Horizons ETFs Management and National Bank Direct Brokerage announced on May 6 the launch of the ninth edition of The Biggest Winner trading competition.

The Biggest Winner competition allows Canadian investors to learn about trading in a risk-free environment while competing for real cash prizes, explain the companies. Participants open a simulated online brokerage account that starts with a balance of 100,000 virtual Canadian dollars (no actual money will be traded). They can then use these fantasy funds to virtually trade any ETF listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Entry and participation in the contest is free.

A potent educational tool

"Year-over-year, the universe of Canadian-listed ETFs has grown. Today, investors have access to approximately 700 Canadian-listed ETFs that cover a wide range of themes, strategies and asset classes," said Steve Hawkins, President and CEO of Horizons ETFs. "That makes The Biggest Winner competition a potent educational tool for investors looking to learn about trading ETFs without taking financial risks. The kicker: it gives all contestants the opportunity to win actual cash prizes."

The contest starts today and runs for six weeks. A grand prize of $7,500 will be awarded to the contestant with the highest six-week cumulative return, while the runner-up will receive $2,500. In addition, six weekly prizes of $500 will be awarded to the contestants with the best single-week returns.

To date, The Biggest Winner competition has hosted approximately 12,000 participants and awarded nearly $100,000 in cash prizes.

Growing in popularity

"Do-it-yourself investing is rapidly growing in popularity. The Biggest Winner is a fantastic opportunity for investors to test ETF trading strategies in a simulated environment and learn about portfolio management basics. We're proud to support this competition for a seventh consecutive year and play a role in the training of tomorrow's investors," stated Claude-Frédéric Robert, President of National Bank Direct Brokerage.

Contest rules and access to ETF educational materials are available here: www.HorizonsETFs.com/BiggestWinner.