HOW TO SPREAD BET
Spread betting offers flexible access to the financial markets.
If you think a market will rise you 'buy' (known as 'going long'), or if you think a market will fall you 'sell' (known as 'going short').
Placing a spread bet
Select a market. In this example you're dealing on the movement of the FTSE® 100. Click the name of the market to open a deal ticket.
Choose the amount you are willing to bet in pounds per point. For each point the market moves, you make or lose this amount.
Decide if you think the price will fall or rise.
Click the 'Buy' or 'Sell' button to confirm your deal and open your position.
Monitor your position. You can close your deal at any time or wait for it to close automatically when it expires.
Close your deal. Open your ticket and click 'Buy' if you originally went short, or 'Sell' if you went long.
View our examples to see how a deal can lead to profit or loss.
Ways to spread bet
- Online: open, manage and monitor positions on our award-winning platform
- Mobile: deal from your smartphone with our free customised apps
- iPad: switch between charts and deal on our tailored iPad app
- Insight centre: research and develop your dealing with news and analysis
- Phone: speak directly to our dealing desk
Understanding the risks of spread betting
When you buy a financial asset, such as a share, you gain exposure to its upward and downward movements.
When you spread bet, you supply a partial deposit (or margin) to gain full exposure to that asset's movements.
This can lead to losses that exceed your initial deposit when you spread bet. Before you begin, it's important to understand the potential risk and how we can help you manage it.
If you're ready to spread bet, create an account to get started.
Related info
Spread bets are leveraged products. Spread betting may not be suitable for everyone and can result in losses that exceed your initial deposit, so please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved.