Combination Arbitrage Bets in Sports Betting

Combination arbitrage bets are a unique case of arbitrage situations. Playing them is more complex due to the difficulty of finding opportunities. However, this betting model avoids many of the drawbacks of classic arbitrage. For bettors exploring options on the Best Betting App in Singapore, these strategies can open interesting possibilities while reducing certain risks. Let’s take a closer look.

What Is a Combination Arbitrage Bet?

Arbitrage bets are wagers on different outcomes of the same event. Due to errors in bookmaker odds, a bettor can secure a profit regardless of how the match unfolds. Typically, bettors use arbitrage with 2 or 3 outcomes. For example, markets such as totals, handicaps, or match winner.

Combination arbitrage, on the other hand, involves 4 or more outcomes. Here, the bettor must combine several different betting markets. For instance, football enthusiasts in Singapore can use:

• Clean win by the first team
• Both teams to score
• Clean win by the second team
• First team not to score

No matter the result, the bettor profits. Another possible setup includes:

• Three-way total exactly 1
• Three-way total exactly 2
• Correct score 0:0
• Over 2.5 goals

Still, you cannot place these bets blindly. First, you must check whether the main arbitrage inequality holds:

(1/K1 + 1/K2 + 1/K3 + 1/K4 < 1)

If the sum of the reciprocals of the odds is less than one, then the market is playable. Otherwise, it should be avoided.

Profitability of Combination Markets

For anyone attempting this difficult path, it’s vital to master the basics. The first step is to calculate the market’s yield. Subtract the sum of reciprocals from one, then multiply the result by 100%. This percentage reflects how much your bankroll will grow after the match. The smaller the sum of the reciprocals, the higher the potential return.

Next, you must calculate the stake size for each outcome. The standard formula applies:

S = 1 / K / (sum of reciprocals) * bankroll
where K is the odds for a specific outcome.

In other words, the math behind combination arbitrage is the same as with classic arbitrage. The rules don’t change.

Pros and Cons of Combination Arbitrage

Let’s look at the advantages first:

• Risk minimization. Bookmakers dislike arbitrage players. Such bettors are often monitored and punished with account restrictions, lowered limits, or blocked odds. Sometimes bookmakers even lure arbitrage players by offering higher returns and then penalize them. Combination arbitrage is harder to detect since it involves different markets.
• Standard calculations. The math is identical to classic arbitrage, with only the diversity of markets setting it apart.
• Guaranteed profit. Regardless of the match outcome, the bettor makes money.

The advantages are significant, but the drawbacks also matter:

• Finding opportunities. With regular arbitrage (2–3 outcomes), there are scanners available—both free and paid. These allow filtering by sport, market, bookmaker, and profitability. Combination arbitrage, however, is not covered by scanners. All calculations must be done manually.
• Time-consuming. Searching for one viable bet across 10–20 bookmakers can take 3–4 hours at minimum.
• Bankroll division. Since you need 4 different outcomes, you often have to place bets across 4 different bookmakers.

Conclusion

This type of arbitrage looks attractive in theory, but in practice it is challenging. Finding just one betting opportunity may take 4–5 hours. High profitability is rare, and in most cases the yield hovers around 4–5%.