Two bookmakers do not quote the same price for the same event. The gap looks small. In practice it is one of the few things you fully control.
What a small gap does
Say the true probability of an event is 52%. The break-even point is 1 / odds. The higher the odds, the lower the hit ratei you need.
Practical steps
- Keep accounts at 2 or 3 bookmakers, not ten.
- Before you bet, check the same market everywhere and take the highest price.
- Check that the line is the same (Over 2.5, not 2.25).
- Write down the odds you got. You will need them for your log.
How to do it in five minutes
Pick the match and the market first, then open your bookmakers. Do not switch picks because you spotted a "nice" price somewhere. The comparison is for the same pick, not another one.
The gaps are usually small, 0.03 to 0.10. That is enough. If you place 300 bets a year, an average gain of 0.04 in the odds is worth roughly 2% of the amount staked, and you calculate it as in the example above.
One limit: the gain only counts if the pick was sound to begin with. A better price on a bad pick just loses a little more slowly.