What is Trading?

Trading is one of the best and most unique things about Betfair. Trading is having more than one bet in a market; seeking to improve your position or lock in a profit on all possible outcomes.

In the example below, you have layed a selection first, and then backed the same selection soon after at a higher price, guaranteeing a profit whichever result occurs. This is what most users call a Green Book because all possible outcomes show a profit (displayed in green below each selection). On top of that, your liability is now zero, meaning there are no funds tied up from your account, so you can place more bets on other markets.

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When trading, you want to lay at a low price and back at a higher price. Use the Predictive Profit & Loss (P&L) or ‘What If?’ function (click on ‘Options’ above each market once you’ve logged in) to do the calculations for you. Think of it like buying a house at one price, then selling it later at a higher price. Live sport is perfect for trading, this is why many events at Betfair match far more bets in-play than before the event began.