THE ZANGER PARLAY
Former swimming-pool contractor Dan Zanger must hold a trading record by having parlayed $10,775 into $18 million in the 18 months between June 1998 and December 1999. He bought CMGI in early January 1999 at $118, rode it to $305, then sold at $138* (*post 2 for 1 stock split) - after which the stock dropped to $87. The trade netted him more than 210 percent in four days. Eventually, the prop trader's nest egg grew to $42 million - which shows how career changes can make the best swaps.