Day trading can be lucrative, but as with any type of investing, there are risks. One of the most significant risks for retail day traders is that they are competing against a stacked field of professionals who have the resources (e.g., speed, trading capital, technology, and software) to succeed. Without a level playing field, it can be difficult for retail traders to profit on a regular basis. Another notable risk is that day traders often use leverage to enter positions, which means they can lose more than they risk on any given trade. This can be especially devastating with short trades—where the trader sells "high" in the hopes of buying to cover "low" at a profit—which have virtually unlimited risk since prices can continue to climb indefinitely. One more significant risk is being undercapitalized. Traders who don't have enough trading capital can burn through their accounts quickly, putting an early end to their day trading careers. What's more, traders who fund their accounts with anything but risk capital stand to lose more than their trading accounts.