Hey everyone, this is an issue of controversy and has been on my mind for many months, in fact, from day one since been on Steemit. I did a post a few months ago as to how I lost 16SBD to a bid bot only to be told my bid was late (terrible excuse but I bought it, sadly). Now I am a South African and times are tough so at that stage when SBD was around $9 each we talking some serious money it would almost have paid half my rent. Never the less that left a rather sour taste in my mouth but I moved on and looked to the positive and optimistic side to it all, however always wondered about their 'profitability' if ANY?
Recently I transferred 4.2SBD to a bot to buy an upvote, today it paid out I got total SBD Steem and Steem Power totalling $4 so at first and immediate look that would constitute a 0.2 loss, naturally what makes this almost impossible to correctly calculate are the vast crypto/steem/sbd fluctuations as well as steem tax! My question however remains are these profitable and worth doing? Time and again I feel 'done in' by these upvote bots, I mean if it was a 'conclusive' gain everytime it would be worth it no doubt however this is not the case, time and again I get my payout and wonder if it really was worth it, and if again this time around it ended up costing me?
I have pretty much used these bidbots from day one on Steemit as I was so advised by someone who knew better than I and at the time guided me around the platform gave me advice and taught me much of what know now, thankfully, but in life we constantly learn, improve and I am however at a point where I really feel that it would be better to just power up and forget them all together? I don't want to be in a situation (maybe I already am) where my account takes double the speed to grow as it should because these are in essence losing me money? (as well as the folks I have brought to the platform and so also advise and teach)
Is there a calculator that anyone knows of that we can factually see the numbers and gains percentages? Lotteries are not the way to go where maybe you win maybe you lose, the way I see it currently (that can change given the tangible clear evidence) bot owners are making tons of cash at our expense on the merits of us not clearly understanding the mechanics and mathematics of it all?? But I could be mistaken, hence this post!
Anyone that can possibly elucidate further on this matter would be much appreciated.
Have a cool weekend.
Cheer$;)