Bucketing. As distinguished from the manner in which a bucket shop operates (see Bucket shop)
bucketing of stocks consists in sales by a broker (for his own account and risk) against customers'
purchases or purchases by the broker against customers' sales.  Such a proceeding if not
illegitimate is at least considered irregular. The purpose may be to avoid the employment of
money in carrying (holding) stocks, but more often the purpose of the broker is to speculate
against his customers—or, in speculative vernacular, to take the other end or other side of the
customers' trades. In either case the broker wins if his customers lose or he loses if his customers
win.