spread betting

Meanings

1. 1noununcountablefinance

   A form of betting where you win or lose money depending on how far the result differs from a predicted range, not just whether you are right.

   Grammar: No plural: spread betting is risky.

   Patterns

   • spread betting on something

   Spread betting lets you bet on whether a share price will rise or fall.

   He lost more than he expected through spread betting.

   Spread betting on football can involve total goals.

2. 2noununcountablefinancespecialist

   A way of trading on financial markets without owning the asset, using leverage.

   Grammar: Finance use.

   Patterns

   • a spread betting account

   She opened a spread betting account to trade on the index.

   Spread betting is tax-free in the UK for most people.

   The firm offers spread betting on currencies.

Common combinations

spread betting firm

A spread betting firm offered him a new account.

spread betting account

He opened a spread betting account last year.

spread betting on shares

Spread betting on shares can be risky.

spread betting losses

Spread betting losses can mount quickly.

try spread betting

I would not try spread betting without advice.

Synonyms and how they differ

financial betting

Financial betting is a general term for betting on market moves.

CFD trading

CFD trading is similar but taxed differently and more common outside the UK.

wagering

Wagering is a general word for betting and not a specific method.

speculation

Speculation means taking risks for profit in many ways, not only betting.

Opposites

Word family

spread noun

the gap between prices

bet verb

to risk money on a result

bettor noun

a person who bets

betting noun

the activity of placing bets

Commonly confused: spread betting or fixed-odds betting?

Practice

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