Best Spread Betting Strategies

Stop-loss orders allow you to limit your losses.

Spread betting in the financial markets, including the forex and stock exchanges, is a popular short-term investment strategy. I'm going to teach you five of the finest spread betting techniques, along with some additional helpful hints, features, advantages, and downsides of spread betting.

*Pepperstone Disclaimer: Between 74-89 % of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

**IG Disclaimer: Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 75% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Top Spread Betting Strategies — Compared at a Glance…

• Spread-betting trading involves many tactics, so it's important to learn how to gain a real edge. In addition, hazards of leveraged trading.
• Before you go into trading, it's a good idea to sit down and map out your strategy. Determining your level of comfort with risk, developing a spread betting strategy, and settling on a target all fall under this category.
• Choose the market in which you want to participate in. The foreign exchange market, stock markets (e.g. the FTSE 100), and the cryptocurrency market all fall within this category.
• Spread betting requires careful risk management, since losses are frequent and may occur suddenly. Stop-loss orders allow you to limit your losses by closing your trade at a predetermined price if it falls below that level. You risk losing all or more than you invested without this. 
• Finally, choose your chosen spread bet broker. 

But what are the top spread bets? In this comprehensive guide to the best spread betting strategies, we cover things beginners should know before withdrawing investment money from their online bank. 

Spread Betting Methods

Each trader has their own unique set of priorities, and those priorities usually inform the technique they choose to use.

How can you spread bet, and what methods are available? 

While spread betting, you may utilise a variety of trading tactics. The majority of them use leverage to boost their profit as they attempt to foresee minute changes in the market. To spread bet successfully, you must first familiarise yourself with the various spread betting methods and the associated risks.

Each trader has their own unique set of priorities, and those priorities usually inform the technique they choose to use. No one approach is guaranteed to work better than any other, and there is no clear winner. Here, I've provided information on five different spread betting techniques.

1. Market Movement Top Spread Betting Strategy

When you engage in trend market spread betting, you wager on the market's direction based on your analysis of price patterns and trends. If there is a clear up or down trend in the market's price action, we have a trending market. With an upward trend, the price would likely make greater highs and lower lows, whereas with a negative trend, the reverse would be true.

Traders may use this to make educated guesses about when a response could occur depending on the trend. One possible entry point for a long position is at the trend's low, or when a lower bottom is forming. This is because a possible upward response is indicated by the trend and hence warranted. In any case, the trend is no longer holding.

Unlike mutual funds, trend market spread betting may appeal to investors who want to ride the market's upswings quickly rather than try to fight them.

The use of technical indicators is popular amongst traders since it helps them to determine when a trend is starting and ending. You may be able to employ trend market spread betting regardless of the state of the economy as a whole, since it may be used in either a bearish or bullish market.

2. Reversal Strong Spread Betting Strategy 

Reverse trend betting is a kind of speculation in which a predetermined movement in one direction suddenly reverses.

A second top spread betting strategy is placing a spread bet with a possible payout in the opposite direction. Reverse trend betting is a kind of speculation in which a predetermined movement in one direction suddenly reverses.

For a market to reverse direction after making a significant up or down move, it must hit a pivotal price point. A reverse happens when an asset's price strongly reacts to a major level, triggering a big movement in the other direction.

Both bullish and bearish reversals are possible. A trader could, for instance, anticipate a negative reversion following significant high advances. Just as a downward price movement may be followed by a reversal to the upside, the opposite was also possible.

Yet, “retracements” may occur inside these extended motions just before a reversal. These swings in price are usually temporary and are often misinterpreted as permanent shifts. The market will continue to follow its original momentum, so if you mistake a retracement for a reversal pattern, you may place a trade too soon and lose money.

Key reversal “candlestick” patterns might be a helpful strategy for determining when a reversal is likely to occur. To better understand the magnitude of price changes over a given period of time, “candles” are sometimes used. There may be patterns in the formation of these candles that suggest an impending market turn.

Methods from fundamental and technical analysis, such as monitoring volume at significant levels, may aid in spotting such shifts.

Since it requires you to anticipate a change in the market's momentum, reversal spread betting may be seen as more dangerous than other tactics.

For instance, if the market's signs show that it has peaked, you may choose to initiate a short spread betting position. If you enter this trade at the very beginning of a downward move from its top, you will be in a position to ride the whole move downwards, increasing the possibility for profits. It means if you open the transaction at the incorrect moment, you risk more money.

3. Breakout Top Spread Betting Strategy 

The third best spread betting strategy is placing a spread bet on a market breakout. When markets are range-bound, the top and bottom of the range serve as pivotal price points, or “support” and “resistance” levels, respectively. A breakout trade may be considered by investors after the market hits any of these levels.

This is the point at which the price first moves above or below the prior range. Traders take advantage of these price swings by getting in at critical range levels as soon as feasible.

Indicators, such as volume indicators, may be used to predict when a breakout will occur by showing when trading activity increases around critical price levels. You could avoid initiating a trade before a range is ready to be broken if you do this.

Those looking to take advantage of breakout trading methods may also employ the tactic of staggered entry positions. Instead of purchasing at the going market price, you may use limit orders to space out your entry around the important price point at the top or bottom of a range. They initiate a trade when the asset reaches a certain price.

Spreading your entrance across a larger price range has the ability to reduce the risk of missing a position because of committing to an entry point at the incorrect price. You should keep in mind, however, that determining an entry point is challenging and may cause your trade to encounter a stop-loss or cause you to liquidate your position.

4. Consolidation Best Spread Betting Strategy 

Our fourth best spread betting strategy is placing a spread bet in a consolidated market. This involves trading on the difference between two predetermined prices (a high and a low) on the same asset.

A bettor using this method anticipates a “bounce” in price between two levels and places a wager on the direction of the price movement, either up or down. There is constant back and forth between the support and resistance levels in a consolidating market.

For instance, an asset price is predicted to rise along the low levels of consolidation to its higher level, referred to as “resistance”.

The consolidating market approach is defined by the practice of trading price fluctuations inside the range established by the consolidation. Furthermore, if the range holding gains is broken, it might serve as a clear stop loss point.

A suitable place to initiate a long spread betting position, for instance, would be if the price was resting on the bottom of a consolidating range and had repeatedly responded favourably from this support.

Due to the tiny size of these fluctuations, leverage is often employed to “scalp” between the range. Leverage allows you to expand your holdings without spending more money. Leverage is discussed in more detail in the following sections of my guide.

Indications might assist you to determine whether to get out of a trade, such as when the price reaches the range's peak or low.

5. Event-Based Popular Spread Betting Strategy  

Due to the rapid dissemination of information and the widespread impact that it is expected to have on shareholders, this strategy is often used by investors in international markets.

Our next best spread betting strategy is spread betting on breaking news. Spread betting on news events is a kind of trading that takes into account the impact of current events on a market's price. 

Traders using this method utilise articles in the news and economic data to anticipate and prepare for certain market movements. Due to the rapid dissemination of information and the widespread impact that it is expected to have on shareholders, this strategy is often used by investors in international markets.

This is because market movements are more likely to occur if they include a large number of participants. For instance, if there were more sellers than buyers, prices may fall more quickly.

Word-of-mouth promotion Gamblers look for items in the news and economic developments that may have an impact on the market. They work hard to respond rapidly to breaking news in an effort to maximise profits.

If there is bad press about a publicly traded firm, its stock might go down. A similar effect may be seen if an upbeat report were to be published regarding the financial markets. Investors would likely view it favourably if it were disclosed that Coca-Cola had life-extending powers.

This would lead to a higher share price for the company. As soon as the news was out, a trader would look to buy Coca-Cola shares (KO) in the hopes that the stock price would rise.

Likewise, it's not simply the news that may affect market values; so can economic and financial developments. The price of a market might be affected by events such as changes in financial policy, committee meetings, or the publishing of a company's earnings report.

