Practise these skills
- Choosing a stake per point from your risk
- Setting stops, limits and guaranteed stops
- Reading margin and exposure
- Comparing daily and futures bets
A two-week demo routine
| Days | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1–3 | Place, modify and close bets; attach stops and limits |
| 4–7 | Size every bet from a 1% risk rule |
| 8–10 | Hold a few daily bets overnight and note financing |
| 11–14 | Trade your plan only; review a journal of every bet |
Stake sizing practice
With a £3,000 demo balance and 1% risk (£30), a 30-point stop means a £1-per-point stake. Practise recalculating this for every trade until it's automatic.
Moving to live
- Start with the smallest stake the broker allows.
- Expect execution and emotions to differ from demo.
- Keep the same rules and journal.
Frequently asked questions
Which brokers offer spread betting demos?
Most UK spread betting providers do, including IG, CMC Markets, Pepperstone and Spreadex.
Is a CFD demo good enough to learn spread betting?
Partly, but stake-per-point sizing and the way P&L is shown differ. Practise on the account type you'll use.
CFDs and spread bets are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Most retail investor accounts lose money when trading these products. You should consider whether you understand how they work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.