The definition of gambling:

1. Money that is risked for possible monetary gain
2. Take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome.

Do those two statements define most of your trading activity? Just as somebody would study sport as a hobby and back their views, are traders not just learning about and studying the markets and ''taking a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome''

However we access the markets, whatever we trade or buy we are all taking ''risk in the hope of possible monetary gain''

I know a guy whose life has gone downhill since he secretly started gambling heavily on the horses and football - he nearly lost his shirt. I bet there are just as many stories of people loosing all their money, wife, car, sanity etc... 'gambling' on the markets.

Trading is without doubt a more intellectually challenging and sophisticated form of gambling - people who do it full time are really just informed gamblers.

This is how I see it

When you start trading every decision is like spinning a roulette wheel with all 36 numbers present as you spin. As you gain more knowledge, discipline and skill - those numbers start to whittle away giving you more chance of being successful.

Is this any different to analyzing premiership football and making your money there? I know it is all very impressive explaining to people your a trader but I wonder if we would get such a positive reaction introducing ourselves as professional gamblers at dinner party's??

What make TA or fundamental analysis any different to studying form when betting on horses????

What do you guy's think?

i would say only gambling is not good and never try it out