While there are casinos, think: A farmer wants to get a fixed price for next years crop and insure against a bad harvest. Thats why you need these things. Ok t

While there are casinos, think: A farmer wants to get a fixed price for next years crop and insure against a bad harvest. Thats why you need these things. Ok the farmer example is a trope apparently. Any business where you need to hedge financial risk. Lending too many mortgages to self employed people? Sell that risk / revenue stream on to someone else and buy something different to diversify.