Profitable Sports Betting Without the Sportsbook?

[Vaculin]

I have a few friends (and friends of friends) who are into sports betting, but some of them don’t have access to any sportsbooks. So what they did was create a private Facebook group purely for betting purposes.

The lines still follow the bookies, same spread, same rules but the odds are way better. For example, in today’s Rockets vs OKC game, the spread is -6.5 for OKC. In the sportsbook, the odds are 1.90, but in our group it’s 2.00. Meaning, no juice, just clean head-to-head betting. You only need to trust each other that payouts will be made.

So technically, if you’re a good bettor, you could actually be profitable long-term since there’s no house edge eating your winnings. Anyone else here have a setup like this? Or is it just us doing “peer-to-peer” betting old-school style?

[mikel_012]

The problem is liquidity if you want to bet a lot or if you want to bet on several different outcomes.

For example I bet a lot in cards market and corners market. I doubt your friends will accept a bet for more than 7.5 corners for one team or the first player to get a yellow card.

For simple bets like 1x2 I like the idea but you also need many people so you can bet on all games you want.

[Agbamoni]

You did not make a full explanation on this example you gave. If the potential wins come out how do they share the winnings among each other, the same way they share the loss except for the private bookie? Because in this case we act as the sportsbook to those friends who dont have access to internet and the casino.

The private Facebook i joined one time was a group to share betting odds. It was a free group but at the same time, most of the games was successful.

[joeperry]

So technically, if you’re a good bettor, you could actually be profitable long-term since there’s no house edge eating your winnings. Anyone else here have a setup like this? Or is it just us doing “peer-to-peer” betting old-school style?

Yes back at the university we have this friend that settles bets and odds, collect payments and winnings it's true that this could be profitable since there's no house edge however it's illegal and there's a chance that the middleman or the bookies will runaway with all the money. I've read on a Facebook group before that they got scammed by the bookies who sets the odds and collect bets, they know the person but not closed to it (Acquaintance) and after that scam, he didn't shows up at work.

So unless you trusted the person, this could be profitable. Also, I think the bookies make charges to the winners and that's how they earn and I am not sure if the payment is fixed or by percentage.

[Fivestar4everMVP]

I have a few friends (and friends of friends) who are into sports betting, but some of them don’t have access to any sportsbooks. So what they did was create a private Facebook group purely for betting purposes.

The lines still follow the bookies, same spread, same rules but the odds are way better. For example, in today’s Rockets vs OKC game, the spread is -6.5 for OKC. In the sportsbook, the odds are 1.90, but in our group it’s 2.00. Meaning, no juice, just clean head-to-head betting. You only need to trust each other that payouts will be made.

So technically, if you’re a good bettor, you could actually be profitable long-term since there’s no house edge eating your winnings. Anyone else here have a setup like this? Or is it just us doing “peer-to-peer” betting old-school style?

Wait, I have a question, how many are you guys in this group? And what then happens when or if all of you guys  or maybe most of you are betting on the same side? If all of you bet on the side and eventually turn out winners,  whose money are you guys going to use to settle yourselves? Or does every body just take their initial money they betted with and go home?

Maybe I clearly don't understand what you said I hope, because if really it's how I understand this it truly is, then I don't see the peer to peer form of sports betting as a viable means of betting, there are alot of lapses and cons to make this a dependable way of betting, you guys are probably going to get tired some day and everyone of you will give up..
But just incase i misunderstood what you meant by peer to peer betting, then I will be more than glad to get some more explanation to make me understand better...

[Doan9269]

I have a few friends (and friends of friends) who are into sports betting, but some of them don’t have access to any sportsbooks. So what they did was create a private Facebook group purely for betting purposes.

The lines still follow the bookies, same spread, same rules but the odds are way better. For example, in today’s Rockets vs OKC game, the spread is -6.5 for OKC. In the sportsbook, the odds are 1.90, but in our group it’s 2.00. Meaning, no juice, just clean head-to-head betting. You only need to trust each other that payouts will be made.

So technically, if you’re a good bettor, you could actually be profitable long-term since there’s no house edge eating your winnings. Anyone else here have a setup like this? Or is it just us doing “peer-to-peer” betting old-school style?

At the end of the day, of we claimed no sportbook eating up our money, then the odds provided by your platform are way better than that of the casinos, I doubt if you have the the same or up to to the financial obligations that the casinos already developed to cashing out winnings to ebery winner, do if I may ask, where will your own source of payment come.

