If you’re trying to learn how to trade on Betfair, small stakes are the best place to start. Too many new traders think they need big money to profit, but the real skill is reading the market properly.
In this post, I’ll walk you through a real session trading greyhounds on just £10 stakes, showing the thought process, the mistakes, and the exact signs I look for before entering a Betfair trade.
Next, if you’re going to be successful while learning to trade Betfair, you need to know what to look for in the markets…
Below, I’ve created a video focusing on live greyhound races because the thinner markets provide very clear examples. I’ve sat down for 20 minutes and gone through the five markets in depth one after the other. The video includes what to avoid, what to look for specifically. You can see my thought process when entering a trade, what I did when I made a common mistake and what indicators I look for when trading.
Extra: check out the pre-race trading guide here.
5 Races: Betfair Trading Explainer…
I was delighted to see how many people this YouTube video helped in the comments. If I had to sum up why the video has helped so many, it would be these three things:
- Highlighted common mistakes new traders make
- Key indicators to look for in the market that leads to profit
- How to trade smaller liquid markets while learning
Given the current situation with a lack of sport on, it’s a fantastic time to learn to trade Betfair. The video shows the possibilities that you can still take advantage of. This is what I used to do before I turned full-time, and there’s no reason why you can’t implement this while sitting at home each evening after work!
Don’t waste time flicking around random markets when you could learn a lot more by just watching this video before diving in.
How to Learn Betfair Trading as a Beginner:
If you’re new and want to learn how to trade Betfair properly, there are a few repeatable steps that make life a lot easier:
- Pick stable markets – greyhounds and horse racing pre-race are perfect while learning because movements are clear.
- Watch the money – look for runners where the price is tightening and money is queuing up to be matched.
- Avoid the chaos – don’t enter mid-swing or when the market is jumping all over the place.
- Use tiny stakes – £2-£10 is enough while you build confidence.
- Trade out early – learning is about discipline, not big wins.
The video goes into detail, focusing on greyhounds, on why you should stay out of the markets at certain points and then when to act. Effectively, you are connecting the dots in the market, and when everything comes into favour, that is the time to trade. When you watch the video and watch me scalping, you’ll understand.
Horse Racing Trading or Other Sports?
Horse racing trading is the most lucrative form of Betfair trading because of the amount of liquidity on offer. Everyone has to start somewhere though, and starting small while learning is key to long-term success. As detailed in the video, don’t be afraid of trading small liquidity to begin with because it’s good for experience.
However, the key is to know the correct movements to look for. If you enjoyed the video, definitely take the time to check out my Video Pack Course because it has a tonne of detail on what to look for in the markets when learning to trade on Betfair.
The YouTube video focused on which indicators you should be paying attention to, but it’s only 19 minutes long and the Full Video Pack has 136 videos that will help speed up to process to fully understand the markets on Betfair.
A few common questions about learning to trade:
Can you learn to trade Betfair with small stakes?
Yes. In fact, small stakes are the smartest way to learn because you can make mistakes without blowing up your bank. If you can consistently profit with £2-£10 stakes, scaling is easy later, and in truth – if you can’t profit on £2 stakes why try on £200?
How long does it take to learn Betfair trading?
Most people start to see improvement after a few weeks of watching markets every day. The key is repetition… watching how prices react, how money enters the market, and how often the crowd panics.
Do I need software to learn trading on Betfair?
You don’t need it to learn, although you will need it to get started. Learning in training mode is a really good idea. Here’s a list of free Betfair trading software options.
Related: 10 Free Betfair Trading Software Tools You Must Try Out!