Economy
Stock Trading Versus Sports Betting; The Differences and Similarities
By Samuel Ighoyota Akporhiunuvwiyo
There is a growing population of betting companies in Nigeria. This is a result of increase in the number of betters in Nigeria. At a time in the country, it was only just pool betting, but as of today, we have seen a rise in the number of betting companies; the likes of Nairabets, Bet9ja, Accessbet, Blackbet, etc come to mind.
It is a common belief by betters that betting is a good way of raising money or getting additional income to solve their financial needs. To some, this is correct, while to others, this is far from the truth.
What is Sports Betting
According to Wikipedia, sports betting is the activity of predicting results of sporting activities and placing a wager on the outcome. The frequency of bookmaking varies by culture, with the vast majority of bets being placed on football also known as soccer, American football, basketball, baseball, hockey, track cycling, auto racing, mixed martial arts, and boxing at both the amateur and professional levels.
Sports betting can also extend to non-athletic events, such as reality shows and political elections, and non-human contests such as horse racing, greyhound racing, and illegal, underground cockfighting. It is not uncommon for sports betting websites to offer wagers for entertainment events such as the Grammy Awards, the Oscars, and the Emmy Awards.
What is Stock Trading
Stock trading is the buying and selling of shares of companies on a regulated platform like the stock exchange.
At the stock market, owners of a certain company’s equities look for willing buyers, with the different bodies earning certain percentages as commission for the transaction. These shares are traded for various reasons, depending on the prevailing conditions when the trading took place.
For example, when in need of funds to sort out an urgent obligation, you could place an order to exchange your shares for cash and this could come at a loss to the seller. In another way, an information like the recent from Dangote Flour and Forte Oil could trigger the demand for a company stock, which will result in the price going up. For willing seller who bought at a relatively cheap price, it could be time to take profit.
Similarities Between Sports Betting and Stock Trading
Sports betting and Stock Trading exhibit some level of similarities and one of them is the Skill Based Gambling
In as much as there is a slight difference between stock trading and sports betting, they both carry a potential for gains and losses. This means they both manage some level of risk, gambling, and predictions. They both require a level of research too, although, methodology differs.
Comparative Returns
They both exhibit potentials of a favourable return on investment, although, sports betting typically involves several losses followed by a big return of 100 percent or more or less. Whether this covers the cost of all lost bets depends on a specific situation, but average performance produces approximately a 5 percent loss over time. Returns also depend on the risk appetite of the player.
Differences Between Sports Betting and Stock Trading
One of the major differences between the two forms of ‘investment’ is that while stock trading is normally carried out during working days, sports betting can extend to non-working days, including public holidays.
Another difference is about legality. While stock trading is legal in almost every country and backed by law, the same is not with sports betting, which is illegal in some countries.
A Rigged Game
One major difference between sports betting and the stock trading is the way the professionals make money. Publicly traded companies make money by doing business. As they get wealthy, their investors also reap benefits in form of dividend payment usually paid at the end of a financial year. Some companies also pay what is called interim dividend, which is paid before the end of the fiscal year.
But for sports bookies, they make money when people lose bets. They set the odds specifically to make people lose more money overall than they win. This is one of the key reasons only one of these practices is legal throughout the United States, Although, betters can avoid or reduce this by lowering their risk appetite. The higher the odd the riskier the bet.
Another big difference between sports betting and stock trading is that the former is highly addictive. It is often said that there is ‘an evil spirit’ attached to sports betting, which make betters sell their belongings to place bets with the hope of winning big.
Having highlighted the similarities and differences between sports betting and stock trading, it is advisable for the growing population of Nigeria to explore the opportunities in trading in the Nigerian stock market because it is less risky than sports betting and is also more regulated.
By Dipo Olowookere
The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited managed to finish in the green territory on Monday after it marginally closed higher by 0.01 per cent.
The last minute escape from the bears was triggered by the gains posted by large-cap equities like Zenith Bank, Aradel Holdings and others, offsetting the losses recorded by GTCO, Oando, First Holdco and others.
According to data obtained by Business Post, only 29 stocks ended on the gainers’ chart, while 44 equities landed on the losers’ table, indicating a negative market breadth index and weak investor sentiment.
Universal Insurance rose by 10.00 per cent to sell for N1.32, Premier Paints appreciated by 10.00 per cent to N11.00, DAAR Communications improved by 9.93 per cent to N1.55, RT Briscoe increased by 9.92 per cent to N8.64, and Morison Industries advanced by 9.91 per cent to N10.98.
On the flip side, Omatek declined by 10.00 per cent to N2.70, Union Homes REIT declined by 9.96 per cent to N85.40, AXA Mansard shrank by 9.94 per cent to N14.31, Deap Capital decreased by 9.90 per cent to N8.46, and C&I Leasing moderated by 9.80 per cent to N6.90.
