Betfair HorseTrading

Trading on betting exchanges requires a different mindset to straight betting. You need to face up to the reality that your winning horse racing bet which gave you so much pleasure is diluted if you decide to trade it. On the reverse,
Betfair HorseTrading
Nigel Skinner
Nigel Skinner Blog Content Manager

Football Manager Expert and Political Betting Specialist across Exchange and Spread Betting Sites

Betfair Mindset

Trading on betting exchanges requires a different mindset to straight betting. 

If you are new to trading the sheer number of OLBG betting articles on exchange betting should be your first port of call. 

Once you have the basics you need to face up to the reality that your winning horse racing bet which gave you so much pleasure is diluted if you decide to trade it.

So as a trader who has predominately been a bettor you need to come to terms with this reduction of return.

On the reverse, you have guaranteed yourself a no-lose bet or at least some sort of return, or a much smaller loss.

How to Effectively Use a Betting Exchange: The Ultimate Guide
ALSO READ

How to Effectively Use a Betting Exchange: The Ultimate Guide

Your Trading Life

In many cases you can spend part of the day accumulating very small gains from your no-lose trades, only to see those gains decimated or wiped out when a trade goes completely against you.

Very quickly those hard-earned amounts that you seem to have spent forever accumulating are gone, but from these losses you start to learn the essence of trading.

Exchange Trading
Losses are fact of a Betfair Traders life, learn from them, but don't dwell on them.

If you believe many of the trading gurus that have sprung up all over the internet they never have a losing trade, all drifts carry on northwards and all backs continue on a downward trajectory.

Most sensible traders realise this is not the case.

If you are going to eke out a daily or weekly profit you need to have a reality check and understand if you can get more successful trades than losing ones you are doing well.

The successful trader stops their losing trades and rides their winners.

Betting Exchanges UK - The best sites in the UK 2025
ALSO READ

Betting Exchanges UK - The best sites in the UK 2025

How To Make Money On Betfair

To make money on Betfair you need to cut out the amounts you lose. You are going to have losing trades, so always make sure that it is a small amount. 

Exchange Trading
The most successful traders cut their losses and maximize their gains.

Just accept that you need to stop your losses quickly, you can always go back in at the new price and try and catch the market again in the way you want.

You can be in and out of markets as many times as you wish, nobody is looking over your shoulder. 

Exchange Trading
You will know failure, so do not fear mistakes as you continue to grow.

In many cases you will have one or two trades a day that reap the big dividends, this riding of your winners will make or break the day.

You may catch a horse that drifts 10 or 15 points or is backed in to the detriment of all other runners, rejoice at this movement and bank the money when you are happy that the movement has plateaued.

The rest of the day will be spent cutting losses or making very small gains.

Exchange Trading
Your biggest horse loser shouldn't where possible exceed your biggest horse winner.

Trading is really an accumulation of funds with the least risk to your capital.

If you lose 20 points but gain 60 points on a regular basis then it won't take long for the trading bank to grow. 

You can then in time trade with bigger funds leading to bigger daily profits.

To check out all the exchanges on offer + which exchange we rate visit the aforementioned laying and exchange link. 

Scalping Horses

You may have read about "scalping the market" 

Here you place a trade looking for very small fluctuations in the price.

You may only look for one or two ticks, say 2.5 to 2.54, but if you do this enough times at the changing prices you can quickly build a profitable position.  

You do this as many times as you wish always looking to end with an overall profit on the race or horse.

Obviously you need to have an understanding of the market you are trading/scalping.

All horses in the Betfair market move in price at some time, you take advantage of these. 

Speed is of the essence. 


Swing Trading

Swing Trading as opposed to Scalping looks for bigger price movements and you spending longer in the market. 

Some back or lay the horse in the morning and then monitor the selection throughout the day until a target price and or profit is hit. 

You may back the favourite at 2.9 and look to get out of the bet when the horse goes odds on, or lay the horse at 2.9 and hope the back price reaches 3.9. 

Betfair Swing Trading or Scalping - Does It Matter?
ALSO READ

Betfair Swing Trading or Scalping - Does It Matter?


Responsible Gambling

Whether trading or betting we all need to gamble responsibly, the following articles have been created with this aim. 

Responsible Gambling Features, Function and Help
ALSO READ

Responsible Gambling Features, Function and Help

How to be Sensible and Gamble Responsibly (Examples)
ALSO READ

How to be Sensible and Gamble Responsibly (Examples)

No Comments

There are no comments here. Be the first to comment...

Please login or register to reply to this news article
KEEP READING
How To Trade A Horse On A Betting Exchange

How To Trade A Horse On A Betting Exchange

How To Trade A Horse On A Betting Exchange Betfair Trading is not complicated, anyone can do it, anyone can make a winning exchange trade. If you had maths at junior school and paid even minimal attention you know that 1,2, and
Continue Reading
Betfair Tips and Hacks To Help You Win

Betfair Tips and Hacks To Help You Win

It's around 12 years since I joined Betfair, and to be frank it's not all been a bed of roses, there have been plenty of thorns since 2005. I thought I would pass on some of what I have gleaned from
Continue Reading