[nslocum]

The BAWSAQ is by far the most interesting market. The BAWSAQ is an online market driven by the buy and sell orders of all 15M+ players.

Early on, before people started to realize how the market worked, I did some pump-and-dump schemes and made >$400M. That's a lot of money, even in GTA. Now that I have that much money I can drive stocks up or down and milk the market for all I want. GTA isn't just for blue color crime anymore.

I know that a few other players did equally well, I suspect they are doing similar market manipulating schemes.

[choult]

"The BAWSAQ is by far the most interesting market. The BAWSAQ is an online market driven by the buy and sell orders of all 15M+ players."

I'm surprised no Scots have popped up to point out how hilarious that market's name is ;)

[Tiktaalik]

The game is developed in Scotland so it must be intentional.

[choult]

Oh definitely - Rockstar know what they're doing :)

[Nate75Sanders]

I was thinking Southern American English, but I suspect we're on the same page.

[arethuza]

"bawbag" is a Scottish brand of designer shorts - it is also a term of endearment between strangers in Scotland, so when meeting someone new it is traditional to shout "Hey ye big bawbag!".

[mey]

Care to enlighten the non-Scots?

[vinceguidry]

Put on your best Scottish accent and say the name out loud. Think the Sean Connery character on SNL Celebrity Jeopardy.

[tekromancr]

Ball Sack. It sounds like "ball sack"

[roryokane]

BAWSAQ = “ball-sack”.

[StavrosK]

What are "pump and dump" schemes?

EDIT: Oh wow, Wikipedia has everything: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pump_and_dump

[nslocum]

With the BAWSAQ it's even easier than traditional pump-and-dump. If you pour a large enough pile of dough into a stock, it goes up a ton after a delay (1-2h). So, you can purchase all you want before the price skyrockets. Other players predictably pile on because they see the stock going up; which makes the stock go higher and entices even more players to invest in the stock.

You then sell all your stock for a tidy profit and watch the price, and the hopes of the other investors, collapse.