Can it be said speculating is a gambling?

Answer 1

no, because speculating takes knowledge.

Answer 2

I think it is only gambling when you have a stake in the outcome. When you gamble you bet money or goods on the desired result. When you speculate it's usually only what you hope for, e.g. I think the meeting today will go really well, you're speculating, but you haven't bet anything on it, so you won't lose anything if it doesn't go your way, and you wont gain anything if it goes well (except self esteem maybe), if you raise the stakes, though, put something of value on a desired result, then that is gambling, even if it's just like "f this meeting goes well I'm going to buy myself 3 donuts and a large coffee" Then you have a stake in the outcome of the meeting, and it is gambling, though very mild and harmless gambling I think, and if that's the only gambling you do, then I wouldn't worry. If you mean speculating on the stock-exchange, then that is gambling, because you basically bet that some company is going to do well, and you get a financial gain if you're right, or a loss if you're wrong. Basically gambling is anything where you have something of value at stake depending on the outcome. I'll bet you $20 I'm right ;-)

Answer 3

In a way, yes. But the trick is to get the odds on your side, by using a system for which you know the performance from back-testing.

There are two factors that count: the percentage of winning trades and the ratio of your average gain for winning trades over the average loss for loosing trades. The latter value you control by using stoplosses.

With the trendfollowing system I use, I typically have 40% winning trades, but a 3.5 to 1 gain/loss ratio.

Of course when I take a trade I do not know in advance if it will be a winner or a looser. And it that sense speculation is gambling.

Answer 4

yes, in common business practice, prices are lowered for volume purchases by the manufacturer/distributor to give incentive to the reseller. The volume is usually much more than the common purchase, but at a price low enough to sell quickly (here's the taking a chance part) because it is cheaper than most of the competition.

Let's say you sell eggs. You usually buy 10 dozen eggs at .70

And you resell them for $1 per dozen

Your egg dealer tells you that if you buy 20 dozen instead, he can drop the price to .50 per dozen.

You run a "special" for .80 per dozen. You are now selling more eggs as a result because it is cheaper. But you are taking a chance, because you know you can sell 10 dozen eggs, but you don't know if you can sell 20 dozen.

If you can sell enough eggs to cover the purchase of the extra eggs (10 doz x .50 = $5) by selling 7 of the 10 extra dozen eggs (7 X .80 = $5.60, which is actually more than the $5), the 3 dozen left over is all profit (3 x .80 = 2.40), which is the equivalent of selling 8 dozen eggs @ .30 profit. Does this make sense?

That's IF you sell all the eggs. That's where taking a chance comes in.

That's why we have "specials". The Spec in "Specials" actually refers to speculation on purchases.

Answer 5

speculative would indicate there is a chance you could end up on the plus side
or you could end up on the negative side
so yes - you could say a person who's involved in Real Estate speculation
gambles on a favorable real estate market condition to succeed

Answer 6

Speculating is just like rolling the dice in Vegas. Do yur homework--know what yur buying--know what it will cost u--have a target price to sell at--always buy for long term and remember by the time u find out about a hot stock its not hot anymore.

Answer 7

Gambling using the hazard factor while speculating uses real data!!!! so it is not the same

Answer 8

stock speculating? No
You have all the information/research on your computer.

Gambling-Casino
House always wins

Poker
that's a skill game with a little bit of luck

Answer 9

"Games of chance must be distinguished from games in which skill makes a difference. The principles that work in roulette, dice, and slot machines are identical, but they explain only part of what is involved in poker, betting on the horses, and backgammon. With one group of games the outcome is determined by fate; with the other group, choice comes into play.

Answer 10

investing in non guaranteed returns is a gamble, simple