3 replies to this topic

[spreadeck]

Spread betting is great fun, and if you manage your bank as you should, carries no more risk than other forms of gambling. And, more punters make a profit from spread betting than on fixed odds or exchange betting, and yet, it occupies such a small proportion of the overall UK betting market.

The purpose for this poll is to try and help me understand what the main reasons for this are, so I would be delighted if you could take part.

Thanks.

[dutchy124]

Spread betting is great fun, and if you manage your bank as you should, carries no more risk than other forms of gambling. And, more punters make a profit from spread betting than on fixed odds or exchange betting, and yet, it occupies such a small proportion of the overall UK betting market.

The purpose for this poll is to try and help me understand what the main reasons for this are, so I would be delighted if you could take part.

Thanks.

I think there are two main reasons:-

1. People like to bet on their favourite teams, be it footy rugby cricket etc, they want them to win so they buy whatever index.
2. People like to see lots of goals, tries, runs in a game, surely it is boring to watch a game hoping nobody will score.

For the above two reasons most people buy buy buy, but the spreads are set artificially high to combat this and in fact they should sell sell sell

[spreadeck]

I think there are two main reasons:-

1. People like to bet on their favourite teams, be it footy rugby cricket etc, they want them to win so they buy whatever index.
2. People like to see lots of goals, tries, runs in a game, surely it is boring to watch a game hoping nobody will score.

For the above two reasons most people buy buy buy, but the spreads are set artificially high to combat this and in fact they should sell sell sell

Good points Dutchy, but you didn't vote!

There is no doubt that most spreads are set to try and attract sellers so that the books are as even as possible, and because most people want to buy, the prices are set accordingly.

You are spot on, long term you would make a profit if you sold in most markets. However, if you specialise in a particular sport, and indeed one or two markets in that sport, you stand a good chance of being able to spot the good buys when they come along, as well as the sells.

There are more successful spread betting punters than there are in any other sports betting arena, and you can be sure that most of them will generally be sellers. There is nothing wrong with having a bet for fun, and spread betting is fun, but if you want to be profitable, you need to treat your bets as an investment.

Your point about watching a match hoping for no action is interesting. Firstly, I would guess I probably watch no more than about 20% of the events I have a bet on, rightly or wrongly. Not enough hours in the day, and don't really want the missus to file for divorce! Also, it is just as exciting, although possibly more tense, if you are watching a game hoping for things NOT to happen. Try it!

Thanks again for your feedback.

[dutchy124]

I must have been asleep yesterday, I didn't even see the poll. I have now voted.