This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A new peer-reviewed study from Bournemouth University has found a striking gap between how people perceive the risks of matched betting and what some experience in practice. Matched betting involves using free bets given out by online gambling companies as a promotion to attract new customers.
This allows people to bet on different results for the same event, such as a football match. It is frequently promoted online as a controlled or even 'risk-free' way of making money. Researchers surveyed 2,112 UK adults currently engaged in matched betting and analyzed 2,954 personal stories about whether they considered matched betting to be gambling, the difficulties they had encountered and losses they had experienced.
The study was conducted by a team of researchers from Bournemouth University, including Dr. Emily Arden-Close and Dr. "The contradiction between perceived and experienced risk was striking," Bush-Evans said.
"Many participants described matched betting as risk-free or controllable, yet just over half reported having lost money at some point while matched betting." The study, published in International Gambling Studies, found that participants frequently distinguished matched betting from conventional gambling. However, their accounts also described gambling-related harms such as financial losses, mistakes, mental strain and emotional impulses. One of the most notable findings was how participants explained losses.
"More than half of those we surveyed reported losing money through matched betting, but the losses were commonly attributed to mistakes such as incorrect calculations, misunderstanding promotions or pressing the wrong button rather than to risk inherent in the activity," Wang explained. "What we found particularly interesting was that losses did not necessarily undermine people's belief that matched betting was risk-free," she added. Some participants also described chasing wins or losses, betting additional personal money or moving from matched betting into other gambling activities.
The research team cautioned, however, that the study captured people's experiences at a single point in time and therefore cannot establish whether matched betting causes later gambling behavior. The research team noted that people who regard matched betting as a financial strategy or side hustle, rather than gambling, may be less likely to recognize potentially harmful gambling behaviors. The researchers argue that matched betting deserves greater attention in gambling research and consumer protection discussions.
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