What is a promo ban and what can I do about it?
Getting restricted by a bookmaker is an inevitable part of matched betting. When a bookmaker identifies an account as consistently taking advantage of promotions, they will take steps to limit that activity. The good news is that with the right approach you can delay it significantly and extract as much value as possible from each account before it happens.
What is a promo ban?
The most common form of restriction is a promo ban, also known as getting gubbed. This means the bookmaker disqualifies your account from receiving bonus bets and promotional offers. Your account still works for regular betting, but the promotional edge is gone.
How quickly it happens depends on the bookmaker and your approach. Some bookies are quick to restrict accounts, others are more lenient, and most are somewhere in between. The By The Book section of our knowledge base has details on what to expect from each bookie. Searching Discord for a bookie's name is also a useful way to see what other members have experienced recently.
Promo bans vs stake restrictions
A promo ban removes your access to bonuses and promotional offers, but it does not automatically affect your ability to place regular bets. Many gubbed accounts can still be used for value betting and arbitrage at normal stake sizes, which means a promo ban does not mark the end of an account's usefulness.
A stake restriction is a separate and more severe outcome. It limits how much you can bet on certain markets, which significantly reduces the account's value for arbing and value betting. Importantly, stake restrictions almost always come with a promo ban at the same time. If you receive a stake restriction, assume your promotional access is also gone.
The key takeaway is that a promo ban alone leaves your options open. A stake restriction (which usually comes as the result of arbitrage of value betting) closes most of them.
How much effort is worth it?
Extending the life of your accounts means doing some things that might cost a little money in the short term, such as placing mug bets that have negative expected value. It is worth deciding early on what approach suits you.
Some members prefer to maximise short-term profits with minimum time commitment. Others prefer to invest more effort upfront in order to extend account life and generate higher long-term profits. There is no universally right answer.
That said, the value of an account should influence your approach. High-value accounts at large corporate bookies are worth treating carefully. Extending the lifespan by even a few extra weeks can more than cover the additional effort. Lower-value accounts may be better approached more quickly.
Tips that apply to every bookie
Regardless of your overall approach, these practices reduce your risk at every bookmaker:
Bet in round numbers. Most punters bet amounts like $5, $10, $25, or $50. Irregular amounts like $17.89 stand out. Betfair is the exception as they do not care about exact lay stakes.
Do not open multiple accounts at the same bookmaker using the same address, IP address, device, or payment method. Bookmakers use sophisticated software to identify linked accounts and will shut them both down if they suspect abuse.
Do not bet on obscure markets. Stick to major events such as AFL, NRL, EPL, and televised racing. Using a bonus bet on the correct score market of a minor overseas competition will draw immediate attention.
Do not use your real name when discussing betting online, including on Discord. Use a username that is different from your bookie usernames. It is possible that bookmakers could create a Bonusbank account to identify matched bettors, so keep your online identities separate.