21 yr old looking for all round advice

[Goobs]

It's funny that you can't even get the pros to agree on how much commission they pay, whenever I trade on any other exchange, options or futures the fee structure is very clear.

Also, if you do somehow manage to do very well, you have to overcome the "Expert fee" which seems like mind-blowing greed to me.

I've been trading on exchanges since the 1980s and I've never heard of an exchange taking any participants profit beyond the standard commission, if anything it was the opposite, if you were a large player you got treated like a king and were offered discounts.

This gambling game is very much an unwinnable for most.

[Simoba]

It's funny that you can't even get the pros to agree on how much commission they pay, whenever I trade on any other exchange, options or futures the fee structure is very clear.

Also, if you do somehow manage to do very well, you have to overcome the "Expert fee" which seems like mind-blowing greed to me.

I've been trading on exchanges since the 1980s and I've never heard of an exchange taking any participants profit beyond the standard commission, if anything it was the opposite, if you were a large player you got treated like a king and were offered discounts.

This gambling game is very much an unwinnable for most.

Exactly this. I too have been involved since the 1980's (betting not trading). The days of the "VIP" accounts, personal direct phone line to your VIP account manager, free money in bets, days out at the major race meetings etc etc. We were staking huge amounts but certainly were not winners long term. Looking back, it was really was a dreadful scheme, which I believe was dismantled when the new regulations came in. The gambling game is very much unwinnable for most (me included!) in my experience too.

[jamesedwards]

I too have been involved since the 1980's (betting not trading). The days of the "VIP" accounts, personal direct phone line to your VIP account manager, free money in bets, days out at the major race meetings etc etc. We were staking huge amounts but certainly were not winners long term. Looking back, it was really was a dreadful scheme, which I believe was dismantled when the new regulations came in. The gambling game is very much unwinnable for most (me included!) in my experience too.

It's a shocker because Betfair have been able to use regulation as an excuse for aloof (read cheap) customer service. I personally contribute enough in fees to keep Peter Jackson in a brand new Porsche every year, and in any other industry I would be very well catered to. But with Betfair I can't even speak to someone on the phone.

[ruthlessimon]

In my mind these are long dead. They're certainly not scalable unless I'm missing a big trick?

Average Joe is more likely to make money off a £10 free bet than attempting to "trade" the 14:30 at Kempton in-play using "Trader Carl’s" £400 course.

Small EV > no EV

Are those comparable? A free bet vs trying to do something requiring ability they don't have?

It's just regular risk:return. Pick up a small no risk amount, or spend time and money instead with a %age chance of picking up much larger amounts, or nothing. Bank savings account vs Crypto or other assets.

Context matters here:

no other gambling framework offers a starting point this close to profitability

For 99% of people, matched betting is a much closer starting point to profitability than trading.

Matched betting is just maths. Trading requires maths and skill.

Extract a few grand risk-free from offers, then use that to fund the tools and bankroll needed for the transition to trading.

Even Peter didn’t start trading initially. He was arbing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzNNZAuwpJ4

[Goobs]

I trade most of my options activity on an exchange called Deribit these days. Last year I was trading over $1M notional a month, they reached out to me and give me a discount on maker and taker rates without me even asking!

This industry seems very greedy and it's pretty clear why it's in decline.