Wager Mage
Photo by Helena Lopes Pexels Logo Photo: Helena Lopes

What is bull trapping?

What Is a Bull Trap? A bull trap is a false signal, referring to a declining trend in a stock, index, or other security that reverses after a convincing rally and breaks a prior support level. The move "traps" traders or investors that acted on the buy signal and generates losses on resulting long positions.

Is cashing out a bet worth it?
Is cashing out a bet worth it?

Why take a Cash Out? A Cash Out allows for two things to happen that can be seen as benefits to bettors. One, bettors can lock up winnings without...

Read More »
Do boxers do push-ups everyday?
Do boxers do push-ups everyday?

Boxers generally don't perform push-ups every day. While push-ups work similar upper body muscles to those involved in punching, doing push-ups...

Read More »

What Is a Bull Trap?

A bull trap is a false signal, referring to a declining trend in a stock, index, or other security that reverses after a convincing rally and breaks a prior support level. The move "traps" traders or investors that acted on the buy signal and generates losses on resulting long positions. A bull trap may also refer to a whipsaw pattern. The opposite of a bull trap is a bear trap, which occurs when sellers fail to press a decline below a breakdown level. Key Takeaways A bull trap denotes a reversal that forces market participants on the wrong side of price action to exit positions with unexpected losses. Bull traps occur when buyers fail to support a rally above a breakout level. Traders and investors can lower the frequency of bull traps by seeking confirmation following a breakout through technical indicators and/or pattern divergences.

Understanding a Bull Trap

A bull trap occurs when a trader or investor buys a security that breaks out above a resistance level—a common technical analysis-based strategy. While many breakouts are followed by strong moves higher, the security may quickly reverse direction. These are known as "bull traps" because traders and investors who bought the breakout are "trapped" in the trade. Traders and investors can avoid bull traps by looking for confirmations following a breakout. For example, a trader may look for higher than average volume and bullish candlesticks following a breakout to confirm that price is likely to move higher. A breakout that generates low volume and indecisive candlesticks—such as a doji star—could be a sign of a bull trap. From a psychological standpoint, bull traps occur when bulls fail to support a rally above a breakout level, which could be due to a lack of momentum and/or profit-taking. Bears may jump on the opportunity to sell the security if they see divergences, dropping prices below resistance levels, which can then trigger stop-loss orders. The best way to handle bull traps is to recognize warning signs ahead of time, such as low volume breakouts, and exit the trade as quickly as possible if a bull trap is suspected. Stop-loss orders can be helpful in these circumstances, especially if the market is moving quickly, to avoid letting emotion drive decision-making.

Example of a Bull Trap

In this example, the security sells off and hits a new 52-week low before rebounding sharply on high volume and lifting into trendline resistance. Many traders and investors jump on to the move, anticipating a breakout above trendline resistance but the security reverses at resistance and turns sharply lower from these levels. New bulls get trapped in long trades and incur rapid losses, unless aggressive risk management techniques are undertaken. The trader or investor could have avoided the bull trap by waiting for a breakout to unfold before purchasing the security, or at least mitigated losses by setting a tight stop-loss order just below the breakout level.

What is Daisy short for?
What is Daisy short for?

The flower name comes from the Old English word dægeseage, meaning "day's eye". The name Daisy is therefore ultimately derived from this source....

Read More »
What does 16 1 odds mean?
What does 16 1 odds mean?

16-1 Betting Odds means that out of 17 possible outcomes, the 16/1 odds are that there will be 16 of one kind of outcome and 1 of another kind of...

Read More »

What is ghosting in poker?

Ghosting in poker refers to accepting or receiving help from another person to decide on your poker hands during the game (basically coaching the player). This could be in the form of a telephone call, video call, in-person or even if someone else is substituting instead of you.

Kanchan Sharma started her career as a learning designer at an MNC while pursuing poker as a hobby. However, she soon pivoted to becoming a professional MTT (Multi Table Tournaments) player. She is currently a leading player, who has taken the male dominated poker world by storm. During her stint as a poker player, she has bagged many titles including India Online Poker Championship (IOPC) for Rs. 17,98,906, Winter Celebration Series for Rs. 6,62,500 and has final tabled multiple tournaments. She continually seeks to improve her poker game and work on her mindset to win the WSOP title soon. Her journey from being a recreational player to a poker pro is inspiring for many people out there.

How do I stop gambling?
How do I stop gambling?

What to do if you feel like gambling Talk to your support person. Write your feelings and actions in your gambling diary. If you gambled, look at...

Read More »
What is the most successful game?
What is the most successful game?

Minecraft has sold more than 238 million copies, making it the most-sold video game of all time. Sep 28, 2021

Read More »
Can dealers cheat at blackjack?
Can dealers cheat at blackjack?

The short answer is: It's highly unlikely. "Mechanics," or cheating dealers, can control the cards to the extent that they can "stack" the deck or...

Read More »
What is a good day to go to the casino?
What is a good day to go to the casino?

Payouts are higher throughout the weekend: Many gamblers believe payouts are higher on Saturday and Sunday due to a higher turnout during the...

Read More »