Spread betting has been around for more than 30 years, however it is only recently that it has come into the mainstream, largely due to the improvement of internet connections for in-play gambling.

One of the most popular fields for spread bettors is the Total Bookings market in soccer matches. Spread firms are essentially asking ‘How many cards will the referee show during a match?’ Ten points are awarded for a yellow card and 25 points for a red card. If a player receives two bookings, and thus a dismissal, he is awarded 35 points.

For example, in a match between Sevilla and Barcelona a bookmaker offered a spread of 68-72. This price indicated they expected about seven yellow cards or maybe five yellow cards and a red. The market settled at 55, that is three yellows and a red were issued.

• Had you sold the Bookings Points at 68 for a stake of £10 per point, you would have made 13 points: (spread - result) x your stake = 13 x £10 = £130.
• However, if you had bought the Bookings Points at 72 for the same stake, you have lost 17 points: (spread - result) x your stake = 17 x £10 = -£170

The most attractive part of betting on Total Bookings, and spread betting in general, is the ability to buy or sell in-running. Often you will have the chance to trade out your original side of the spread bet during the game for a guaranteed profit. For example, if you have bought Booking Points before a game at a price of 46-50 and there has been three bookings before half-time, the price will have changed to around 63-67. At this time you can sell at 63 and lock in a guaranteed win of 13 points no matter what happens after that point.

Many things affect how spread firms price a Bookings Points call. The first and foremost factor is the disciplinary record of the two sides playing. In addition, the referee and the players are weighted in to the price. There are many ways of making money from spread betting, however, they all boil down to the same piece of advice: ‘Do your research’.