What are 'mug bets' and how often should I place them?

Unfortunately, if you are matched betting, your accounts will eventually get gubbed. Delaying these gubs through account sustainability is arguably the most important part of matched betting. 

The main method of account sustainability is 'mugging' - which is essentially placing non-promo bets that are -EV. This will help you blend in with regular 'mug' punters, and delay detection by their gubbing algorithms. Where and when you should place mug bets depends on who you ask, however most matched bettors recommend mugging corporate bookies 1:1 - that is, one mug bet for each promo bet.

You can use the ATM or Horsepower to find mugging opportunities with a low Qualifying Loss (QL). 

As we do not have insider information on each bookie, we can not say for certain what the perfect way to mug is. However, we do know that someone who is placing 100% of their bets on promo markets is more likely to get banned than someone who only places 50% of their bets on promos.

For more info on mug betting you can check out the Account Sustainability course.