Cross-market is a temporary situation in which bid prices exceed asked prices. This temporary situation presents an arbitrage opportunity, which can result in a quick profit for the arbitrageur.
Arbitrage is the practice of taking advantage of a price difference between two or more markets. In the case of cross-markets, since the bid prices are greater than the asking price, the arbitrageur can resell the asset bought at a higher price. This means a relatively risk-free way of making money.
However, it should be noted that when doing arbitrage the transactions (buying and selling) should be done simultaneously to ensure that no loss occurs. Due to the volatility of markets, it is not uncommon for asking prices to suddenly go down. The trader who wanted to take advantage of the cross-market condition will find himself selling what he bought at the same or lower price, resulting in no profit. It is the usual practice to do cross-market arbitrage with securities and financial products that can be traded electronically, since it is possible to buy and sell them simultaneously this way.
One of the most common applications of cross-market arbitrage is in sports betting. There are many techniques to take advantage of cross-market conditions in sports betting, although techniques outlined in books and advice columns sold online are not always as easy to implement as authors wants bettors to believe.