1) Instead of thinking about the "spread", it may be better/easier to think about "getting the edge on the spread".Quote from alanack:
----YM....
----who is collecting the spread....
----how are they doing it?

Quote from nazzdack:
1) Instead of thinking about the "spread", it may be better/easier to think about "getting the edge on the spread".
2) For example, if the YM is "50 bid, offered at 51", it's possible that the same trader, i.e. Trader-A, is bidding AND offering those prices at that moment. If you hit the 50-bid and another trader quickly takes the 51-offer, Trader-A will have "collected the spread" of one tick. If Trader-A is 50-bid and another trader, i.e. Trader-B, is offering at 51, Trader-A will "have the edge" by paying 50 on his trade and Trader-B will "have the edge" on his sale at 51. You "gave up the edge" when you sold at 50 and the other trader did the same by paying 51.![]()
You have to experience:Quote from alanack:
----What about limit orders?
----A limit order to buy at the bid....
----might get filled, or might not....
----who gets to it first?


The spreaders are making profits doing....spreads!