Yet, it may be unclear whether to cash out and when to continue to ride out losses using this method. This is because it may be difficult to gauge whether the strategy's movement has reached its conclusion in the absence of technical analysis.

6. Sports-Based Top Spread Betting Strategy  

Each sports bettor you speak with will have their own set of betting strategies they swear by. They are hit-or-miss in terms of success. Learn how to apply the following tactics to give yourself the best chance of winning your sports bets.

These techniques are highly recommended by our betting specialists since they may be used by everyone, from complete beginners to seasoned gamblers.

You shouldn't expect to win every bet you make, but if you use our tips, at least you'll have a fighting chance. To place a wager using a moneyline, all a gambler has to do is choose a Sportsbook for the first time. You may place a bet on the moneyline like this:

Man United (-250) vs. Chelsea (+210) in a football game.

In this scenario, the minus sign indicates LSU as the favoured (-). Chelsea is the underdog, therefore we'll use a plus symbol (+) to represent them. The odds favour MU, and for good reason. There's a chance they're ranked higher than Chelsea or have a superior record in their most recent games.

The moneyline is a good place to start for someone who is new to betting. It's a less time-consuming wager, and you have the option of going with the betting favourite. Moneyline wagers are easier to understand and place, since if the team you back wins, you collect.

Professional gamblers may avoid the moneyline if they share the opinion that it is a wager best left to amateurs. Yet, that is not to say that you must. Bets on the moneyline should not be ignored because of their seeming simplicity.

If you wager on the winning team using the moneyline, you may win a nice sum. This wager may be used for all major sports, including baseball, football (How to Buy Shares in Football Clubs), and tennis.

7. Points-Spread-Analysis-Based Spread Betting Strategy

Betting on point spreads requires more research than just selecting a Sportsbook. You would rather wager on whether a team will win by a certain margin (as determined by oddsmakers). If the favourite wins by a particular margin, the underdog must either win or not lose by more than that margin. Here is how a football point spread bet may look:

Man United  +4.5 (-120) vs. Man City -4.5 (-110) (-110)

The Man City are 4.5-point favourites, so they need to win by at least five points. The MU are 4.5-point underdogs, thus a victory or a loss by less than four points would guarantee a cover.

If Man City beat MU by the score of 20-17, they will not have covered the 4.5-point spread. MU didn't win by more than 4.5 points, but they covered the spread anyhow. If you gambled on the Man City, you'd end up with a loss. On the other side, you would have won your wager if you had chosen MU to cover the spread.

What is “Spread Betting”?

Since leverage amplifies market fluctuations, spread betting is often conducted over very short time frames. 

With spread betting, you may speculate without ever having to actually own the asset. Instead, they guess how prices will change in the future. Technical analysis is often used in this investment strategy to assist traders to choose whether to enter or exit a trade.

Spread betting is wagering a certain sum for every point of change in a predetermined direction. If you have selected leverage with your broker, this change will be amplified by the amount of leverage you have.

Since leverage amplifies market fluctuations, spread betting is often conducted over very short time frames. Price swings are increased by the margin you use to trade, increasing your potential profits or losses.

To warn you about spread betting: the vast majority of ordinary investor accounts end up in the red after engaging in this kind of trading.

Because of this, taking gains or limiting losses before the market turns is crucial. Due to the rapid nature with which price fluctuations may alter the profitability of a contract, spread betting is often accompanied with increased volatility.

Some spread betting tactics will be more appropriate for certain investors than others. Spread betting may be done in any number of ways, and the “right” one depends entirely on the trader's individual goals and comfort level with risk.

Spread betting entails a considerable danger of sudden financial ruin on account of the leveraged nature of the underlying investment. When you start trading, be sure you have a firm grasp on these potential downsides.

Setting Up The Entries and Exits

Even though the odds aren't usually in your favour, spread betting may still be a profitable venture if deals are structured to minimise losses and maximise gains. Let's pretend that Ben, our fictitious trader, has an average success rate of 80%, meaning that he wins four out of every five spread bets he places.

