Imagine there are two products. They are both of similar functionality, fit the purpose, and do what you need them to do. One of these products charges you 5% commission, the other charges 2%. Why would you stay with the 5% company instead of jumping to the 2%? It's a question you need to ask if you're doing sports trading, laying or backing. |
Like most people when I started matched betting and advantage play gambling I signed up with BetFair. You need an exchange to lay of your bets and that was the logical place to go.
Now I've been doing this a while, I find myself more conscious of price, and more interested in purely trading markets. For that you've got to consider the impact of commission.
Paying BetFair's 5% helps support sign up offers for new people, no good to me. It funds the cash race, which I'm never going to be able to profit from again as the targets are too high. They got me early, but now I've got a choice I've moved over to Smarkets for most of my lays and a lot trading as well.
BetFair still wins on markets covered, but if you're laying off on events that aren't covered by Smarkets you're probably on the high way to bookmaker gubbing anyway. Another thing I hear mentioned is that there are issues with the site and connectivity. It might not be quite as stable as BetFair, but it's certainly not the site that some people tried and left a year or even six months ago.
Couple of other things worth noting about Smarkets, they don't levy a premium charge and unlike BetFair who gub if you win (at the sportsbook but it's the principal that annoys me!) they're a pure exchange, so you're all good. And you don't have to deal with bingo offers and games offers clogging up your inbox.
Biggest thing for me though, Smarkets haven't opened up their API to third parties. When the API is out there then market makers and bots are sweeping up prices and positions and can do it far quicker than a human can. The individual trader is at a disadvantage. At Smarkets it's you against your peers, and that's a much fairer way to do things.
5% commission? I hope I don't have to ever pay it again.
Sign up to Smarkets now. You won't regret it......and you get a risk free bet to start.