Lastly, except I know the group initiators or was part of them, I can't risk myself to use any social media page for any thing that has to do with gambling, transparency may be very difficult and such will lead to arguments and things could go wrong, were do we get our money back.

[mikel_012]

Wait, I have a question, how many are you guys in this group? And what then happens when or if all of you guys  or maybe most of you are betting on the same side? If all of you bet on the side and eventually turn out winners,  whose money are you guys going to use to settle yourselves? Or does every body just take their initial money they betted with and go home?

Maybe I clearly don't understand what you said I hope, because if really it's how I understand this it truly is, then I don't see the peer to peer form of sports betting as a viable means of betting, there are alot of lapses and cons to make this a dependable way of betting, you guys are probably going to get tired some day and everyone of you will give up..
But just incase i misunderstood what you meant by peer to peer betting, then I will be more than glad to get some more explanation to make me understand better...

The only answer is that betting like this is very limited and only works for a few games and only if there are many different people on the group each cheering for a different team. When we see a Real Madrid vs Barcelona game of course many people will bet in Real Madrid while others will bet in Barcelona, because it's a close game.

But if it's a easy and obvious game like Barcelona vs Olympiacos, who is betting on Olympiacos from this group since the chances of winning are so low?

I don't think it works out very well.

[Ojima-ojo]

I have a few friends (and friends of friends) who are into sports betting, but some of them don’t have access to any sportsbooks. So what they did was create a private Facebook group purely for betting purposes.

The lines still follow the bookies, same spread, same rules but the odds are way better. For example, in today’s Rockets vs OKC game, the spread is -6.5 for OKC. In the sportsbook, the odds are 1.90, but in our group it’s 2.00. Meaning, no juice, just clean head-to-head betting. You only need to trust each other that payouts will be made.

So technically, if you’re a good bettor, you could actually be profitable long-term since there’s no house edge eating your winnings. Anyone else here have a setup like this? Or is it just us doing “peer-to-peer” betting old-school style?

You are still wrong to assume that one can easily win because of no presence of house edge in such betting arena since you are betting against your friends with the thoughts that since you are not betting on an online sport betting platforms the house edge won't be effective and you be able to win easily.

There are some limitations to this such as liqudities, that affects the volume of each individual bets and pay out another thing is if your friends decide to pull out at anytime the betting system will collapse, also sport betting is unpredictable and almost with no house enge to n it, so winning in sport is not based on the existence of no existence of House edge but based on your luck since any clubs can win the game at anytime.

[yahoo62278]

You're going to cost yourself friends doing things this way. What do you do when someone doesn't pay? Kick their ass is what usually happens. Why put that stress in your life? It's not hard to get access to sportsbooks unless you're dealing with underage kids who cannot make accounts?

[Natalim]

Before, it was all face-to-face betting, but now it’s done online. When you say “friends of friends,” that means trusted people who were invited into the group. So if someone messes up or doesn’t pay, the one who added that person should be responsible.

But if I were to join that kind of group, I already know the risk is high. That’s why I wouldn’t put in money I can’t afford to lose... meaning, in case I don’t get paid even if I win, it won’t hurt too much.

[Oshosondy]

The lines still follow the bookies, same spread, same rules but the odds are way better. For example, in today’s Rockets vs OKC game, the spread is -6.5 for OKC. In the sportsbook, the odds are 1.90, but in our group it’s 2.00. Meaning, no juice, just clean head-to-head betting. You only need to trust each other that payouts will be made.

I do not trust anyone, I will prefer a middle man that the money will be with before I can be able to go for such bet.

So the person that lost will send to the money to the winner after the match has been played?

So technically, if you’re a good bettor, you could actually be profitable long-term since there’s no house edge eating your winnings. Anyone else here have a setup like this? Or is it just us doing “peer-to-peer” betting old-school style?

I have not tried this but I can not try it at all if their is no middle man that I can trust.

[Vaculin]

You're going to cost yourself friends doing things this way. What do you do when someone doesn't pay? Kick their ass is what usually happens. Why put that stress in your life? It's not hard to get access to sportsbooks unless you're dealing with underage kids who cannot make accounts?

It’s just a small amount anyway, maybe around $100 max. And based on my experience, I haven’t been scammed so far, all the members actually pay when they lose.

The main benefit of this kind of betting is that we don’t pay the juice. Like I mentioned in the OP, if you bet $100, you win $100. But with a bookie, you’d only get around $90. That $10 difference still matters ... money is money.

