The spread betting sites allow you to trade a wide variety of markets from the same account. CMC Markets offer more forex markets than anyone else and IG have the largest selection of UK, US and international shares to choose from. Both brokers have a comprehensive range of charting tools and support services including technical and fundamental trading signals, economic diaries and liquidity for working orders outside the normal market size (NMS).

With spread bets you can trade the ‘buy’ price or the’sell’ price. Buying a market means you are expecting it to rise in value, this is known as going ‘long’. Selling a market means you expect it to fall in value, this is known as going ’short’. Traders make profits or losses depending on how accurate their prediction is, and the more accurate their bet the higher the payoff.

Exploring Spread Betting: Top Spread Betting Sites in the UK

Using the right strategy is key to successful spread betting. Understanding the risk of losing money is also essential. Leverage is a big issue with spread betting and can work against you as well as for you. This is why it is important to set a stop loss and to use a proper risk management plan.

When selecting a spread betting site it is also worth considering the level of customer support that is offered. The best companies will offer phone and online help as well as a range of educational tools and charts. They will also provide a free demo account for practice before you start trading.