Another fictitious trader, Paul, with a 40% win record (two wins out of five spread bets) Which investor had better success? It seems that Mike is correct, but that is not necessarily the case. The outcome of a bet may be drastically altered by planning for optimal profit margins.

Let's pretend Ben is in a situation where he stands to gain £5 for every successful wager and lose £25 when he comes up short. Here, Mike's 80% win percentage is nullified by the £25 loss he sustained on his one losing wager:

Loss of £1 because (0.8 x £5.00 – 0.2 x £25.00)

Let's assume, though, that Paul loses just £5 for every £25 he wins. Paul's net profit is £7 (0.4 x £25 -0.6 x £5) despite his low win rate of 40%. In the end, despite losing 60% of the time in trading, he comes out on top.

Top 3 Spread Betting Platforms

Once again, see our top spread-betting platforms here. But we’ve also compiled a quickie rundown below:

1. Pepperstone Spread Bet Platform

Pepperstone is a prominent online trading platform for experienced forex, contract for differences, and spread betting traders, whereas Capital.com offers a simple stock-based spread betting solution.

Pepperstone is best for experienced traders who can strategize and use interfaces. This renowned spread betting broker lets you trade using cTrader or MT4/MT5 in your personal or company Pepperstone trading account.

Use indicators and customizable technical charts on these trading platforms. Pepperstone handles several instruments and assets. Discover currency, stocks, commodities, and more. Account type determines Pepperstone spread betting costs. Like Capital.com, the entry-level account has 0% spread betting commissions. The spread combines all costs.

Visit Pepperstone

Between 74-89 % of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Most marketplaces provide commission-free trading for “raw” kinds (but slides cost over £2). PayPal, cards and bank wires may finance your account.

2. IG Spread Bet Platform

…it’s possible that there’s never been a better moment to bet on developing markets. 

With China and Russia uniting against the United West, it’s possible that there’s never been a better moment to bet on developing markets.

Emerging markets include other growing areas. South Africa and Brazil are resource-rich nations. IG has strong financial ties. They may provide equities, bonds, trending index funds, currency pairings, and contracts for differences in one hub.

These assets may be spread bet. Spread betting gives you access to approximately 20,000 markets.

Markets are diverse. IG has the most commodities, currencies, equities, and index exposure. At each position, bear in either direction.

Leverage boosts bets. UK individual investors may only amplify 1:30 on any UK trading platform. Finally, their no-install browser-based interface simplifies everything. The mobile version is Android and iOS-compatible.

Start with £250 in your account using cards or bank transfers.

Visit IG

Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 75% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

3. Capital.com Forex Spread Bet Platform

This lets you gamble on most asset types in various marketplaces. For instance, stamp-duty-free capital gains for stock trading. Capital.com offers 2,000+ stock markets. Get global market access beyond London Stock Exchange enterprises.

You may trade with firms from Canada, Europe, the US, and Australia. For forex spread betting, there are many major, minor, and exotic currency pairings. Capital.com's commodity spread betting is intriguing.

Visit Capital.com

This comprises all commodities. Oil, gas, and gold. Commission-free Capital.com. This broker charges simply the spread on orders. Capital.com was named one of the best spread betting platforms in our guide linked above for a few more reasons.

First, you may create a spread betting offer in each market and benefit from bullish and bearish market fluctuations. Spread bets, like CFDs, enable you to leverage each transaction, hence the name.

Yet, this might be disastrous or profitable. UK leverage restricts key forex pairings to 1:30. Some instruments have less.

Best Spread Betting Strategies: Summary

Spread betting has a high potential reward but also a high potential loss, since even a little change in the underlying asset may result in a huge gain or loss. Spread betting is not for novice traders; it requires knowledge of the market, expertise in selecting assets, and timeliness.

Related Guides:

• IG Review
• Complete Guide to Financial Spread Betting
• Understanding Bid Ask Spread – What Every Investor Needs to Know