Getting Gubbed, Limited, Restricted or Banned by the Bookmakers

03 Dec, 2019

If you can’t place bets, you can’t make any money. Therefore, not getting gubbed is of absolute importance. Getting gubbed is also referred to as getting limited, banned or restricted. The bad news is that this often happens to players doing matched betting. The good news is that you can avoid this scenario and we’re now going to teach you how!

Recommended to Read Next: What are the risks of Matched Betting?

3 Key Takeaways:

Bookmakers make money when players lose money. They hate when players make a lot of money.
The typical bookmaker will suspend any account they think is bad for business
Not getting gubbed, limited, or restricted is crucial for your success in matched betting.

What Does It Mean to Get Gubbed by a Bookmaker?

In matched betting vocabulary, the term gubbing is used to describe a situation in which your account is either restricted or completely banned by the bookmaker.

A few years ago, a group of researchers did a study on 2,000 bettors to determine how often gubbing happens. What they concluded was that it happens to about 10% of players. The majority of punters end up losing money, so by limiting the few who do, bookmakers want to end up with losing players only.

Getting gubbed by a bookmaker means that your account practically becomes useless. Even if it isn’t completely banned, a gubbed account can’t do you much good. The bet limits bookmakers set are often incredibly low. We’re talking one-digit numbers.

If you’re not able to place bets with stakes higher than just a few Euro, you are not going to make a lot of money with matched betting (or in fact any other sure-bet strategy). This is why it’s crucial to do all you can to stay gub-free. If you’re in doubt, you can check how much you are allowed to bet on the Premier League. If it’s below €2. Then you’ve been gubbed and your best course of action is to withdraw your money.

An important thing to note is that the bookmakers will not take your money nor deny you from withdrawing it. So if you get gubbed, you simply withdraw your money and move on to the next bonus and bookmaker.

How Do Bookmakers Decide Which Account to Gub?

bookmakers are not willing to reveal their gubbing criteria to the public. If they did, they would make players’ job much easier. Everyone would know which steps to follow in order to keep their accounts safe from any restrictions.

Although bookmakers have no intention of exposing their method, it’s not that difficult to figure out how they do it. If a player is making more money than what the bookmaker would like, it’s time to investigate their account.

The people from the bookmaker will then take a closer look at the account, looking for patterns of behavior that are out of the ordinary. If they find that there’s nothing strange going on, they’ll conclude that it’s luck that brought profits to the players.

In such a case, they usually decide to leave the player alone. But, it’s not always like that. If you take a look at Terms & Conditions of some bookmakers, you will see that they have the discretion to suspend or restrict literally any account.

Although anyone can get gubbed, limited, and restricted by a bookmaker, those who’re using the matched betting method are the prime targets.

The reason is simple – matched betting ensures the players are the ones who get profits, not bookmakers. And bookmakers hate to see their bank accounts shrink.

Are All Bookmakers Against Matched Betting?

Thanks to matched betting tools like Oddshero, you’re now able to clear sportsbook bonuses without too much hassle. Instead of gambling, matched betting is a method that relies on maths. By covering all the potential outcomes, no matter what happens, you’re going to be the winner, not the bookmakers.

Obviously, that’s something bookmakers aren’t too thrilled about. In their ideal world, players would come swarming to their sportsbook attracted by the signup bonus deals. The players would then use the bonus funds to gamble, which would probably result in them losing. The bookmaker would get new customers without spending a single cent.

The bad news for the bookies is that the players now have a powerful ally to help them clear the bonuses. By using a matched betting tool, you make sure you’re going to get profits, regardless of the outcome of your bets.

As bookmakers have no legal recourse to stop you from doing matched betting (this method is completely legal!), some of them have decided to embrace it. If you can’t beat them, join them – this is exactly what some bookmakers think regarding matched betting.

Allowing players to do matched betting on their site is a great publicity stunt for bookmakers to show the world how user-friendly they are.

Unfortunately, not all bookmakers share this opinion. There are some that are going to do all they can to get the money from you, not the other way around. A way to do that is by gubbing your account.

The Cover Bookmakers you can use with Oddshero through the brokerages Sportmarket and BetInAsia allow winning players and will not limit you. This includes the bookmakers Pinnacle, SBO and IBC. Plus the betting exchanges Matchbook and Betfair.

