Should I place stakes like £34.53 or should I round them?
When calculating how much to stake on each bet, arb calculators usually return figures such as £34.53 and £65.47, or £22.78 and £77.22. It is entirely up to you whether you want to place these exact figures. This would provide you with an exactly equal return.
However, some people like to round their stakes to "normal" figures, such as £35 and £65, or £23 and £77.
It has been suggested that uneven stakes can alert bookmakers to the fact that you are an arb trader, whereas rounded stakes look more "natural".
However, it has also been suggested that bookmakers review your betting history on a profit/loss basis and scrutinise what events you bet on rather than whether your stakes are whole numbers.
We believe that it is generally easier to use rounded stakes and if it helps disguise your arbitrage trades then that's an added bonus!
Back to our sports arbitrage frequently asked questions.