On the first trading session of this week, market participants bought and sold 762.8 million shares valued at N18.4 billion in 55,374 deals compared with the 687.4 million shares worth N15.0 billion traded in 41,553 deals last Friday, a spike in the trading volume, value, and number of deals by 10.97 per cent, 22.67 per cent, and 33.26 per cent, respectively.
Tantalizers ended the day as the most active stock with 88.5 million units sold for N329.4 million, Zenith Bank traded 40.2 million units worth N2.9 billion, Veritas Kapital transacted 39.2 million units valued at N92.1 million, Universal Insurance exchanged 29.3 million units for N38.1 million, and First Holdco transacted 27.6 million units worth N1.1 billion.
The sectorial performance yesterday showed that the mood of investors was in the sell region despite the slight growth recorded by Customs Street, as only the energy index closed in green, rising by 2.00 per cent.
The insurance counter was down by 1.99 per cent, the banking industry depleted by 0.64 per cent, the consumer goods shrank by 0.37 per cent, and the industrial goods retreated by 0.08 per cent.
When the first trading day of February 2026 ended on Monday, the All-Share Index (ASI) went up by 14.23 points to 165,384.63 points from 165,370.40 points, while the market capitalization chalked up N9 billion to finish at N106.162 trillion compared with the previous session’s N106.153 trillion.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The two major crude oil grades in the global market fell by more than 4 per cent per barrel on Monday after the most recent tensions between the United States and Iran appeared to have eased.
Brent crude futures went down by $3.02 or 4.4 per cent to settle at $66.30 per barrel, while the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures declined by $3.07 or 4.7 per cent to $62.14 per barrel.
Last week, markets reacted to the renewed tension in the world’s most important oil-producing and exporting region, and oil prices soared.
However, this weekend, US President Donald Trump said that he believes Iran is “seriously” talking with the US, adding he hopes that negotiations could lead to an “acceptable” deal with the member of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
Market analysts noted that with the US President facing weak poll numbers, a military escalation that risks pushing petrol prices sharply higher appears unlikely ahead of the November midterm elections.
Prices were also pressured by a stronger US Dollar and milder weather forecasts. The American currency strengthened as currency traders cheered President Trump’s nomination of Kevin Warsh as the next Federal Reserve chair. A stronger Dollar makes oil more expensive for investors using other currencies.
US futures prices for diesel, used in heating and power generation, fell more than 6 per cent triggered by forecasts of milder weather in the US, the world’s largest oil consumer.
OPEC+ agreed to keep its oil output unchanged for March at a meeting, the producer group said on Sunday. The brief meeting reaffirmed that decision for March, after earlier gatherings did the same for January and February.
The eight producers – Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Iraq, Algeria and Oman – raised production quotas by about 2.9 million barrels per day from April through December 2025, roughly 3 per cent of global demand.
In November, the group froze further planned increases for January through March 2026 because of seasonally weaker consumption.
Four OPEC+ producers that have been pumping crude above their respective quotas have filed with the OPEC Secretariat updated compensation plans through June 2026, OPEC said on Monday.
The countries: Iraq, the UAE, Kazakhstan, and Oman filed updated plans to compensate for pumping above OPEC+ quotas through June 2026.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The duo of Presco Plc and Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) Plc has listed additional shares on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.
The extra equities of these two publicly-listed organisations were admitted to the local stock exchange last Friday, increasing their respective total issued and fully paid-up shares.
For Presco, it listed fresh 166,666,667 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each on the daily official list of the NGX on Friday, January 30, 2026, increasing its total issued and fully paid-up stocks from 1,000,000,000 units to 1,166,666,667 units.
The additional equities were from the rights issue of the firm allotted to shareholders on the basis of one new share for every existing six ordinary shares held as at close of business on Monday, October 13, 2025.
In a circular issued over the weekend, the NGX said, “Trading licence holders are hereby notified that additional 166,666,667 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each of Presco Plc were on Friday, January 30, 2026, listed on the daily official list of Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited (NGX).
“The additional shares arose from the company’s rights issue of 166,666,667 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each at N1,420.00 per share on the basis of one new share for every existing six ordinary shares held as at close of business on Monday, October 13, 2025.
“With the listing of the additional 166,666,667 ordinary shares, the total issued and fully paid-up shares of Presco Plc has now increased from 1,000,000,000 to 1,166,666,667 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each.”
As for GTCO, it listed additional125,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each at N80.00 per unit offered through private placement.
The fresh equities taken to Customs Street have raised the total issued and fully paid-up shares of GTCO from 36,425,229,514 to 36,550,229,514 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each.
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