Written by Adam Burke

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Is there such a thing as guaranteed money in gambling? Most people will tell you no. No matter how good of a card counter you are, no matter what strategy you use at the roulette table, and no matter how many times you play the pass line, the house edge will always find a way to catch up with you. Sure, there are plenty of ways to reduce the house edge, and some optimal strategies at video poker can give the player an edge over the house. Even still, no session is ever guaranteed money.

But, with a newer form of sports betting, you can come very close to guaranteed money. The development of in-game betting, thanks to offshore sportsbooks, gives players the chance to lock in profit during a game. Though it’s not necessarily a lock that you will make money on every game, close games can be extremely profitable if played correctly.

Halftime bets have been available for a long time. Once a game reaches halftime, a line will be released for just the second half that will usually include a spread and a total, occasionally, a moneyline. These can be very profitable endeavors for players who are able to quickly process the first half stats or what they saw. But, new opportunities have enhanced the in-game betting experience.

Offshore sportsbooks have taken in-game betting to a brand new level. You can bet live as the game is going on. You can bet adjusted spreads throughout the game, moneylines, adjusted totals, and all kinds of props. The numbers change with every play. If a team is facing a 3^rd-and-7, their moneyline and the spread will go down slightly. If they convert that third down situation, the moneyline, spread, and possibly the total will all adjust. Everything is contingent on the situation in the game. Long third downs. Field position. Anything that improves or decreases the chance to score points will make the line move.

In essence, in-game betting is a form of arbitrage. Arbitrage is taking advantage of a difference in market prices and making deals to nearly guarantee profit. Or, more simply, a way to nearly guarantee profit at no cost to you. Usually, arbitrage is done with stocks, bonds, or commodities. In this instance, your commodities are live, in-game bets.

Here’s the way it works. If you want, you can take a pre-game position, either on the spread or the moneyline. If the game works out in your favor, you can lock in profit. This tends to work better in NFL games because there are fewer points and less potential for blowouts. Hypothetically, let’s say that you think that the Jets have a good chance against the 49ers. It’s a reasonable assumption. The 49ers are playing an East Coast game at what amounts to 10 a.m. their time and traveled to Minnesota, and lost, last week. So they’re making long distance travel in back-to-back weeks. That tends to be a bad spot for a NFL team.

The Jets are +175 on the moneyline this Sunday against the 49ers. Let’s say that the Jets score the game’s first touchdown. At that point, the Jets moneyline will likely move into a favored position, with a minus moneyline, while the 49ers become the plus-money underdog. With in-game betting, you could place a bet on the 49ers at, say, +125. If the Jets win the game, you will still make money because you bet them at +175. If the 49ers come back and win, you will still make money because you bet them at +125. You effectively guaranteed yourself profit.

Some bettors make a living off of scenarios like this. If they bet $10,000 on the Jets at +175, they can win $17,500. If they bet $10,000 on the 49ers during the game at +125, they can win $12,500. In either situation, the bettor will be up at least $2500, possibly $7500. Usually, limits are placed on in-game wagers, so, it’s unlikely that a bettor could win that much in one game, however, these situations come up all of the time and each time, the situation is profitable. Even at $100 wagers, making a guaranteed minimum of $25 dollars with each pair of plays can add up.

Situations like this to lock in profit can happen multiple times in one game. You could find yourself with Jets +175 and +145 or 49ers +125 and +150 if the game goes back and forth and has lead changes Either way, you’re guaranteed to make money because the game worked out in your favor. It all depends on the score.

In-game betting can also be a great way to give you middle opportunities on a spread. A middle happens when you have a range of final scores that will allow all bets to be winners. Say, you have Cleveland +6 before the game and they jump out to a 14-0 lead. The opponent, Pittsburgh, might now be +8. In that instance, you can’t lose both bets. You can either lose one or win both. If the final score falls between a six-point margin, you win both. Opportunities like this present themselves frequently as well, because teams sometimes get off to fluky starts. It’s unlikely that the Browns would continue beating Pittsburgh badly. So, you can expect Pittsburgh to come back and give yourself options.

In-game betting can be a blessing and a curse. You can go overboard with the sheer number of options. Some offshores will allow you to bet on the result of the next play. If it will be a run or a pass. If it will be a completion or an interception. If the drive will end in a field goal, touchdown, or no points. With so many options, it’s easy to make far too many wagers and wind up wasting money on prop bets. This is especially true of basketball, where you can bet if the next shot will be made, what point denomination will be scored next, and all kinds of other prop bets.

But, if you manage your money wisely and wait for the right situations, those arbitrage scenarios that guarantee profit will come along. The market is ever-changing during in-game betting and numbers are coming and going like people on subways. It’s important not to get too overwhelmed and focus on bets that will make you guaranteed profit, especially plus-money moneyline wagers on both teams.

Start simple with it. Find the obvious plays. These articles have become increasingly more complex as they go along, so make sure that you have a grasp of the basics before attempting to use arbitrage in-game wagering without knowing the concepts that make these plays valuable.

Good luck and pick winners.