Ok, Time to bite the Betfair bullet...

[Punter4211]

As I am now a freelance programmer I am investigating developing a program to use the Betfairs API interface.

There are a number of British ones available but no Aussie ones as yet (that I know of)
This program effectively gives my program direct access to Betfairs Servers.
This means that my program will have betting details for any event, moments before they are displayed on their website.

How does it work? Betfair provide a small program (called and A.P.I.) that resides on the users computer and the program
that I write will interface through the API to Betfairs Servers.

My program in turn could do just about any calculations you like with the data from Betfair like, for example adding a "Bet" or a "Lay" if the price rises or falls past a particular level etc. Just like trading on the stock exchange.

What else can my program do?

You tell me, I haven't started design as yet. But if enough people are interested I can create a general "one style suits all needs" type of program..You tell me what you want and I'll tell you what it would cost to build it into the project.

Anybody interested? Email me at OzPunter@iprimus.com.au

Oh and on the issue of costs, there'd be a one off fee on my part for delivery of the program and possibly a small monthly support fee if appropriate plus the monthly (or annual) cost of the Betfair API, that you would be responsible for yourself. (See their website for details)
N.B. in no way do I provide software that “guarantees” success of a particular betting strategy…You tell me what you want and I’ll build a program around your Ideas.

(I am of course assuming that Betfair gets an Aussie License which is of course the odds on bet of the decade)

Kind Regards
OzPunter

[Debug]

OzPunter
When I checked with Betfair IT a couple of years ago the bet transfer module of their of transactional API was still under development. I was told at the time they would probably want 3rd party developers to embed a vendor ID into their programs so they could identify the source from from bets being placed and thereby collect a return off every program sold. I am not sure whether they went ahead with that, but it is probably just worth checking out.

Good luck with your development.

[Punter4211]

OzPunter
When I checked with Betfair IT a couple of years ago the bet transfer module of their of transactional API was still under development. I was told at the time they would probably want 3rd party developers to embed a vendor ID into their programs so they could identify the source from from bets being placed and thereby collect a return off every program sold. I am not sure whether they went ahead with that, but it is probably just worth checking out.

Good luck with your development.
Thankyou for that Debug. I'm aware of the rules and how the game is played, but I'm not planning to do anything to infringe their rights. All bets must go through the users account. That is why I said that the user will be responsible for their own API. All I'm doing is providing a user interface -- Something more intelligent that the average web browser. Betfair will ultimately have control. If the user doesn't upkeep the payments on the API then the program can't communicate to the servers and everything stops.. It's all legal and approved by Betfair.. No MI5 Cloak and dagger stuff...

Kind Regards

OzPunter

[La Mer]

Thankyou for that Debug. I'm aware of the rules and how the game is played, but I'm not planning to do anything to infringe their rights. All bets must go through the users account. That is why I said that the user will be responsible for their own API. All I'm doing is providing a user interface -- Something more intelligent that the average web browser. Betfair will ultimately have control. If the user doesn't upkeep the payments on the API then the program can't communicate to the servers and everything stops.. It's all legal and approved by Betfair.. No MI5 Cloak and dagger stuff... Kind Regards
OzPunter

Try the following, which although is a UK program, has an Australian module:
http://www.gruss.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

[Debug]

OzPunter
Just to clarify my last post. It has nothing to do with infringing rights. I was thinking about costs to the programmer.

Betfair intention was that if anyone wrote a program (a user interface) that was going to pass bets to the Betfair API then Betfair wanted a royalty for each program sold. If your program was only to download prices then no royalty would be sought.

In short, the user (punter) pays for the API and your interface program can download prices through it at no cost to you - the programmer. But if your program can pass bets back through the API then you had to pay a royalty - which is when a vendor ID was to be included in the bet stream.

It may be just academic now because that was a couple of years ago and Betfair may not have gone ahead with royalty requirement. I thought it was a bit greedy at the time.


Regards
Debug

[Mark]

Did you get my email Oz?

[Punter4211]

Did you get my email Oz?
I did Mark, and I replied to it almost immediately. So begs the question, did you get my email ?

I'm formulating a plan and will be in touch soon, Betfair have accepted me into their developers area and I just recieved an email from them telling me how to download all the stuff I need..

I will be sending another email today (Thurs)

Kind Regards

OzPunter

[Punter4211]

OzPunter
Just to clarify my last post. It has nothing to do with infringing rights. I was thinking about costs to the programmer.

