First “football stock exchange” Football Index launched in UK allowing fans to trade futures in top players
Football-loving investors are being offered the chance to combine their passion with their profession on the world's first football stock market.
BetIndex Ltd, a Jersey-based gambling operator, has launched Football Index, a platform for fans to act as traders by buying and selling "football futures" in the world's top 200 players.
Like a typical futures market, fans can bet on the future success of a player and build portfolios of those they believe will perform well.
The more in demand a player becomes, the higher his price will rise and fans will have the chance to sell at a profit. Fans can also make money if their player is ranked as No1 on its "buzz chart", with Football Index paying out a fixed dividend on each future held in the top trending ranked player across more than 20 UK media news feeds.
Read more: You can now bet on eSports
"The trading principles of 'buy low' and 'sell high' are universally understood", said chief executive of BetIndex Adam Cole. "But to most of us financial markets are dull and complex, whereas millions have a knowledge, a passion, and a strong opinion about the beautiful game and its players.
"Football Index is an opportunity to put that intelligence to work."