Sports betting FAQ: +EV, arbitrage, promos and TrueEdge

Short answers to the questions bettors ask most — betting concepts, promos and bonus bets, TrueEdge's tools and prices, and staying safe. Each links on to a step-by-step guide where there is one.

Betting concepts

What is +EV betting?

Positive expected value (+EV) betting means only taking odds that pay more than the outcome's fair probability justifies. Any single bet can lose; the profit shows up as an average over many bets.

How do you find positive EV bets?

Remove the bookmaker's margin from a sharp book's prices to get a fair probability, then look for any book paying more than that fair price.

How do you calculate EV on a bet?

EV per $1 staked = fair probability × decimal odds − 1. At a fair 45.57% and decimal odds of 2.30, that is +4.8%.

What is the best EV betting strategy?

Bet many small edges at a small, fixed fraction of your bankroll, favour markets where the sharp price is reliable, and judge results against the closing line over hundreds of bets.

What is arbitrage betting?

Betting every outcome of a market at different books whose prices disagree enough that the payout is the same whichever side wins, and larger than the total staked.

How do you arbitrage bet?

Find two prices whose implied probabilities add up to under 100%, then stake each side in proportion to its implied probability so both results return the same amount.

Can you arbitrage bet on Kalshi or Polymarket?

Yes, with one leg on the prediction market and the other at a sportsbook or another venue. Include the venue's trading fee, which can remove most of a thin margin.

What is a middle bet?

Two bets on opposite sides of a spread or total at different numbers, so a result between the numbers wins both. Most middles miss and lose a small amount.

What is a low hold bet?

A pair of bets on opposite sides of one market, at different books, whose combined margin is small — usually under 2%. Betting both sides costs very little whichever side wins.

What is the vig?

The vig, or vigorish, is the bookmaker's margin built into the odds. At -110 on both sides of a market, the book holds about 4.8%.

What is hold in sports betting?

The share of the money bet on a market that the book expects to keep: how far the implied probabilities of every outcome add up to more than 100%.

What is closing line value?

Closing line value (CLV) is how the price you took compares with the final price before the event starts. Beating the closing line consistently is the best evidence that your bets have an edge.

What does de-vig mean?

Removing the bookmaker's margin from a set of odds so the implied probabilities add up to 100%. The result is the market's fair price.

Promos and bonus bets

How do you convert bonus bets to cash?

Place the bonus bet on a long shot at one book and hedge the other side with cash at another, sized so both results pay the same. You keep a fixed share of the bonus either way.

What is a good bonus bet conversion rate?

Around 70% or better for a bonus bet that does not return its stake. The rate depends on the prices available when you place it.

How do you turn FanDuel bonus bets into cash?

The same way as at any book: bet the bonus on a longer price at FanDuel and hedge the other side at a different book, after checking the bonus's terms.

What does no sweat bet mean?

An offer that refunds your stake as a bonus bet if your bet loses. Books also call it a second-chance bet or a safety net.

How do you use a no sweat bet?

Place the qualifying bet at the promo book, hedge part of the other side elsewhere, and convert the refund if the qualifying bet loses. Size the hedge so both results come out even.

What is a rollover or playthrough?

A requirement to wager a set amount before bonus money can be withdrawn — for example, five times a deposit bonus.

How do you clear a rollover cheaply?

Bet the rollover at the promo book on one side of a low-hold market and hedge the other side at another book, so the pair costs a small, locked amount.

TrueEdge tools and pricing

What is TrueEdge?

An odds comparison and analytics tool for US sports bettors. It finds positive EV, arbitrage, middles and low-hold bets, converts promos, and tracks your bets against the closing line.

How much does TrueEdge cost?

$79.99 a month, or $767.90 a year. TrueEdge Live, with in-play prices, is $299.99 a month, or $2,879.90 a year.

How much is the exchange add-on?

$19.99 a month on the base plan, and included in Live. It adds Kalshi, Polymarket, Novig and ProphetX prices with each venue's fees included.

Is there a free trial?

Yes. Both plans start with a 7-day free trial, one per account.

What can I use for free?

The edge boards show visitors a delayed preview, and the calculators — hold, bonus bet converter, arbitrage stakes and parlay — work without an account.

Does TrueEdge place bets for me?

No. TrueEdge finds and prices bets and links you to the sportsbook to place them. It holds no funds and takes no wagers.

Which states does TrueEdge work in?

TrueEdge works anywhere in the US as a website. You choose your state and the board shows only books licensed there; you may only bet where sports betting is legal for you.

Which sportsbooks does TrueEdge cover?

25+ sportsbooks and exchanges across 38 sports and leagues. Coverage varies by market and by state.

Is TrueEdge cheaper than OddsJam?

For the edge finders, yes. TrueEdge is $79.99 a month; OddsJam's Pre-Match Arbitrage plan was $199.99 a month on its own pricing page on 2026-09-26.

What does OddsJam cost compared with TrueEdge?

OddsJam listed Promo Arbitrage at $79.99, Pre-Match Arbitrage at $199.99 and Live Arbitrage at $499.99 a month after the first. TrueEdge is $79.99, or $299.99 for Live.

Does TrueEdge have alerts?

Yes. Alerts can reach you in the app, on Discord or through your own webhook, and by mobile push on Live.

Does TrueEdge track my bets?

Yes. The bet tracker records each bet and scores it against the closing line, so you can see whether your edges are real.

Safety and legal

Is arbitrage betting legal?

Placing bets at licensed sportsbooks where you are allowed to bet is legal whether or not the bets form an arbitrage. Books may still limit accounts under their own terms.

Do sportsbooks ban arbers?

They can limit the stakes of, or close, accounts they see winning from price differences; their terms allow it. Exchanges and prediction markets generally do not limit winners the same way.

How do you arbitrage bet without getting limited?

You cannot rule it out at sportsbooks. Using exchanges for one leg, spreading volume across books and taking promotions all help; never use another person's account.

Is +EV betting a sure way to win?

No. A positive edge is an average over many bets, and long losing runs happen even when every bet has one. Only bet money you can afford to lose.

How old do you have to be to bet on sports?

21 in most US states that allow sports betting; check your state's rule. TrueEdge is for bettors of legal age where betting is legal.

Where can I get help with problem gambling?

Call the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700. It is free, confidential and open 24/7.

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