Spread betting is any of various types of
wagering on the
outcome of an event where the pay-off is based on the
accuracy of the wager, rather than a simple "win or lose" outcome, such as
fixed-odds (or money-line) betting or
parimutuel betting. A
spread is a range of outcomes and the bet is whether the outcome will be above or below the spread. Spread betting has been a major growth market in the
UK in recent years, with the number of gamblers heading towards one million. Spread betting can carry a high level of risk, with potential losses or gains far in excess of the original money wagered. In the UK, spread betting is regulated by the
Financial Conduct Authority rather than the
Gambling Commission.