bookmaker's margin is also multiplied. This means that, over time, the player is more likely to experience losses.
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Uncertain Payouts: When placing the bet, the player can only predict the potential payout. Since a system consists of multiple parlays, the payout may not be what the player expects. For instance, if low-odds outcomes are chosen, even if some parlays win, the player may still end up losing.
How to Beat the Bookmaker
There are many strategies and approaches that can increase bettors' chances of placing a successful bet. It's important to understand the existing options, their features, and which strategy works best for you. This is a key moment – selecting the right strategy that allows you to feel comfortable on a bookmaker's site, understand what you're doing, and get consistent results.
Arbitrage Betting: An Effective Way to Beat the Bookmaker
Arbitrage betting is a popular strategy used by many bettors. It’s perfect for those who want to earn money without taking too much risk. Here’s how it works: the bettor selects two or three reliable and trustworthy bookmakers who always pay their clients. Then, they place bets on identical events but with opposite outcomes. If the right sporting event is chosen, the bettor can guarantee a profit, regardless of the outcome.
However, this strategy has its drawbacks:
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Difficulty in selecting the right sporting event for arbitrage betting.
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A bet might be voided by a second bookmaker.
The latter happens frequently, which makes arbitrage betting less reliable for guaranteeing profits.
Line Movement
Experienced bettors know how bookmaker odds constantly change based on ongoing sporting events and results. To learn how to beat the bookmaker, it’s crucial to pay attention to these odds.
Bettors can take advantage of the fact that most bookmaker sites update their odds slowly. This situation allows savvy bettors to catch favorable odds and place a successful bet with a chance for a higher payout.
This strategy is quite effective and commonly used by bettors. However, it also comes with some risks:
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Account blocking.
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Risk of losing bets.
Value betting doesn’t guarantee victory. While it improves the odds of success, the risk is always present. Therefore, caution is essential.
