One of the biggest challenges that profitable bettors face is avoiding getting gubbed or restricted by bookmakers. Gubbing occurs when a bookie limits your stakes, which can happen when bookmakers realize you’re consistently winning or exploiting value bets. While it’s impossible to avoid this forever, there are strategies to help you keep your account in good standing for as long as possible. In this article, you will find the best ways to delay restrictions and maximise your value betting profits.

When Opening a New Account Make Your First Deposit Small

Starting with a large first deposit can raise red flags with bookmakers, especially if you’re placing high-stakes bets right from the start. Instead, keep your first deposit modest to blend in with recreational bettors, reducing the likelihood of immediate scrutiny. You can always increase your deposit later as your account becomes more established and you appear more like a casual user.

Plan to Lose Some Money in the First Period (Mug Betting)

When you first open a betting account, it’s smart to adopt a strategy that mimics the behavior of typical recreational bettors. Most bookmakers expect new customers to place fun bets and often lose money in the beginning. By deliberately losing small amounts with casual, random bets, you’ll appear as though you’re just another customer trying your luck, rather than someone employing a winning strategy. While you may lose a little money initially, delaying restrictions can make the small losses worthwhile in the long run.

Blending with Recreational Bettors

While the first two strategies already help delay restrictions, incorporating additional techniques can further strengthen your profile as a recreational bettor. Using accumulators and the casino are highly effective ways to do this, and sacrificing a small sum of money to appear as recreational bettor can significantly slow down the process of getting restricted by bookmakers.

Mix with Accumulators

Adding accumulators (or parlays) into your betting routine can make your account look more like that of a typical recreational bettor. Recreational bettors love placing accumulator bets because they offer the potential for high returns with a small stake. Bookmakers appreciate this type of bet and even encourage it.

By occasionally placing accumulators with lower bet sizes, you give the impression that you’re betting for fun and willing to take risks, which can help hide your more strategic betting patterns and give your account a balanced, casual appearance.

Accumulators not only help extend the life of your accounts but can also be profitable. This is why many bettors include them in their strategy alongside single bets to maximize potential returns. If enough of the selections in your accumulator have a positive edge, the overall accumulator can also have a positive edge. Check out this article to learn more about profit potential and risks involved with betting accumulators:Accumulators: Risks and Opportunities.

Use the Casino

Occasionally using the casino section of a bookmaker’s platform can also help extend the life of your account. Bookmakers track overall customer behavior, including casino usage, and will view you as less of a threat if you spend money on higher-margin products like slots or roulette.

It’s not necessary to wager large sums in the casino. Even placing small, occasional bets can help project the image of a regular customer, rather than someone solely focused on exploiting the bookmaker’s sports betting odds.

Use Accounts with Different Bookmakers (Bet Less on Each)

If you consistently place large bets with a single bookmaker, they’ll quickly realize you’re a serious bettor. To avoid drawing attention without sacrificing profits, consider spreading your bankroll across multiple accounts with different bookmakers and placing smaller bets with each. This approach makes your betting activity less noticeable to any one bookmaker, helping to extend the lifespan of your accounts.

Stick to One Bet Per Game

Bookmakers flag accounts that place multiple bets on the same game, particularly if it’s on the same outcome. Professionals often do this to hedge their risks or find value across different markets within the same game. By sticking to just one bet per game, you reduce the likelihood of drawing attention to your account.

Don’t Push the Max Limits

If you try to place a bet and the bookmaker limits the amount you can stake, avoid betting the maximum allowed. For instance, let’s say you want to bet $100 on a match, but the bookmaker only allows you to place $92. Instead of taking the full $92, lower your stake to about 60-70% of the maximum, say around $60. Continuously betting at or near the maximum allowed can make it obvious to the bookmaker that you’re a more serious bettor, and they’ll be quicker to impose further restrictions on your account.

Also, never use the option that sends the remainder of your stake for manual approval, as this signals to the bookmaker that you’re trying to push the system, which can lead to even faster account restrictions.

Bet Whole Amounts

Another simple tactic to avoid gubbing is to always place bets in rounded, whole amounts. Casual bettors usually place bets like $50 or $100, while professionals often place odd amounts, like $47.83, because they’re following specific strategies. Bookmakers quickly notice this behavior. To avoid standing out, keep your bet amounts simple, like $20, $50, or $100.

Placing bets with exact, rounded numbers makes it harder for bookmakers to flag your account, helping you stay under the radar for longer.

Avoid Withdrawals Unless You Really Have To

Frequent withdrawals, especially large ones, can trigger a review of your betting activity by the bookmaker. This draws unnecessary attention to your account and increases the likelihood of restrictions being imposed.

You should try to avoid making withdrawals unless absolutely necessary.

Avoid Arbitrage Betting

Arbitrage betting, or arbing, is a technique where you place bets on all possible outcomes of an event to guarantee a profit. While this can lead to risk-free profits, it’s also one of the fastest ways to get gubbed. Bookmakers are quick to spot arbitrage bettors. The more you arb with a bookmaker, the quicker you’ll get restricted.

If you still believe arbitrage betting is a better strategy than value betting, change your mind checking this article: Stop Arbitrage Betting and Start Value Betting.

Conclusion

By implementing these strategies, you can significantly extend the lifespan of your betting accounts and maximize your profits over time. While it’s true that no account lasts forever and bookmakers may eventually limit you, there are plenty of soft bookmakers available, and with Trademate’s help, you’ll be able to find and exploit profitable opportunities for months, if not years, before facing restrictions from all of them. This gives you ample time to make substantial profits.

Moreover, betting exchanges like Betfair and Asian bookmakers, accessible through Trademate's pro version, are much more tolerant of profitable bettors and don’t impose the restrictions.

By following these strategies and planning ahead, you can keep your betting accounts active and continue enjoying a highly profitable betting experience for a long time.

If you want to learn more about this topic check those articles too:

Getting Gubbed, Limited, Restricted or Banned by the Bookmakers

Staying Under The Radar - The Trademate Guide To Avoid Getting Limited By The Soft Books

How Bookmakers Track Your Every Move & How To Avoid It (From An Industry Insider)

How Bookmakers Profile Winning Players And Thoughts On Tipsters