Surprised to see so many current and ex HFT/MM folks in the comments yet no mention of the fact that you don't have to cross spread to get filled. If you're lifting the far touch 100% of the time then, sure, you're going to pay the full spread - but no-one with half a brain cell does that. Unless you really think you have intraday alpha in the name (and in this case they most certainly do not) then you'll camp out on the near side or down the book and cross much less than half the time. Add into that the liquidity rebates and life just got a whole lot cheaper.