How is trading *not* gambling?

[deisik]

How different is trading from just gambling? I know there seems to be a  big difference with technical analysis and whatnot, but in the end aren't you just betting on something completely random?

They are similar, but there is one key difference.

If you throw your money up in the air and hope it lands a certain way, you are gambling.

If you check the wind and the weight of the money before throwing, you are trading

But this is not what this topic is about

Whether you check the wind and the weight of the coin before tossing or rely purely on luck, in the end, as per opening post, you are "just betting on something completely random". If you disagree (which you should), then you have to explain how trading is not betting if everyone "goes for wool but comes back shorn", so to speak, i.e. everyone and his dog want to earn profits but in the end they still count only losses. So how trading is not gambling for them?

[1714568545]

1714568545

[1714568545]

1714568545

[1714568545]

1714568545

[1714568545]

1714568545

[1714568545]

1714568545

[1714568545]

1714568545

[PokerFace3]

If you throw your money up in the air and hope it lands a certain way, you are gambling.

If you check the wind and the weight of the money before throwing, you are trading.

Good explanation. But it is trying to say both gambling and trading are fundamentally same thing and only differences is analytical part. This may be another good supportive point for trading is never should be done like how gambling may be done.

I am not having any confusion over there. Still sometimes I am also going for trading how I do in gambling. Yes, I do bet with my trading. But fortunately I am making better results than gambling. Hence trading is not exact gambling but not for extremely lucky people.

[kevinn669]

If you throw your money up in the air and hope it lands a certain way, you are gambling.

If you check the wind and the weight of the money before throwing, you are trading.

Good explanation. But it is trying to say both gambling and trading are fundamentally same thing and only differences is analytical part. This may be another good supportive point for trading is never should be done like gambling should be done.

I disagree with you. Trade - a process that controls the trader. A gambling inns can not be controlled. They are all based on chance. In trade, all risks lie on the trader and the outcome depends on his decision

[agentx44]

How different is trading from just gambling? I know there seems to be a  big difference with technical analysis and whatnot, but in the end aren't you just betting on something completely random?

The biggest reasin is that, gambling is just a pure luck game and no one knows what will happen next. In the other hand, trading can be observable based on technical analysis, stability, and news.

[richardsNY]

In the other hand, trading can be observable based on technical analysis, stability, and news.

That goes up for Bitcoin and a few altcoins that are backed by capable developers and market movers. If you look at the majority of the altcoins, they are pure pump and dump coins. How would you analyze a market that only drives on occasional pumps ans dumps? It's next to impossible. Only thing left is to just open positions into one of these coins, and hope that you're in before the coin starts to pump. If you look at it from that point, then this is somwhat similar to gambling -- in both cases you depend on luck.

[mattinzane@comcast.net]

it is called speculation, not gambling. One of the big differences is that in gambling you do not have an advantage over the casino, they have the edge on you. In speculation you are taking an educated risk that something will happen based on study and investigation. For instance I might look into an alt coin and see that they have an actual  business that is making money and has investors that are big players in startups, so I say that I believe this will be a winner over the long run. So I put say $500 into this idea over time, if I do this with say 10 coins that I think will be winners over the long term. I am creating a portfolio of coins I believe will be good investments over the long run. I don't need them all to be big winners, but if just a few are and produce large returns my speculation will pay off big time.

[bitbob82]

Trading instead of gambling. Where you buy something you continue to sell when the price goes up, while the gamble you do not analyze and understand what will happen.

yes trading is not gambling as in trading we need to have good experience and skill, but in gambling we mostly depend on our luck and if we are lucky we will make money in gambling, but in trading we can only make money if we have good expeirience.

[yellow1]

Trading is a not gambling. but trading is a buying and selling, and the profit are generally through buying at a lower price and selling in higher price but in short time only, there is no risk in trading because you hold it in a short time. The possible is earn easily and double your money in trading this can be an good investment and make fast money.

[Peashooter]

Trading is a not gambling. but trading is a buying and selling, and the profit are generally through buying at a lower price and selling in higher price but in short time only, there is no risk in trading because you hold it in a short time. The possible is earn easily and double your money in trading this can be an good investment and make fast money.

There are always risk in trading and gambling has more. For better explanation, trading without analysis should be consider as gambling and gambling is pure of guessing and luck.

[PeterTheGrape]

How different is trading from just gambling? I know there seems to be a  big difference with technical analysis and whatnot, but in the end aren't you just betting on something completely random?

They are similar, but there is one key difference.

If you throw your money up in the air and hope it lands a certain way, you are gambling.

