£753.62 Matched Betting Profit 40 Days + Silly Mistakes

Posted on 7:37am Tuesday 28th Feb 2017

When I first heard about matched betting, I was sceptical. It sounded too good to be true — making money from bookmakers without actually gambling? Surely there had to be a catch.

But curiosity got the better of me, and after reading a few success stories, I decided to give it a go. Fast-forward 40 days, and I’d made £753.62 profit from home — all completely tax-free.

If you’ve ever wondered whether matched betting really works, this is my honest diary from when I started out, how I made those profits, the mistakes I made, and what I learned along the way.

£753.62 matched betting profit for 40 days!

Getting started with matched betting

I started my matched betting journey using Profit Accumulator, which is now known as Outplayed. It’s one of the UK’s most popular matched betting platforms, guiding you step-by-step through the process with tutorials, calculators, and the latest bookmaker offers.

The concept is simple once you grasp it. You use free bet promotions from bookmakers and “match” them using a betting exchange such as Betfair or Smarkets. That way, you cover every possible outcome of a sporting event — guaranteeing a small profit no matter who wins.

The profits might seem small at first, but they add up quickly. I began on 20th January and tracked my results daily. By day 40, my total was £753.62 — even after paying membership fees and making a few beginner mistakes.

My matched betting diary results

Total profit after 40 days: £753.62

It should have been closer to £850, but I made a few avoidable errors in my first month. That’s one of the biggest lessons early on: matched betting is low-risk, not no-risk. The risk comes from you, not the system.

Here’s what went wrong — and what I learned.

Matched betting mistake 1: Not checking wagering requirements

Early on, I took a big hit on one of the bookmaker offers. I hadn’t realised it was a bonus with 30x wagering requirements, not a normal free bet.

That meant I needed to bet through £100 thirty times before being able to withdraw the bonus. I didn’t have enough bankroll to complete that requirement, so once all my funds were stuck in the bookmaker, I had nothing left in my exchange account to continue the offer.

In the end, I had to withdraw my winnings early, which cancelled a £200 bonus.

Lesson learned: Always read the offer terms carefully, especially wagering conditions. And make sure you’ve got enough bankroll to cover them.

Matched betting mistake 2: Not laying a small bet correctly

Another early error was withdrawing too soon. I’d won a £15 bet into a bookmaker account but couldn’t withdraw because the minimum withdrawal amount was £18.

Instead of laying another small bet to reach the threshold, I panicked and placed a random bet to “get rid of it” — and lost.

I should have placed a proper lay bet to hedge it. That way, I’d either have withdrawn the funds or moved them to the exchange with a minimal loss.

Lesson learned: Never rush. There’s always a matched betting-friendly way to withdraw or shift money safely.

Matched betting mistake 3: Rushing reload offers

Reload offers are where you keep making money after the initial sign-up deals — things like “Bet £10, get a £5 free bet.”

I jumped into one too quickly without double-checking the terms and ended up losing £10.

Lesson learned: Even when you get comfortable, don’t get complacent. Always re-read instructions before placing bets.

The cost of membership

I paid £46 in membership fees to Profit Accumulator (now Outplayed) during that first 40-day period. Usually, the monthly fee is £23, but because I started late in January, it overlapped into February.

Even with those fees and my mistakes, I was still over £750 in profit, which is impressive for a side hustle that takes very little time once you know what you’re doing.

That’s more than some people earn in a part-time week — and this was just my first month.

Time commitment and effort

In my first few weeks, I spent between 30 minutes and two hours per day matched betting. The first week took longer as I was watching tutorials, signing up to bookmakers, and learning to use the calculators.

Once you’re familiar with the process, it becomes much quicker. You’ll soon find yourself doing reload offers in minutes.

The key is consistency — doing a few offers regularly rather than sitting down for hours once a week.

Managing bankroll

I started small, using around £100–£150 as my starting bankroll.

That limited how many offers I could do at once. Sometimes I had to wait for withdrawals to clear before starting new offers, which slowed things down.

If you can start with more, you’ll progress faster. But I liked the security of knowing that even if I made a mistake, I was only risking profits — not my personal money.

Tip: Once you’ve made your first £100 profit, treat that as your new bankroll. Keep reinvesting your winnings so you can take part in higher-value offers without touching your own funds.

Realistic earnings after 40 days

Some people make £1,000 or more in their first month, especially if they have more starting capital or more time to dedicate to offers.

For me, £753.62 felt like a great achievement — especially considering I was learning as I went, juggling blogging, part-time work, and motherhood.

Matched betting really is flexible. You can do it before work, during nap times, or in the evenings. Once you know the basics, it’s simply about repeating the same process with new offers.

Why I recommend Outplayed (formerly Profit Accumulator)

I used Profit Accumulator, now called Outplayed, from day one. They made everything easy to follow, even for someone completely new to betting exchanges.

Here’s why I still recommend them for beginners:

Step-by-step guides – They show exactly how to place your first bets with video walkthroughs.
Free trial / offer available – You can try two offers for free and make around £40 before deciding whether to subscribe.
Accurate calculators – Their tools do all the maths, so you know exactly what to stake.
Active community – Their forum and Discord groups are great for asking questions and learning from others.
Regular reloads – Once you’ve completed the welcome offers, Outplayed lists ongoing deals to keep your profits growing.

For me, their support and structure were invaluable — I wouldn’t have stuck with matched betting without it.

Things to know before you start

If you’re new to matched betting, here are a few tips I wish I’d known early on:

Keep clear records. Track every bet, deposit, and withdrawal in a spreadsheet.
Separate accounts. Use a dedicated email address and consider a separate bank account for matched betting.
Don’t chase losses. If something goes wrong, accept it as a learning experience.
Read instructions twice. Always double-check the terms before placing any bet.
Use the calculators. Never estimate — let the software do the maths.

Matched betting is systematic. Once you understand the process, it becomes second nature.

My matched betting journey in numbers

Start date: 20th January
Total time: 40 days
Total profit: £753.62
Membership fees paid: £46
Average time spent: 30 minutes to 2 hours per day
Mistakes made: 3 (valuable lessons learned!)

Even with errors and fees, that’s an amazing return for just over a month.

Final thoughts after my first 40 days

Matched betting turned out to be one of the most effective side hustles I’ve ever tried.

It’s not gambling — it’s about using maths, patience, and free bet promotions to your advantage. You’re not relying on luck; you’re following a strategy that guarantees a return when done correctly. Just take your time, don't rush, don't get overly-confident and read everything properly!

By the end of my first month, I felt confident, organised, and excited to see what month two would bring. (I eventually went on to make thousands through matched betting, all from the comfort of home.)

If you’ve been thinking about giving it a go, I’d say it’s worth trying the free trial with Outplayed to see if it suits you. Even if you just make £40 from the trial offers, it’s a good feeling to earn money online in a risk-free way.

And who knows — you might find, like I did, that matched betting becomes one of the easiest ways to boost your income from home.

Make money matched betting with Outplayed (formerly Profit Accumulator)

If you want to give it a go I highly recommend Outplayed. They talk you through two offers before you have to join them as a member so you can make around £40 to see how easy it is. They also regularly have offers where you can try it for a month or so for free before committing to the membership free. You just have to give it a go!

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