Professional gamblers: meet people from Bahia who quit their jobs and make a living from online betting.

It was at a Vitória game, at Barradão stadium, in 2012 that the life of entrepreneur Rodrigo Fernandes, 28, changed. Before entering the stadium, he saw a billboard that made him close a small market he owned in Salvador to live off football. But hold on: it wasn't on the pitch, but by working in the so-called sports betting exchange, a large virtual market that moves billions of dollars around the world annually.

“I was leaving the stadium and saw an advertising board for Sporting Bet (one of the most traditional betting companies in the world). I got interested, created an account, and started to learn about this world,” says Rodrigo, who began studying the subject through YouTube videos and materials available on the internet. But it was in September of last year that his career as a trader, or investor, took off during a professional course he took in São Paulo.

Convinced that the world of sports betting was promising, he closed the business and dedicated himself to trading – as operations in the online betting market are called, which resembles the stock market. Now, instead of a traditional office, he works from home at a desk with four different screens to watch the games and operate in the world of sports betting.

Rodrigo's case may seem unusual, but it has become increasingly common with the expansion of online betting sites in Brazil and the consequent formation of professional sports betting traders. Those who dedicate themselves exclusively to this guarantee that the business is profitable.

Six people from Bahia interviewed by CORREIO who make a living from online businesses guarantee that profits range between 10% and 50% of the monthly investment, and can exceed 1.000% in exceptional cases. If they invest, for example, R$ 10 a month, they can earn between R$ 1 and R$ 5 in profit.

Like on the stock market

Sports trading works similarly to the stock market. In it, company shares are replaced by sporting events – not just football – which offer hundreds of investment possibilities. In the case of football, the most popular sport in Brazil, it's possible to bet on over/under goals, the winner of the match, corner kicks, and even try to predict the exact score.

For this purpose, the main betting site used by traders is the British company Betfair, which sponsors major teams such as Barcelona and Juventus. Another traditional site is Bet365, which sponsors Real Madrid. Through these sites, it is possible to carry out buy and sell operations, before and during games, and achieve greens (profit) or reds (loss).

Serious matter

Rodrigo works with three profit margins: the minimum, at 10%; the moderate, at 15%; and the excellent, at 20%. Throughout the year, he made 1.165 investments, with 719 wins and 446 losses in 252 days. His best month was February, when he achieved a 21,19% profit on his investment. August and September had negative results. He ended the year with almost double the amount he started with.

Previously, he worked from 7 am to 21 pm at the corner store, but now his workday only starts at 13 pm. “That’s when I dedicate myself to analysis, watching the matches. I usually do three or four games a day,” he says, revealing that his preferred market is odds (for or against a specific team). The major European leagues are his favorites because they have greater liquidity – meaning more money involved in the bets. The analyses are done using websites that offer game statistics, such as Soccerway and Resultados.com.

Accountant Celso Nunes, 46, followed a similar path to Rodrigo's. The difference is that his journey began more recently, at the end of last year, through a friend. He spent part of the time studying and, six months ago, started betting. Today he has six investor friends who bet with him.

“I guarantee each of them a 20% profit per month, and the rest is mine. I manage to have between 2% and 5% profit per day. On average, I manage to keep 40% or 50% of the invested amount per month,” he explains, avoiding mentioning specific amounts. For example, if each person invests R$ 1.000, their profit reaches R$ 3.000, while each investor ends up with a positive balance of R$ 200.

Besides soccer, he says he also enjoys betting on basketball and volleyball games. In soccer, his focus is on Eastern European championships, Asian leagues, and the major championships of the Old Continent. Before dedicating himself solely to trading, Celso worked as a real estate broker. Returning to the traditional job market is out of the question for now.

“In the traditional market, I would earn between R$ 2 and R$ 2,5 as a financial manager for a company. With trading, I've already surpassed that amount,” he reveals. His work routine begins at 6 am, analyzing the games, and extends until 13 pm with the operations. “It's necessary to analyze, seek information from local media, know how the teams will play. You have to have time to research in order to make the best analyses,” he points out.

change of air

Administrator Victor Martins, 24, has a slightly more demanding routine in trading and usually spends the whole day connected to the world of betting. A football fan and supporter of Bahia, he discovered the world of betting three years ago and had to stand up to his family to dedicate himself exclusively to being a professional trader. “I saw some advertisements during games on television and started researching betting sites. I studied and prepared myself. Since 2016 I've been making good profits and this year I decided to dedicate my full time to it,” he says.

He completed his Business Administration degree in the middle of last year and soon joined a large company in Salvador.