Betfair intention was that if anyone wrote a program (a user interface) that was going to pass bets to the Betfair API then Betfair wanted a royalty for each program sold. If your program was only to download prices then no royalty would be sought.

In short, the user (punter) pays for the API and your interface program can download prices through it at no cost to you - the programmer. But if your program can pass bets back through the API then you had to pay a royalty - which is when a vendor ID was to be included in the bet stream.

It may be just academic now because that was a couple of years ago and Betfair may not have gone ahead with royalty requirement. I thought it was a bit greedy at the time.


Regards
Debug
Thanks for that Debug, every time I read their rules I can read something new into it . Still I think that Betfair should be satisfied in the % they receive from winnings without wanting more. (these types of programs only increase their turnover). There's a monthly fee to support the API and the developer has to carry this cost until they are selling their program profitably, (remember they may only sell one or two copies) so it's a hard slog to juggle until you get off the ground. The program's user will still have to pay the monthly fee once the own the program, so they really need to use it daily to make a profit.

Betfair on the other hand are offering a load of support so I'm keen to get started, but I have to find time to do all the general living stuff and cover living expenses till I get this plan up and going.

When I came up with they idea I didn't expect to make a full business out of it, just a hobby. But that's where it's heading and so I need to do things properly. If it does turn into a full business, this'll be my fourth, so it doesn’t scare me a bit. (I know how tough the road ahead is).

Kind Regards and thanks for all the readers who have sent me their best wishes... Thank You

OzPunter

[zeditave]

There are several different developers and products available in the UK. Some create custom-built products for clients which cost big $$, others make cheaper products destined for the mass market (eg www.sportinglot.com). The developer pay the fees to Betfair, and then they have the right to charge their clients whatever they like. (The client pays nothing extra to Betfair)

All these systems are only as good as the person who writes the specs for them - if you have a flawed 'bot', all it will do is become more efficient at losing your money! But if you have a set system which consistently wins and can be automated, you can buy back a lot of your time...

[Punter4211]

There are several different developers and products available in the UK. Some create custom-built products for clients which cost big $$, others make cheaper products destined for the mass market (eg www.sportinglot.com (http://www.sportinglot.com/)). The developer pay the fees to Betfair, and then they have the right to charge their clients whatever they like. (The client pays nothing extra to Betfair)

All these systems are only as good as the person who writes the specs for them - if you have a flawed 'bot', all it will do is become more efficient at losing your money! But if you have a set system which consistently wins and can be automated, you can buy back a lot of your time...Dear Zedative,
I have had some unfortunate experience with a couple of suppliers of these types of "systems". their main interest is in extracting high prices from unsuspecting suckers who pay willingly for so called fantastic systems.

Regular readers may have observed that I have a hatred for these leaches...

I know of one that was put in jail by the Fair Trading dudes and continued to operate his business while in jail! (it's documented fact, was in the papers, but the rules can't stop it) It seems that he didn't do any physical harm to people so he spent 2 yrs in a minimum security government holiday home.

His daughter, (following in dad's footsteps) was accused, (but not proven) to be involved in fraudulent charity collections..

And another that I know of actually promotes their system as an "Investment strategy"... (serious) and when the Fair Trading guys could not produce enough evidence to bring them to trial, they advertised their system as "Fair Trading approved" and show the unsuspecting suckers documents that suggest the the Fair Trading Dudes approved of the system!

and another that fled Australia only to set up in NZ, then on to the UK and back to H.K. and Japan....

Today he's "retired" with a popularly known horse worth $multi-millons plus, and loving the flashy lifestyle.

These people have no conscious.. But he does have mega $$$.. All gained from people sucked into his schemes.

I hate these people. Pick up a copy of a form newspaper at your newsagent and count the adds.. Who's paying the cost of advertising? the suckers!

They have flashy adds, and suck in follow up brouchers and it's all a con...

The people who get hurt are your neighbors, they're real honest folk who have lost their hard earned $$$ in the pursuit of a better life, (and ashamed to admit they got caught) and racing in general is purported as currupt!

This does nothing for the racing industry...

When was the last time you told a new friend that you were a serious "punter" and taken were seriously?

Say you are a cricket fan, or a rugby fan and that's Ok, but a horse racing? your an outcast!

Sorry for getting on my "High Horse" but these creaps burn me up. With the "new" ability to lay a runner these creaps will be prominant again..

Kind Regards

OzPunter