Are you willing to gamble a little bit of disposable income to possibly earn a big return? If so, penny stocks might be an option for you to consider. While you should always use caution and not invest money you can't afford to lose, penny stocks offer you the opportunity to become involved in the trading world for an affordable amount.

What is a penny stock? It is simply a stock that is selling for less than five dollars for each share. These stocks are not traded on the major exchanges (AMEX, NASDAQ and NYSE), but rather over Pink Sheets (so called because of the original color of the paper used). This is often known as OTCBB, or Over the Counter Bulletin Board. This is simply an electronic system that reports changes. Be aware that it is regulated by the NASD, but is not considered a NASDAQ stock exchange.

Buying penny stocks is considered a high-risk investment, meaning that you may lose big. But this also means that you can earn extremely high returns in a short time. The risk and potential earnings are what keep people trading these stocks. Sometimes the return can be several hundred percent a day. Risks with these stocks are limited liquidity, the lack of financial reports and potential fraud.

When buying penny stocks, the lack of buyers may make it difficult to sell stocks. The lack of reporting and volatility of these stocks make it easy for brokers to manipulate as well. This is why fraud is so rampant for these trades. There is no regulatory listing requirement for these stocks either.

The news is not all dismal, though. Penny stocks are popular because of the huge returns some investors find. In order to get started in penny stocks, first find a brokerage who offers this type of service. Your stock shares will be drawn from your investment account through the brokerage. You set the amount you want to invest, and decide how much of your investment will go into the high risk stocks.

Having a broker is important for sound advice, just do your research to find the one best for you. Make sure you have someone reputable that wants to see you earn good returns. The best advice when investing money after making sure you can afford the investment is to spread your money over different types of stocks. If you like the gamble and want a high return, absolutely put some money in penny stocks. You are able to see the highest returns on these stocks, but risk higher losses. Make sure you keep some money in a safer market while you play the penny stock game.