How Much is It Possible to Earn through Sports Betting? From Amateur to Professional

Can someone earn sufficient from betting in order to buy an apartment in a new luxury complex downtown? Or will the dream of the average punter be nothing more than a small top-up on their factory or office wage? Is there really a chance of winning on wagers, or is it just bookmakers' promotional hype designed to recruit new business? For anybody keen to understand how bookmaking actually operates, guides like a Bet365 bet builder tutorial can make sense of some of it before going on in more detail.

Let's consider this and try to resolve these questions by looking at the different kinds of players—from complete neophytes to veteran betting sharks.

Beginners and Their Horizons

The majority of newbies are individuals with only a general conception of how betting really is. They do not yet know the dynamics of the industry, don't know who the bookmakers that are good to bet with are and who are not, and don't even know which bookies may allow you to "win sufficient for bread and butter" and which will bleed you dry.

No wonder, therefore, that when we talk about the amounts such players can win, we are referring to the word "win." Because, as mentioned, newcomers have no idea how to make steady profit "by the book," let alone master the technical nuances. For them, everything is left to chance. Their potential profit is also limited by the bookmaker's maximum payout: professional operations may allow one win on a single bet up to five figures in foreign money, but most UK local lawful and offshore operations won't let you retain more than around £1,000–£1,200 best case.

It's fascinating to understand that UK-targeted bookmakers will let you win quite substantial amounts only as long as they're sure you're a recreational player. They do have ways of identifying pros, and since recreational betting isn't really a threat to their profit margin, they'll allow it.

Different Types of Newbies

Not everybody arrives with the same background. Some have been watching football their whole lives and know all the mid-table teams in the second and third divisions. Some are sportsmen themselves, some are figureheads, and some take up gambling merely due to flashy ads or friends' suggestions.

On the face of it, it is natural that the person better informed about the sport will win. Actually, the answer is no. In the short run (and newcomers always think in terms of nothing but short runs—one or two bets), everything depends on chance. You may analyze a match from A to Z, but a referee mistake or an outsider's sole miracle goal can ruin all your "ironclad" evidence in a split second.

And whereas a person who does not even know the difference between "Barcelona" and "Real Betis" will put his money on Betis at 10 and win—perhaps not because Betis is a better team, but because fortune simply chose to do so.

Therefore, when the question is posed of how much a novice can win, the best honest reply is: it all depends upon luck. In the long term, with the exception of fortunate shots such as a £10 accumulator offering odds of 1000, the probable result is that novices win nothing. A regualrly winning novice is no longer a novice—he's already picked things up at hard cost.

Players in Recreational Bookmakers

Recreational bookmakers cater to both casuals and talented players, even some pros. These firms, though, don't allow players to win on a consistent basis. If they did, good players would consume inferior betting lines (especially small markets) and rake in money perpetually. Since no bookie is involved in charity, such players are identified soon enough and restricted.

A bettor can win different amounts before their account gets restricted. In gambling law firms, don't expect to make more than £300–£500 before limits become (sometimes even lower, especially if you're betting on the Premier League or Champions League). Occasionally, you will be able to win a few thousand pounds before you are targeted, but the result is always the same: after your gaming behavior is recorded as non-casino, limits appear. Recreational bookmakers are for entertainment purposes only, not for profit.

When an account is suspended, there are typically three alternatives:

• Multi-accounting (opening new accounts using various names, dangerous and likely to lead to a ban with winnings frozen).
• Adding additional recreational bookmakers (there are many, but soon the cycle continues).
• Switching to companies that do not limit winnings and pay out big amounts regularly.

So how much can a "winning" player win in leisure companies? On average, they would win around £200–£300 for each bookmaker without limits. The more bookmakers they divide among their rotation, the higher their total winnings.