Middle Betting Strategy: How to Middle a Bet for Profit

We’re going to be looking at the Middle betting Strategy, Sometimes referred to as a betting the middle or simply middling. We going to cover why people sometimes refer to this strategy as a risk free betting strategy, whether this is true and can we make a profit when we middle a bet.

What is the middle betting strategy?

Middle betting is a technique that exploits mispriced odds between different total points, total goals and spread markets.

Similar to dutching or arbitrage betting where we place a bet on both side of a sports betting market to ensure one of our bets always wins and covers the other losing bet.

For example, say we place a bet on Over 35.5 points in an NFL game. If we can find Under 35.5 points on the same game at the right odds we can ensure that we breakeven no matter how many points are scored. We won’t win or lose any money.

However, When trying to ‘middle a bet‘ we want to find a scenario similar to the above scenario, but where the number of Under Points are larger then the number of over point. (i.e. Under 35.5 points and Over 34.5 Points)

In this scenario, If one of our bets loses the other bet will win meaning we will breakeven. However, we create a gap in the middle in which we win both bets!

I’ve illustrated this concept in the visual example below.

In the above example we place two $100 bets, both at odds of +100.

• $100 on Under 2.5 Goals at odds of +100
• $100 on Over 1.5 Goals at odds of +100

As we can see from the image a middle bet is created at 2 goals where we win both bets.

If the total goals for the game equal 0-1 goals, the under 2.5 goals bet wins $100 and the over 1.5 bet loses $100 meaning we breakeven.

At 2 goals, the under 2.5 goals bet wins $100 and the over 1.5 bet wins $100 making a $200 total profit between both bets.

Above 3 goals, the under 2.5 goals bet wins $100 and the over 1.5 bet loses $100 meaning we breakeven.

This is a basic example of middling in sports betting. There some more advanced strategies such as polish middle betting, but we’ll look at those later in this article.

Profiting from Pushes: When Betting the Middle isn’t Possible

In our previous example we’re betting on half point markets. i.e. 1.5 goals or 55.5 points.

Obviously, you can’t get a half point in any sports. The total goals in a soccer or hockey game can only be 1-2 goals never 1.5 goals.

This means that our ‘Over 1.5 Goals’ bet either wins or loses.

However, we can get betting markets such as Over 2 goals / Under 2 goals. For these bets if the score line ends up being 2 goals then you bet will be refunded.

In this scenario would could bet:

• Under 2 Goals
• Over 1.5 Goals

This would result in the following situation:

• 0-1 Goals: Over 1.5 Goals bet loses + Under 2 Goals bet wins
• 2 Goals: Over 1.5 Goals bet wins Under 2 Goals bet refunded
• 3 Goals or more: Over 1.5 Goals bet wins + Under 2 Goals bet loses

Although we make less profit from these bets. They are far more common to find than a complete middle bet

How to Middle a Bet

So, hopefully you’ve grasped the basic concept of middle betting and how betting the middle can create a profitable situation for us.

Let’s go through a step by step example of how to middle a bet in the real world.

First we need to find a pair of bets that will create profitable middle bets.

Find a Profitable Bet Combination

There are two options to find markets to use the middle betting strategy on.

Either we use an Odds Screen to compare odds between markets and sportsbook. The good thing about using the odds screen is that they usually free.

Below is the Unabated Odds Screen it’s free to use. On the left of the screen is the best lines column (highlighted in red). You can usually find profitable middle bet in this section for free.

Once you have found a profitable middles bet we want use a Middle Betting Calculator to calculate our bet stakes and profit.

Calculate our Middle Bets

The next step is to enter the information for each bet into the Middles Betting Calculator

The calculator will check that our bets are profitable. We can then calculate our bet stakes and the calculator will display which score lines we win along with the total profit.

Now we just need to place our bet at each sportsbook.

Another option is to use a paid middle bet finder tool such as Oddsjam’s middle betting software.

Best Middle Betting Software

Although you can find middle bets for free. Searching through the literal 1000’s of combinations to find bets which will work can be extremely time consuming.

That’s why you may want to invest in middle betting software to find the best middle betting opportunities.

In my opinion the best middle betting software in the USA is the Oddsjam’s middle betting software.

Their Middle Tool scan through every possible combination available in your state and list the most profitable combinations at the top of the table.

You can even set up text and email notifications every time the software finds a new combination that meets you criteria.

The tool has a built in calculator. By clicking the purple calculator icon on the left hand side of the tool it will open a small calculator where you can enter your desired stake.

The tool comes with Oddsjam’s Promo Optimizer Package which is $39 a month. Which is well worth the price considering the sheer number of more middle bets you can make per day using this tool.

Oddsjam have a 7-day free trial, if you want to check it out click the button below.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Middle Betting

Like any betting strategy there are going to be pros and cons. Middle may be suited to some bettor and not others. Let’s look at the main advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages

• Low or Zero Risk
• Large Profit Potential
• Harder for sportsbooks to detect than arbitrage betting
• Not stake / profit restriction like matched betting

Disadvantages

• Tricky to first understand the concept
• Finding bets is time consuming without software
• Don’t profit every time
• Can have long spells without hitting a profit

Risks of Middle Betting

Middle betting is often referenced as a zero risk betting strategy This is due to the fact that when done correctly without any exceptional circumstances in the sports game or at the sportsbook. We should expect to either breakeven or hit the middle and win both bets, In theory!

However, nothing is absolute! When we take a closer more in-depth look at the strategy there are some risks you should be aware of.

• Human Error
• Third Party Infrastructure error
• Exceptional Circumstances within a sports game
• Exposure to gambling

Human Error:

Everyone make mistakes, from a mistype to forgetting to confirm our bet at a sportsbook. At some point every sports bettor will mess up.

Third Party Error:

Some times a sportsbook will be unavailable when you trying to make a crucial bet or your bank will refuse a deposit when you need to place a hedge bet.

You can minimize the risk by having multiple sportsbook account and only place a bet once you have funds available in multiple account.

Exceptional Circumstances:

Sometimes things happen that nobody could predict. For example, the infamous beach ball goal when in 2009 during a Sunderland vs Liverpool soccer match a beach ball made it’s way onto the pitch. A shot on goal was deflect off the beach ball into the Liverpool goal causing pandemonium.

Some sportsbooks voided all markets on the match other let the result stand. If you had a middle bet you could be exposed to a loss.

Exposure to gambling:

This next risk is an important one. Just because this strategy is a proven profitable strategy it doesn’t mean someone will not get pulled into excessive gambling. Always be aware of the time you spend sports betting and if you feel like you’re losing control seek the available resource.

As you can see there are some risks to be aware of when middle betting. My advice for any betting activity (even advantage gambling or ‘risk free’ gambling) is to only bet with an amount you’re happy to lose.