A few days ago, I reached a big milestone in my side hustle journey—I made my first £1,000 from matched betting! Matched betting is a way to earn money from home by using special offers from bookmakers. It took me just under 12 weeks from placing my first bet to hitting the £1,000 mark.
Before I discovered matched betting, I was constantly stressed about money. I felt underpaid and didn’t know how to earn extra income. But now, just a few weeks after starting, I’ve made £1,000, which feels like I pulled it out of thin air. It’s amazing to know that I have taken control of my financial situation and now have a regular source of extra income each month, as long as I dedicate a few hours each week to it.
The surprising thing is that £1,000 in 12 weeks isn’t even a lot by matched betting standards. Some people in the forums of the service I use, Profit Accumulator, make over £1,000 every month. They even have a members-only forum thread where staff post daily bets to help you make £1,000 each month. The forum is great for getting advice and staying updated on special offers.
The main reason I didn’t reach the £1,000 mark sooner is that I’m only using PayPal for matched betting to keep those transactions out of my bank statements until I get a mortgage. Many bookmakers don’t accept PayPal, so I’ve only been able to participate in about a third of the offers available. I’m looking forward to taking advantage of more offers once my mortgage is sorted. And by the way, matched betting earnings are tax-free in the UK since they count as ‘winnings.’
If you haven’t heard of it before, matched betting is a fantastic way to make money from home by using free bet offers from bookmakers, like ‘Bet £10, get a £30 free bet.’ It’s not gambling; if done correctly, you should make money each time. It’s completely legal and tax-free.
What sets matched betting apart from gambling is that we balance each bet by placing an opposite bet (a ‘lay bet’) on a different website. We use special software from services like Outplayed (formerly Profit Accumulator) to calculate exactly how much to bet and where. This way, our two bets balance each other out, so we don’t lose any of our own money, but we do make a profit from the free bet.
Outplayed offers a free trial that guides you through your first two offers, which can make you up to £40 with no commitment required. If you’re interested, I recommend checking out their website and the free training videos. You can also read my post on my first month of matched betting and my glossary for beginners. Let me know how you get on, and I hope you reach your first £1,000 soon too!