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Betfair exchange vs regular bookies, why isn’t everyone on the exchange?

hi

I’m trying to work out why more people don’t just use the exchange instead of regular bookies.

If you can get matched at a better price and you can lay as well, what is the point of taking the worse line with a normal bookie all the time?

Is this just because people don’t understand how Betfair works, or are there catches with it that don’t show up until you use it properly...

I’m looking at it now and the regular books just look worse on price most of the time.

Where does the exchange end up being worse, and what am I missing here?

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Discussion — 4 comments

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4 comments
868••1 reply

liquidity, mostly. thin markets on the exchange and you're stuck with a worse price than the bookie had.

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7,715•

Commission is what gets overlooked, betfair takes 5% off winning bets so that "better price" shrinks once it lands. And half the people on bookies arent chasing the line anyway, they want the acca boosts

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745•

I’ve had bets sit there unmatched on the exchange, even when the price looked good. A displayed price only matters if there’s enough money available at it, and that can be thin in smaller markets. Then commission comes off your net winnings, so the edge you thought you had shrinks.

That’s the main reason I still use regular bookies sometimes: you can place the bet without waiting for someone to match it.

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the exchange can offer better odds, but liquidity, commission, and unmatched bets are the main catches. regular bookies are often easier for casual bettors, especially with boosts and promos.

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