Price boosts are among the most well-known offers in the industry, particularly for those involved in matched betting. By using matched betting techniques, bettors can place a bet and lay a bet to cover all outcomes of play, removing the potential for loss regardless of the outcome of play. Compared to other matched betting techniques, they are not as complicated or risky, making them a popular option for bettors taking part in matched betting.
In this OddsMonkey guide, we are going to explain everything you need to know about price boosts, how to spot them, and how they can be used throughout matched betting.
What Are Price Boosts?
Price boosts are simply when the bookmaker deliberately enhances the odds for a particular event or market. This means the odds of the event will be more appealing to the bettor compared to odds at different bookmakers that do not offer a price boost, as they will not be as high.
These boosts are typically used as a promotional tool to attract more attention to a specific event, such as a major football match or horse racing event. For example, the odds for a team to win a football match might be at 2/1 at one betting site, whilst another offers a price boost at 3/1 or 4/1.
As we can see, these price boosts come in a variety of different ways and can cover almost every sport a bookmaker offers. The promotion is so popular because it offers better odds to users for an event, making it a valuable promotion for those who engage in value betting, as the price boost provides better value compared to traditional betting.
Why Do Bookmakers Offer Price Boosts?
Price boosts are simply another promotional offer that bookmakers use to bring attention to an event. Yet, with many bettors not taking part in matched betting, the price boost can be seen as a way to offer greater odds for followers of a sport who might not typically place a bet. This offer can attract more traffic to the site and potentially result in more bets on a specific sports fixture.
Whilst this might be a good idea for bookmakers, matched bettors can use price boosts to lock in a profit, no matter the result of the sporting outcome. Here, we are going to look at how matched bettors can use price boosts to make the most of different sporting events and their sports betting.
How To Use Price Boosts In Matched Betting
When looking to minimise the possibility of losses, the price boost matched betting system can be incredibly effective if done correctly. Here are the steps that you need to take to make the most of price boost offers:
- Back The Boosted Odds – Place a back bet on the selection which features the price boost.
- Lay At Lower Odds – Then, head to a betting exchange and lay the same selection at lower odds, therefore meaning if the selection does not happen, you will receive a return.
These are the only two steps necessary to place the matched bet; however, if you are interested in tracking the available profit, we suggest using our matched betting calculator. By entering all of the relevant details, you can see exactly how much you should be returning depending on which selection is successful.
Where Can I Find Price Boosts?
Price boosts can be found across various sports with different bookmakers, as they are known to be one of the most popular offers available. Typically, these price boosts can be found at high-profile events, such as major football matches, horse racing meetings, and other notable sporting events.
Here are some of the many ways that you can find price boosts:
- Bookmaker Sites – By visiting the bookmaker’s site regularly, you will be able to check on all the promotions that they have on offer, which may include price boosts. Always check the banners and promotional sections, especially during major sporting events.
- Social Media – You may occasionally find various offers on social media, particularly on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). By following the bookmaker’s social media page, you can keep up to date with any offers they promote.
- Direct Messaging – Some bookmakers will notify you when they have a price boost on offer via app notifications, emails and even text messages. If you are interested in using these offers, you can opt in to receive these alerts, giving you a heads-up when they appear.
Now that we know what price boosts are, how they work, and where to find them, we will examine how to utilise these price boosts to lock in profits throughout various sporting events.
How To Create Profit From Price Boosts
Whilst we have gone through how you can use price boosts in matched betting, we are going to run through how you can do this with examples and a step-by-step guide of all the necessary steps to minimise losses with price boosts.
- Find the boost – By using one of the techniques that we have listed above, you can identify a price boost that is worth taking advantage of. Usually, it is worth finding a large discrepancy in odds by waiting for a significant price boost, as some price boosts may be too small to yield a decent margin.
- Place the Back Bet – Once you have found the price boost, you can place a back bet with the boosted odds. Make sure the boasted odds are still available when placing your bet, with some betting sites showcasing icons, such as this one from Sky Bet:
- Place the Lay Bet on a Betting Exchange – Then, you can find a betting exchange such as Smarkets and lay the same selection at lower odds than the price boost. By using lower odds on the lay bet, bettors will still be able to lock in a profit on the bet stake value they have used. Regardless of the outcome of the sporting event, a refund will be made to the bettor.
- Calculate Your Profit – By using the matched betting calculator, you can find out exactly how much you would make depending on which selection is successful.
If you are looking for more ways to create matched betting scenarios, then you can check out our incredibly detailed matched betting blog, full of different tips and tricks that can enhance your sports betting.
Now, you might be wondering how price boosts are different from arbitrage betting, as arbitrage betting is all about finding discrepancies in odds, but they do work a bit differently.
Price Boosts Vs Arbitrage Betting
Although the two are similar, it is essential to understand the key differences between price boosts and arbitrage betting. Here is a quick overview of the two and how they are similar and different:
| Price Boosts | Arbitrage Bets |
| Price Boosts are offers that bookmakers will deliberately offer. By using these enhanced odds and lay betting, you can create a profit with little risk of account restrictions. | These discrepancies in odds are not deliberate, meaning that if used frequently, bookmakers can restrict accounts for exploiting these lags in odds. |
Since price boosts are intentional promotions, you can make the most of them without the risk of being gubbed. However, if you are only placing price boost bets, then the bookmaker could restrict your account from taking part in these offers.
If you are just placing price boosts, then we recommend mixing up your betting to avoid getting gubbed. If you are looking for different ways to place bets, check out our horse racing betting guide, which is full of different techniques on how to place bets on one of the most popular sports.
Price Boosts Vs Other Offers
When comparing price boosts to other available offers, price boosts are known to be some of the most popular due to their simplicity. Regarding matched betting, price boosts can be used to essentially create a profit regardless of the outcome of the sporting event, making them extremely effective.
✅Easy to understand
✅ Effective in Matched Betting
✅Can be used across different sports
✅Are offered frequently
❌The correct technique needs to be used to create profit
❌Can lead to restrictions if not monitored correctly
Price Boost FAQs
There are a couple of questions which are frequently asked about price boosts, so we have compiled them here!
Will I Get Restricted or gubbed for using Price Boosts?
If you place other types of bets on the same account, then your activity will look normal to the bookmaker. However, if you are only using price boosts on an account, the bookmaker will be able to spot this easily and will potentially restrict your account from using offers.
How much can I make with Price Boosts?
This completely depends on the offers given to the bettor, as the more price boosts are offered, the higher the potential is to make a profit. If there are no major sporting events in a month, then there might only be a couple of price boosts offered. This amount can also depend on how many bookmakers you are signed up with, as being able to find more price boosts can lead to more profit.
How do Price Boosts work in Matched Betting?
By using both back and lay bets at a bookmaker and a betting exchange, bettors can find a discrepancy in odds and therefore can create a matched bet. With price boosts offering a discrepancy, this is a sure way to form a matched bet that will yield a profit regardless of which outcome is successful.