“I worked all day and earned less than R$ 3. I wasn't making much money from trading because my bankroll (the balance to invest) was low. I waited six months, saved up some money to be able to trade, and quit my job. My family was against it, but I knew it was for the best,” reveals Victor.

With trading, Victor claims he manages to earn over R$4 per month. His favorite markets are goals, especially in the major European leagues. "Besides the liquidity, the analyses tend to be more accurate because there are fewer upsets," he says. To become a professional, he had to make changes to his room. He bought two televisions, a laptop, and a desktop computer with a powerful processor. "The TVs are for watching the games, while the computers are open to the betting sites. You need to be constantly connected when you have money invested," he explains.

His lack of attention has already cost him money. The most memorable case was last year when he made a bet and went to the bathroom. “I bet there wouldn’t be a goal in the first half, because the game was lukewarm. I went to the bathroom and, at the exact moment I came back, a goal was scored. I had invested 100 dollars and lost. That’s why I say you need to stay alert,” he recounts.

planning and strategy

Anttenor Filho plans to live solely off his sports betting income, which already represents more than half of his monthly earnings. He has been operating in the market for two years and has been improving.

“In the beginning, I worked all day and ended up not having much time to do the analysis. I was laid off and started to dedicate myself to it, and the results improved a lot. I got a side job in the mornings to have a fixed income, but before the World Cup I want to be 100% focused on trading,” he says, who lives in Luís Eduardo Magalhães, in western Bahia.

To become a professional, he says he watched videos of big names in the field like Juliano Fontes (who has a published book on the subject), Nettuno, and Denner Santos. It was through studying that he arrived at a conclusion that, more often than not, only comes after a significant amount of money has been lost.

“The market isn’t magic; it won’t make anyone rich. Therefore, for those starting out, the best thing is not to worry about making money, but to learn in order to achieve consistency,” he advises. The odds market is also his favorite. His profits vary. Last month, for example, he had a 26% profit on his bankroll, but he has achieved 68% in previous months.

Also from the interior, the merchant Sílvio Nunes, 34, owns a market in Senhor do Bonfim. Trading is his second main source of income, but he wants to make it his primary one. In addition to the bets he places daily, Sílvio provides consulting services to people who want to bet but don't have time to do the analysis.

Through a WhatsApp group, he provides daily tips to over 50 people, who pay R$ 30 monthly for the service. The results vary widely. "I've even had a 7.000% profit in one month and 300% in another," he says. He learned about the market at Christmas 2015 through a cousin, but the beginning wasn't encouraging at all. "In the beginning, I ended up losing a lot of money due to lack of knowledge," he states.

Between January and March of this year, he decided to study and run betting simulations without investing any money. After that period, he returned to betting consistently. In October of this year, during a round of the UEFA Champions League, he became known throughout Bahia for suggesting a multiple bet (involving several games) with odds of 687. In other words, someone who bet R$1 on that game won R$687. Someone who bet R$100 won R$68.700.

The information spread through hundreds of WhatsApp betting groups in Bahia. For next year, he intends to renew his consulting project in partnership with a trader from Minas Gerais. "We will offer daily tips for those who don't have time to do analysis," he says.

Student Matheus Figueiredo, 25, was introduced to the world of betting as a teenager, at 17, and created his first account at a betting site using his father's information. Today, he earns his income from the football betting market while he is still studying and living with his parents.

“I have a monthly return of 8% to 10% on the invested amount. Many people say they can get 30% to 40%, but in the long run that's not sustainable,” Matheus believes.

In the beginning, it was just a hobby, but two years ago it became a professional pursuit for him, as he has focused on the odds market. “Since I like games with more liquidity, I don't bet on many matches. I always focus on the Champions League and the major European leagues. Mondays and Fridays, the weakest days for games in Europe, are when I trade the least,” he says.

A Vitória fan, Matheus recently bet against his beloved team. It was in the match against Atlético Goianiense at Barradão, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Seeing that the visiting team was playing better, he bet in their favor. "They scored in the first half and I already made a profit," he recounts. In the second half, he bet on Vitória, who tied the game and gave him a profit. "It's a complicated situation, but for a professional, you need to stay calm and leave the emotion of being a fan aside," he advises.

To begin

For those who are just starting out, they are unanimous about the most common mistakes: lack of emotional control and study. “There are many techniques that are taught, but emotional control can't be taught; a person acquires it over time,” says Anttenor. “Having emotional control means knowing how to deal with losses, which happen to everyone. After a loss, it's better to stop and breathe than to make another trade and try to abruptly recover the lost value,” adds Rodrigo.