[Dave1]

I have a few friends (and friends of friends) who are into sports betting, but some of them don’t have access to any sportsbooks. So what they did was create a private Facebook group purely for betting purposes.

The lines still follow the bookies, same spread, same rules but the odds are way better. For example, in today’s Rockets vs OKC game, the spread is -6.5 for OKC. In the sportsbook, the odds are 1.90, but in our group it’s 2.00. Meaning, no juice, just clean head-to-head betting. You only need to trust each other that payouts will be made.

So technically, if you’re a good bettor, you could actually be profitable long-term since there’s no house edge eating your winnings. Anyone else here have a setup like this? Or is it just us doing “peer-to-peer” betting old-school style?

First time that I have heard this kind of betting. Usually in the old days of betting, face to face bet, without middle man and to trust that the other party are going to pay if they lose. Now that we have the internet, there could be methods like this one that could have inherited that old style of betting.

Question though: who are going to set the line or the handicap? And why it is higher that sports casinos? Maybe the admin of the group or certain people or the bettors themselves are going to list that line?

[EluguHcman]

You're going to cost yourself friends doing things this way. What do you do when someone doesn't pay? Kick their ass is what usually happens. Why put that stress in your life? It's not hard to get access to sportsbooks unless you're dealing with underage kids who cannot make accounts?

It’s just a small amount anyway, maybe around $100 max. And based on my experience, I haven’t been scammed so far, all the members actually pay when they lose.

The main benefit of this kind of betting is that we don’t pay the juice. Like I mentioned in the OP, if you bet $100, you win $100. But with a bookie, you’d only get around $90. That $10 difference still matters ... money is money.

I think you are trying to make this enticing. The truth is that this model of friends betting off legitimate bookie will not last for long.
I can bet it that someone who has not been able to win will decline making payments and I am sure you guys will only keep malice. Or are you reporting to the police?

Come on... That is very risky and cou jeopardize your relationships.
Yes I visualize the game to be fun since it is events amongst friends but I will always prefer to give up the $10 to the bookie than taking such process that I could even loose the entire $100 and same time keeping scares with the friends.

[retreat]

-snip-
So technically, if you’re a good bettor, you could actually be profitable long-term since there’s no house edge eating your winnings. Anyone else here have a setup like this? Or is it just us doing “peer-to-peer” betting old-school style?

For some bettors, it may be more comfortable to bet within their own circle, as they can negotiate multiple bets according to mutual agreement. However, this type of betting is somewhat risky, as it can be prone to misunderstandings and disputes, whether due to incomplete payouts or other potential issues. Furthermore, there's a limited number of matches to bet on, as not everyone in the group may be willing to bet on the weaker team, limiting your betting options.

Betting with a bookmaker is more reasonable, and the potential for problems with others is minimized.

[Dr.Bitcoin_Strange]

Well, this is just a local form of gambling but it doesn't make much sense to me since I don't know the possibility of you guys getting paid if everyone on the group could become a winner.

Assuming you guys are 50 individuals in that group and all of you placed a bet on a team, same team, same option and the odd is 2.00 and at the end, the game was successful just as you all predict, who will pay you guys for your wins?

[Sticky Bomb]

I don't like how this kind of betting sounds and I'll not participate in it. Maybe those guys that use private Facebook page aren't aware of No KYC crypto casinos and aren't accustomed to using VPNs else they wouldn't settle for private bookies and trusting someone that's not really easily accessible to them.

I like betting on couple of games at a time and the only way to do that is by using the bookies. I can appreciate offline gambling for card games, dice games or other local games while the person that acts as an escrow for the money sits right there with us and gives the winner his funds ASAP we conclude the session. I don't have time and strength for long talks.

[Questat]

Well, this is just a local form of gambling but it doesn't make much sense to me since I don't know the possibility of you guys getting paid if everyone on the group could become a winner.

Assuming you guys are 50 individuals in that group and all of you placed a bet on a team, same team, same option and the odd is 2.00 and at the end, the game was successful just as you all predict, who will pay you guys for your wins?

Definitely, that’s one of the risks to keep in mind. But of course, you shouldn’t add people you don’t trust make sure they have a real job and that you actually know them. Big bets aren’t really ideal here either, so maybe we can set a maximum limit. For me, $10 is fine. If I get scammed, I’ll just move on, but the scammer should be kicked out right away. Eventually only the trusted ones will stay in the group.

Sometimes some members also have friends outside the group who ask them to place bets for them. It’s actually a good setup kind of like P2P betting, but of course it still comes with some risk, as always.