If you check the wind and the weight of the money before throwing, you are trading.

If after all your calculations or speculations, your prediction has failed, then that's just reality.

The wind can change anytime. In trading, anyone can dump the market. A coin can be dumped and never get recovered. The dev can also destroy their coin. There are other stuffs that can affect the coin like the coin's popularity, random investor, etc. All I can say that everything in trading is purely random. Even if you do your research, you're still gambling your money. There's still no assurance that the future holds something good for you.

There is risk in anything, but the difference is between smart and stupid risk.

A smart person looks at the terrain, tries not to ignore any information, does not want things to be only chance, but wants to improve on things by adding some learning.

For sure karma, luck, wind are all factors. Same as driving to work. If you close your eyes while driving you might get there, but the chances are better if you drive with eyes open.

[Amadues]

How different is trading from just gambling? I know there seems to be a  big difference with technical analysis and whatnot, but in the end aren't you just betting on something completely random?

They are similar, but there is one key difference.

If you throw your money up in the air and hope it lands a certain way, you are gambling.

If you check the wind and the weight of the money before throwing, you are trading.

If after all your calculations or speculations, your prediction has failed, then that's just reality.

The wind can change anytime. In trading, anyone can dump the market. A coin can be dumped and never get recovered. The dev can also destroy their coin. There are other stuffs that can affect the coin like the coin's popularity, random investor, etc. All I can say that everything in trading is purely random. Even if you do your research, you're still gambling your money. There's still no assurance that the future holds something good for you.

There is risk in anything, but the difference is between smart and stupid risk.

A smart person looks at the terrain, tries not to ignore any information, does not want things to be only chance, but wants to improve on things by adding some learning.

For sure karma, luck, wind are all factors. Same as driving to work. If you close your eyes while driving you might get there, but the chances are better if you drive with eyes open.

You should know difference between "Dumb money" and "smart money" . Smart money isn't looking for short-term profit, it needs edge over the long term. Big banks and hedge funds are looking for 10%(!) profit in one year. They dont put all eggs in one basket: Portfolio investing, future contracts It is all about risk management and skill. In gambling you need luck and little bit experience.

[angaper]

If you throw your money up in the air and hope it lands a certain way, you are gambling.

If you check the wind and the weight of the money before throwing, you are trading.

Good explanation. But it is trying to say both gambling and trading are fundamentally same thing and only differences is analytical part. This may be another good supportive point for trading is never should be done like gambling should be done.

I disagree with you. Trade - a process that controls the trader. A gambling inns can not be controlled. They are all based on chance. In trade, all risks lie on the trader and the outcome depends on his decision

Not necessarily, my friend. In trading there is a well-known level of uncertainty that prevents absolute control on our outcomes, although it is true that a good and disciplined trader use to set strict parameters to to avoid excessive losses.

And on the other hand, not everything in gambling is a matter of good luck. In fact, there are professional gamblers who have based their success on professional strategies with perfect control of profit/losses.

[PeterTheGrape]

If you throw your money up in the air and hope it lands a certain way, you are gambling.

If you check the wind and the weight of the money before throwing, you are trading.

Good explanation. But it is trying to say both gambling and trading are fundamentally same thing and only differences is analytical part. This may be another good supportive point for trading is never should be done like gambling should be done.

I disagree with you. Trade - a process that controls the trader. A gambling inns can not be controlled. They are all based on chance. In trade, all risks lie on the trader and the outcome depends on his decision

Not necessarily, my friend. In trading there is a well-known level of uncertainty that prevents absolute control on our outcomes, although it is true that a good and disciplined trader use to set strict parameters to to avoid excessive losses.

And on the other hand, not everything in gambling is a matter of good luck. In fact, there are professional gamblers who have based their success on professional strategies with perfect control of profit/losses.

Difference there is that by promoting blackjack over roulette you might make more money but your time is really wasted. Promoting Gridcoin over Bitcoin does make the room smell better though, whether you win or lose.

