How long do arbs usually last for?
Arbs only have a limited lifespan once they are discovered. Once an arb is found, large amounts of money start to be bet on the event, as arbitrage traders place their investments.
Bookmakers have trading liabilities on events (a limit to the amount of money that they want to take at specific odds), and once these limits are reached they will revise their odds on the market. It is almost always the case that they will then reduce the odds for the selection that they have seen a large amount of money taken on.
On this basis we estimate that many arbs last for less than 15 minutes. Therefore you need to be available immediately when an arb alert is sent out in order to have a good chance of getting your bets on.
Back to our sports arbitrage frequently asked questions.