On the internet, various materials are available on the subject. For example, there's the "Football Investment" course by Juliano Fontes and the "Sports Trading College" by Nettuno, which are paid courses, in addition to free guides available on various websites. "You have to study a lot. In my first week, out of every ten bets, I lost six. So, you have to learn the techniques and develop your own betting style," says Celso.

Silvio Nunes, in turn, advises beginners to run simulations without putting money into the operations. “The key is to make bets without actually betting. Analyze, study the game, perhaps write down possible entries and see the result. With money, people end up becoming corrupted.”

Study has become a regular part of the routine for cultural producer Gildásio Júnior, 32. He learned about betting a few months ago and, at first, admits he was prejudiced. “At first I wasn't interested because I thought it would be just another game of chance. After some time, I saw information about betting in a more professional way, reducing the luck factor through study and analysis of games, and then the first indications about sports trading appeared,” he says.

In January, after the study phase, he intends to bet professionally. "Initially, I plan to start by gradually increasing my betting bankroll, so that in the medium term I can be more profitable with larger investment amounts and then be able to make some significant withdrawals," he points out.

Still crawling

One of the leading names in Brazilian sports trading, Fábio Bampi, says that the sector has grown significantly in Brazil. However, it still lags behind Europe, where the sports betting market is more widespread and consolidated. He started in 2009, when the material available on the internet about the subject was scarce.

Today, Nettuno, as he is known in the field, has become a reference and has more than 18 followers on Facebook and his YouTube channel. The beginning, however, was very difficult. “Since there was nothing on the internet, I learned on my own, making mistakes. The first two years were difficult. I only started to make a profit in the third year,” he says.

A common mistake people make when entering this business is thinking they'll get rich overnight. "Many believe in the illusion that they'll get rich by the weekend. They think they'll invest R$100 and in a month they'll have R$100," he says.

Legal discussion

Despite its growth in Brazil, online sports betting is considered illegal under current legislation. In Congress, two proposals are being processed in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate with the aim of legalizing gambling (such as jogo do bicho, sports betting, and casinos) and thus allowing government regulation. Current legislation not only prohibits gambling but also provides for fines ranging from R$2 to R$200 for those who gamble.

Across the country, it is estimated that this sector generates at least R$ 60 billion per year, which could generate tax revenue of R$ 20 billion for the government, considering that the average tax rate in countries where gambling is legalized is 30% of revenue.

In Bahia, it is estimated that the gambling sector generates around R$ 600 million per year. Across Brazil, more than 2 gambling websites (not just sports betting) are in operation, but hosted in other countries due to a lack of legalization within the national territory.

Brazilian federal deputy João Carlos Bacelar (Podemos party) from Bahia is part of the recently created Parliamentary Front for the Approval of the Regulatory Framework for Gambling in Brazil and has been one of the most active in the debate. According to him, the front has been working on two fronts. "Firstly, we are seeking to create a consensus among the deputies, while secondly we are pressuring the Speaker of the House (Rodrigo Maia – DEM) to schedule the matter for debate," he says.

The special commission that dealt exclusively with the topic already presented, six months ago, a report favorable to the approval of the regulatory framework. Bacelar recalls that the prohibition of gambling was conceived during the government of then-President Eurico Gaspar Dutra, in 1946. Today, of the 193 UN member countries, only 37 prohibit gambling.

“The decision to ban it was made by President Dutra’s wife, a highly religious person. But throughout these years, Brazil has never stopped gambling,” he says. In the 2014 World Cup alone, it is expected that R$ 300 million in bets were wagered in Brazil. “There is a very large outflow of foreign currency,” Bacelar emphasizes.

In Congress, there is a movement by President Michel Temer's government to legalize only casinos, an option that has already been ruled out.

Becha for crimes

The Brazilian Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF) has already issued a statement opposing the legalization of gambling. According to the agency, legalization would allow for money laundering and tax evasion. The MPF conducted an analysis of the proposal currently being debated in the Senate and concluded that it lacks efficient oversight mechanisms and would further facilitate the use of gambling for money laundering and other crimes.

“On the contrary, it creates new and powerful mechanisms for money laundering. Because it is inextricably linked to various illicit practices, the exploitation of gambling with the approval of the Public Authorities meets the desires of criminals,” says the agency. For the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office, the arguments that the regulation of gambling would enable the creation of new jobs and tax revenues estimated at R$ 15 billion are absolutely fictitious, as is comparing Brazil with Chile and Uruguay, where gambling is legalized, without considering the different realities of these countries. ( Correio da Bahia – Luan Santos – Salvador – BA)