Why Do Players Get Gubbed?

Different bookmakers use different criteria to decide which account to suspend or restrict. Still, there are some patterns of betting behavior that all of them seem to take into account.

Here are a few things that almost always get players gubbed:

Making too much money – Just put yourself in the position of a bookmaker. Would you like your players to win or lose a lot of money? If there’s an account that’s making the bookmaker’s profits drop significantly, that account is likely to get gubbed.

Focusing on promotions only – If you’re placing bets only when promos are available, you’re practically saying that you’re not here to play games. You’re here to make money. And that’s the kind of betting behavior bookies don’t like. Instead of using the bonuses to make profits with matched betting, they’d like you to the bonuses to gamble (and hopefully lose).

Gnoming – Multi-accounting a.k.a. gnooming is when one player uses several different accounts at the same bookmaker. You might think that it’s smart to use the accounts of your friends and family members, but if the bookies catch you, they’re going to gub all of them.

Stake sizing - Placing very accurate amounts, like €9,57 as compared to rounding to the nearest number and placing €10.

Tips to Keep Your Accounts Gubbing-Free

Account restrictions and suspensions happen when certain red flags start appearing. Not getting flagged by the bookies is crucial to staying non-gubbed. We’re now going to discuss the best methods for staying under the radar.

Go With Different Deposits

The easiest way to reveal yourself as a matched betting player is to deposit the lowest qualifying amount for claiming a bonus.

Let’s say 888sport is offering a 30-Euro bonus on a €10 deposit. Your instinct as a matched betting proponent is to upload just enough funds to qualify for the bonus. But, if you do that, you’re going to show the bookmaker that the only thing you’re after is their bonus.

The solution to keeping yourself away from the prying eyes of the bookmaker’s account managers is to make a slightly higher deposit. Instead of uploading only €10, why not go with €20? It’s a small price to keep your account safe and sound.

Do Some Mug Betting

If you’re not familiar with how mug betting works, it’s basically matched betting in which you lose. But, why would you willingly lose your money? In order to cover your tracks!

What you got to do is place a bet that you’re probably going to lose at the sportsbook, while laying it at an exchange. You ought to do it in a way that whatever happens, your overall loss is minimal.

A great thing is that Oddshero can help you with this. Instead of trying to find suitable bets on your own, simply let the tool do its job.

Despite making a loss measured in cents, in the eyes of the bookmaker, you’re going to seem like a big loser. And that’s exactly the kind of bettor they like.

With a few losing bets from time to time, you’re ensuring that the bookmaker will not think of you as someone who’s doing matched betting. And that means that you got nothing to worry about gubbing.

Stick to High-Profile Events

Not many players usually bet on events from obscure championships such as Inkasso-deildin, the second-tier of Icelandic football.

So, if an event from this league causes big losses for the bookmaker, they’re very likely to do some investigation. And if they determine the profit loss was caused by a player doing matched betting, they’ll probably gub that player’s account.

This is why it’s best to stick to elite competitions from the most popular sports in the world. But, this doesn’t mean your betting options are going to get limited. On the contrary! With the help of Oddshero, you will get a plethora of bets to choose from.

Mind Your Stakes

Another giveaway that you’re doing matched betting is the form of your stakes. If you’re not betting on whole numbers, but place stakes in the form of, let’s say, €42.87, you’re bound to raise suspicion.

The solution is obvious – just round it up to the nearest whole number. Actually, if you want to be on the safe side, it’s best to round it to the nearest €5 or even €10. So, in this particular case, your stake should be €45 or even €50.

Always Look on the Bright Side

They can get you gubbed, but bookmakers can’t take away your winnings. So, if your account ends up suspended, just take your money and leave. After all, there are plenty of other sportsbooks out there.

In fact, if you decide to use Oddshero for matched betting, you will be able to clear bonuses at more than 65 bookmakers. So, even if some of them gub you, there really is no need to lose your nerves!

3 Key Takeaways

To make the most of your matched betting campaign, your sportsbook accounts need to stay free of gubbing for as long as possible.
By listening to our suggestions, you’re reducing the risk of getting suspended, restricted, limited or “banned”.
Even if some of your accounts end up gubbed, Oddshero will help you move forward!