How to Avoid Getting Restricted: Complete Guide

Learn what account restrictions mean, why bookmakers restrict accounts, and discover proven strategies to avoid getting restricted and maximize your betting profits.

Account restrictions are an unfortunate yet inevitable part of profitable sports betting. Much like death and taxes, getting restricted by bookmakers is something most advantage bettors will face eventually. But what does it actually mean? How do you put off getting restricted for as long as possible? And is it still possible to profit from an account that has been subjected to restrictions?

We will answer all of this and more!

What are Account Restrictions?

Account restrictions refer to when a bookmaker decides to restrict a bettor's account in any way, shape or form.

For those practising matched betting, this usually means no longer receiving promotions.

For those doing arbitrage betting or value betting, this means getting your stakes reduced down to the point where it is no longer profitable to continue betting.

Why Do Bookmakers Restrict Accounts?

Quite simply, bookmakers restrict accounts to prevent them from losing any further money on that account.

If you are winning consistently from a bookmaker, or if your betting history suggests that you are betting in a pattern that is likely to result in consistently winning in the future, they will restrict your account.

If you only place bets with a bookmaker when they offer you a promotion, this indicates to them that you are a matched bettor. If you only place bets when the odds constitute an arbitrage or value bet, this indicates that you are using those forms of profitable sports betting.

The bookmakers are aware that some customers will use these profitable sports betting strategies and they are not particularly fond of them.

While there is nothing illegal about these strategies whatsoever, the bookmakers reserve the right to terminate or restrict the accounts of any of their customers at any time, for any reason.

We may not like it, but in reality, there is little that we can do about it once it happens. It is virtually impossible to get the restrictions lifted on an account once they have been placed.

All we can do is try to fly under the bookmakers' radars for as long as possible, and make as much money as possible in the meantime.

What Kind of Bookmakers Restrict Accounts?

Account restrictions are a phenomenon unique to soft bookmakers, and is indeed one of the main factors that separate sharp and soft bookmakers.

Sharp bookmakers will never restrict your accounts as they set accurate odds and are confident that it is very, very difficult to consistently profit from them.

You will also never be restricted by betting exchanges, who make money based on the volume that is bet at their exchange, therefore welcoming consistently profitable gamblers.

How to Avoid Getting Restricted?

There are many articles full of tips and tricks to help you avoid getting restricted. The reality is that no one really knows what criteria a bookmaker uses to restrict accounts, and it undoubtedly varies depending on the bookmaker in question.

Below are a series of tips which are likely to prolong (but not prevent) the inevitable restrictions on your soft bookmaker accounts.

Use Different Usernames and Passwords

Bookmakers have been known to share details of winning accounts with each other. Use different usernames and passwords for different bookmakers to make this difficult for them. Store the details in a secure file so that you don't forget them.

Only Use Betting Software with Defensive Features

If using software to assist your advantage gambling (arbitrage betting software for example), only use a software package with the ability to disguise your activity from the bookmaker.

Some platforms have dedicated browsers for betting and automatically clear your cookies at the start of each session. FairOdds Terminal offers features to help you manage your betting activity more discreetly.

Stick to Popular Sports and Leagues

Don't bet on obscure, low level leagues of unpopular sports like handball or curling. Stick to head to head or line bets on popular sports (what is popular will depend on what country you live in).

Bet on Upcoming Matches Only

Only bet in matches that are at most a few days away. This makes sense anyway to prevent you from tying up your capital, but it also makes you look like a regular bettor.

Don't Bet on the Most Profitable Arbs or Value Bets

Everyone else will be betting on the most profitable arbs and value bets produced by the software, so stay undetected by betting on less than 5% profit bets, rather than that 10% bet that everyone else will be going after.

Don't Deposit Too Much Initially

It can be tempting to deposit a lot immediately after opening an account to take advantage of a sign up bonus, but be aware that if you are depositing more than someone in your country or your age and profession would normally deposit, you are likely to stand out.

Don't Withdraw All Funds Immediately After a Bet Settles

Advantage gamblers often need to transfer funds repeatedly to rebalance their accounts. Regular punters only have a single bookmaker account and don't make many withdrawals. Use a large bankroll and try to go as long as possible between withdrawals.

Don't Bet the Maximum Stake Limit

Stay well below the maximum stake limit to avoid sticking out like a sore thumb.

Bet Round Numbers Only

Don't bet $76.89, bet $80 instead. No regular punter bets down to cents.

Never Place Multiple Bets on Different Outcomes of the Same Match with the Same Bookmaker

Don't bet on a particular team to win and then also bet on them to draw with the same bookmaker. This flags you quickly as an arbitrage bettor.

Clean Your Social Media of Any Advantage Betting Activity

Don't join Facebook groups about arbitrage or matched betting using your real name. Past employees of bookmakers have revealed that they now use social checks to identify customers who may be doing advantage gambling.

Mug Betting

Many articles will tell you to occasionally place bets on selections which don't represent any edge or expected value for you, in order to convince the bookmaker that you are just a regular punter.

This is known as 'mug betting'. There is no guarantee that this will help at all, and it will of course bite into your profits, so use it carefully.

Life After Restrictions - How to Keep Profiting From Sports Betting?

There are a few different ways to continue to profit from sports betting even after your soft bookmaker accounts have all been restricted.

Let's take a look at a few below.

Do Arbitrage or Value Betting

If you were previously doing matched betting and were restricted from promotions (promo banned), this form of restriction will usually not impact your maximum stakes.

Therefore, you can still make money by switching to arbitrage betting or value betting instead.

Unfortunately, this is only a stop-gap measure as you will eventually have your stakes limited too.

Use Betting Exchanges

Betting exchanges never restrict accounts as they make money from commission on winning bets, regardless of which side wins. They welcome profitable bettors because they increase liquidity and trading volume on their platform.

You can continue placing value bets and arbitrage opportunities using betting exchanges without any risk of restrictions.

Focus on Sharp Bookmakers

Sharp bookmakers set accurate odds and don't restrict winning bettors. While their margins are tighter, you can continue betting with them indefinitely without worrying about account restrictions.

These bookmakers operate on a high-volume, low-margin model and accept that some bettors will be profitable over time.

Use Clone Bookmakers

Some bookmakers operate multiple brands (clone bookmakers) that share the same odds and limits. If one account gets restricted, you may be able to open an account with a different brand from the same company, though this strategy has limitations and may not work long-term.

Want to maximize your betting profits while avoiding restrictions? Use FairOdds Terminal to identify value opportunities and manage your betting activity across hundreds of bookmakers.

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