Do You Think Trading is Gambling?

Discussion in 'Psychology' started by nysestocks, Jan 17, 2009.

Do You Think Trading is Gambling?

  1. Yes

    140 vote(s)
    44.7%
  2. No

    173 vote(s)
    55.3%
  1. If trading is gambling, and therefore gambling is trading, what's investing?
     
    #421     Feb 6, 2009
  2. ct_nz

    ct_nz

    Something they did in the good old days.
     
    #422     Feb 6, 2009
  3. MAESTRO

    MAESTRO

    Investing is what you do when you are so dumb that you are not capable either to trade or gamble! :cool:
     
    #423     Feb 6, 2009
  4. trading = gambling
    gambling =/= trading

    just because one is true does not make the other also true.
     
    #424     Feb 6, 2009

  5. Eeeeaaasssy there, Cochise.


    Some smart people may take some exception, given the odds between investing and trading.


    IMHO.
     
    #425     Feb 6, 2009
  6. MAESTRO

    MAESTRO

    It was the "end-of-the-tough-day" joke, of course. :)
     
    #426     Feb 6, 2009
  7. Not that it will change any minds, but here are some wise quotes from 'how to figure the odds,' by Oswald Jacoby. 1940



    "It has been said that nothing is certain except death and taxes. Actually, this statement is almost completely fallacious. Past experience of the human race tells us that we are going to die, but we cannot tell the date or the manner of our death. Past experience tells us that there will be taxes in the future, but their nature and size are only a matter of unpleasant conjecture.

    The only thing we can be really certain of is that from birth to death we are completely bound by the ever present and wholly inconclusive laws of probability that govern every action and event."

    ------------------------------
    What is Gambling?

    Gambling is the wagering of money upon the result of any event or game of skill or chance.

    Last paragraph of book:

    A large part of the skill in gambling games consists in choosing or bringing about situations in which you have a positive expectation -- and avoiding situations in which you have a negative expectation.

    The same is true in business. The skillful businessman invests in situations in which his expectations are positive; he avoids the negative expectations. Remember, however, that the best-laid schemes gang aft agley. No matter how big your positive expectations, you may still lose money on any single occasion.
     
    #427     Feb 6, 2009
  8. If you know the odds, and the odds are in your favor, it's not gambling.

    That means trading is probably gambling for 99.9% of all traders! :)
     
    #428     Feb 7, 2009
  9. achilles28

    achilles28

    Yep.

    Successful trading is like counting cards.

    Bet when probabilities are your favor.
     
    #429     Feb 7, 2009
  10. ammo

    ammo

    is trading really gambling,is gambling even gambling,is denial really denial
     
    #430     Feb 7, 2009