When people find out I run this website, they often ask me how they can make money online. If they’re over 18 and live in the UK, I always recommend matched betting.
Matched betting is my top recommended side hustle in the UK. It’s a tax-free way to earn money by taking advantage of special offers on betting sites. Users can typically make anywhere from £200 to £1000+ per month. The idea of making hundreds of pounds each month without having to report it to HMRC might sound a bit sketchy at first. So, is matched betting legal?
Yes, matched betting is completely legal in the UK. It’s simply about opening accounts with various bookmakers and using the promotions they offer. There’s nothing illegal about that. If you’re new to matched betting, there are plenty of resources online that explain how it works.
Mainstream media outlets like The Guardian, The Telegraph, the Daily Mail, and the Financial Times have all covered matched betting. There’s even a Wikipedia page about it. You can also find discussions about it on forums like Money Saving Expert and Mumsnet. Outplayed.com, a specialist matched betting training site, has had over 150,000 paying customers in the past six years and openly advertises its services. None of this would be possible if matched betting were illegal.
If you’re outside the UK, I can’t speak to the legality of matched betting where you live. This post is for UK readers, as sports betting itself is illegal in some countries. Please do your own research if you live elsewhere.
Matched betting is not a scam. I’ve personally made between £300-£600 a month from it, which was life-changing for me. It might sound too good to be true, but in this case, it’s not. Matched betting offers decent earnings, is relatively simple, and requires no upfront investment.
For more social proof, check out the Facebook groups and forums mentioned above. Reading success stories helped me feel confident enough to give it a try. The best way to see for yourself is to try it out. You can take a free trial on Outplayed.com, where you can make up to £40 in a weekend from the free trial. Then you can decide if it’s legit and if you want to continue.
You might have heard of ‘gubbing,’ where betting sites restrict your accounts if they suspect you of matched betting. This can stop you from participating in promotions or restrict your stakes. Bookies don’t like matched bettors because they generally take more value than the average punter. While it’s annoying, it’s not illegal. The worst that can happen is that you won’t get any more free bets or promotions from that company, but you should still be able to withdraw any money in your account.
In conclusion, matched betting is completely legal in the UK and is a legitimate way to make extra money in your spare time. If you want to learn more, check out my other matched betting posts. If it’s not for you, there are plenty of other ways to earn extra money in the UK.