[deisik]

it is called speculation, not gambling. One of the big differences is that in gambling you do not have an advantage over the casino, they have the edge on you. In speculation you are taking an educated risk that something will happen based on study and investigation

That something is called luck in gambling, and you know the odds beforehand (unlike trading)

You should know difference between "Dumb money" and "smart money" . Smart money isn't looking for short-term profit, it needs edge over the long term. Big banks and hedge funds are looking for 10%(!) profit in one year. They dont put all eggs in one basket: Portfolio investing, future contracts It is all about risk management and skill. In gambling you need luck and little bit experience

That's bullshit, moreover, it is potentially fatal bullshit if you are really going to follow it in practice

Forget about Harry Markowitz and his ideas about portfolio management. They don't work in real life since his is a theory based on premises which never occur in real life (many people have burned their fingers following it). Big fish are earning by eating small fish, this is what all trading and investment theory can be reduced to. In other words, if you belong to the latter, you basically have just two options, i.e. either to end up eaten by the big fish at the end of the day or stay away from playing games against "smart money" since you will be playing by their rules, i.e. inevitably end up eaten by them sooner or later. If you can outwit and outsmart them somehow, then more power to you (the dudes in line after you will have harder times if you succeed). But that would have nothing to do with risk management and not putting all your eggs in one basket, anyway

[coinits]

How different is trading from just gambling? I know there seems to be a  big difference with technical analysis and whatnot, but in the end aren't you just betting on something completely random?

When you gamble and lose you lose your money. It's gone. When you trade you always have something. Price may rise or fall but you have something.

[deisik]

How different is trading from just gambling? I know there seems to be a  big difference with technical analysis and whatnot, but in the end aren't you just betting on something completely random?

When you gamble and lose you lose your money. It's gone. When you trade you always have something. Price may rise or fall but you have something.

Or it may not rise, and then you are left with the same, i.e. nothing ("holding the bag filled with shit")

Fundamentally, it is still six of one and half a dozen of the other. If you don't stake all, you will always "have something" left and can win back what you lost (at least, hypothetically). On the other hand, if the price doesn't revert, your losses are no less permanent than in gambling (the difference between your entry and exit points, obviously). Just in case, I'm not promoting gambling, I'm just telling how things actually stand in respect to trading. How they stand in respect to gambling, everyone should understand on their own

[roadbits]

How different is trading from just gambling? I know there seems to be a  big difference with technical analysis and whatnot, but in the end aren't you just betting on something completely random?

When you gamble and lose you lose your money. It's gone. When you trade you always have something. Price may rise or fall but you have something.

Or it may not rise, and then you are left with the same, i.e. nothing ("holding the bag filled with shit")

Fundamentally, it is still six of one and half a dozen of the other. If you don't stake all, you will always "have something" left and can win back what you lost (at least, hypothetically). On the other hand, if the price doesn't revert, your losses are no less permanent than in gambling (the difference between your entry and exit points, obviously). Just in case, I'm not promoting gambling, I'm just telling how things actually stand in respect to trading. How they stand in respect to gambling, everyone should understand on their own

You are right if the price goes down and never up it's totally waste of money and time. But why you think only negative. At this situation the price will never go down like hell this is sure. So holding coins for a long time is always profitable. So the risk is common, if you do not take risk, you can not do so any work. In that, we have to choose less risk job to make money. Trading and Gambling in this trading is less risk job. So we can do trading to earn some extra money.

[Johannes_Augula]

Trading is basically financial processes carried out legally with all the verification of all the essential documents.Gambling is not always legal.It can involve fraud and money laundering.But gambling can soon be a legal business as there's a new upcoming platform called HostGames for casino gaming.

[pinoyden]

Re: How is trading *not* gambling?

trading is actually verry identical to gambling because both activity are risky and both activity do also require skill and luck .

 but trading and gambling do have a little difference , like for example in trading you can minimize your chance of loosing if you make a good analysis regarding on the flow of the coin while on gambling you cannot posibly do an analysis because most of the gambling games are purely built for a random play .

in my case , i oftenly do trading more than gambling because imo trading is more profitable .  i only gamble if there is an excess amount of coins on my purse .

[Ailmand]

Trading is not gambling because gambling is a game for entertainment and trading is business and investment..
Trading is a good choice to invest and it needs to study in order to make a good profit.. that is why people are losing in trading because they are deciding a wrong decision.. investing in altcoin is very risky.. much better to trade with bitcoin every time the price is increase set your own margin..
try this site for analysis https://bitcoinwisdom.com/markets/bitstamp/btcusd
If you can see the right side you can see wall for buy and sell.. and the movement of trading is fast. not a movement of fluctuate..
much better to stay in bitcoin the more you invest the more you can make a good profit..

For me, I don't consider it gambling because of the fact that it is not solely based on change. There are preparatory works that one can do in order to do more successful trades and to find those deals that can be more successful as compared to gambling, which is something that one can't really prepare for. Maybe experience can be a guiding aspect for a gambler to win most nights, but then again, it is always based on chance, even the luckiest person has an off night. On the other hand, trading is not like that, you can prepared and check out the assets that you want to go after, which would not leave its success plainly onto chance.