Hide balance

[ShaunWhite]

Besides, it's really nothing to be ashamed of lads.

Trading banks are a bit like phalluses, deceptively small at first... but can considerably grow in size when the right opportunities present themselves!

... and shrink just as quickly again when the cold light of morning reveals you've make a terrible mistake the night before.

[ODPaul82]

Mines in need of a double dose of viagra at points

[Kai]

Besides, it's really nothing to be ashamed of lads.

Trading banks are a bit like phalluses, deceptively small at first... but can considerably grow in size when the right opportunities present themselves!

... and shrink just as quickly again when the cold light of morning reveals you've make a terrible mistake the night before.

Very good Shaun I will borrow this for my book of lewd trading analogies, if and when I decide to write one

[ShaunWhite]

I will borrow this for my book of lewd trading analogies, if and when I decide to write one

[eightbo]

.... Sorry MattP you'd already said that.

Btw Why do people want to hide the balance anyway?

In an information-rich society, it's nice to keep what you can to yourself, especially things which may result in unwanted interest/judgments/risk from anyone who sees it. While albeit slight, you'd have to imagine op's chance of being followed home from the café would go up slightly on avg. if he's sporting a chunky sum on his screen.

On a subtler note it's nice to be able to share stuff from your screen with others without the baggage the viewer can sometimes put on the number. Just annoying when the focus of what you're showing is followed be a question about your balance.

Aside from general privacy, another practical way I made use of this feature was hiding my P&L (and the balance by proxy) after watching an interesting interview with John "Rambo" Moulton one day. Apparently John does it for periods as long as quarterly sometimes! ...however even hiding for the day/week worked extremely well for me as I had a tendency to get aggressive after a bit of drawdown, and I was able to follow my plan a lot more. It was super weird, like my mind couldn't get triggered if it didn't have the information. Of course you have a rough feeling, but I had set a pre-defined daily or weekly risk -£ amount and so long as I was above that number I felt mostly comfortable. (I was logging individual market results in Excel inbetween markets with everything hidden
behind a solid black fill's, with a formula running in the bg giving a green light to continue while P&L >= (StartingBalance less AcceptableRisk), and so long as I had the green light, I knew I was fine)
A bit specific/obscure, but terifically useful!

[SteadySlobbin]

I think seeing your balance going down makes you more prone to chasing than not seeing it.

Numerous people have suggested hiding balance as a way of keeping discipline and just concentrating on the process rather than the results, and I fully agree.


You should at least be given the option. Another poorly thought out move that has absolutely no benefit to problem gamblers.

[Kai]

I think seeing your balance going down makes you more prone to chasing than not seeing it.

Numerous people have suggested hiding balance as a way of keeping discipline and just concentrating on the process rather than the results, and I fully agree.

Both excellent points.

Youtube traders will be impacted as well, hiding the balance has been their favorite Betfair feature

[ShaunWhite]

There's obviously pros and cons. And when you're learning then I agree that showing or not showing the balance can help or hinder. But I don't regonise any meaningful security issue, its probably a few grand not a huge eye-catching figure and if you want to share a screenshot then take 5s to move your money to another wallet.

These things are intended to (if not actually) help/protect the large majority who aren't savvy gamblers so it's not a surprise it doesn't always suit the small percantage who do it 'professionally'. We are very much the exception and as such have to like it or lump it.

But this is a debate that's been re-run on here over and over again for years, personal responsibility vs the duty of care. Same people on the same sides and it makes absolutely no difference to what happens. All I care about is having an income tomorrow and if that means a few inconvenient things happen which placate the authorities then so be it.

[MattP]

Has gone on the PC website version but still available on mobile?

Another Betfair error!?

[Euler]

Personally I think it's better to hide the balance. If you keep checking it that makes things worse. You either think you are doing well and risk too much, or you see you are losing and trying and chase it.

In behavioural terms it's better not to see it.

[Derek27]

Personally I think it's better to hide the balance. If you keep checking it that makes things worse. You either think you are doing well and risk too much, or you see you are losing and trying and chase it.

In behavioural terms it's better not to see it.

I've sometimes only realised I forgot to cancel an order when I see a chunk of my balance missing.

[alexmr2]

Personally I think it's better to hide the balance. If you keep checking it that makes things worse. You either think you are doing well and risk too much, or you see you are losing and trying and chase it.

In behavioural terms it's better not to see it.

I've sometimes only realised I forgot to cancel an order when I see a chunk of my balance missing.

Was just going to post this, I understand there could be psychological disadvantages of looking at it but I prefer to keep it visible to make sure I've not forgot to hedge any portions of my stakes.

It's rarely an issue but when horses get withdrawn and markets are suspended the odd unusual thing can happen when the market turns inplay

[Emmson]

Personally I think it's better to hide the balance. If you keep checking it that makes things worse. You either think you are doing well and risk too much, or you see you are losing and trying and chase it.

In behavioural terms it's better not to see it.

I've sometimes only realised I forgot to cancel an order when I see a chunk of my balance missing.

SAME!

I've lost plenty over the years by logging off before I cancel bets. conversely I will have won also from failing to cancel bets but its losses that stay in the memory.

[Kai]

Don't people dabble and speculate on the longer term markets which ties up chunks of the balance? I often cannot resist but to have a go if looks tradable, can't even remember the last time I saw my full balance available, usually have about a third available for active trading.

Agree with hiding the balance from others etc, and edges/results especially since all it does is invite more competition in and makes your markets harder over time and dilutes your longterm P&L etc, but sharing the minor one-off stuff is okay I think.

But hiding the balance from yourself seems a bit OTT, never had any bigger issues with it influencing the overall decision-making, it's all just one trade at a time and one oppo at a time just trying to make that right decision in terms of position management, if anything having a good day should just spur you on further...

[alexmr2]

Hiding balance is also useful for course and book sellers to disguise that they are trading in practice mode whilst screen recording