I read some where once that the betfair market was the best indicator for what "animal" would win a race,

I cant even understand the whole "bet/lay" thingo, but apparently the market is very accurate.

Anyone used this for indications ???

just interested.

cheers dingo

I saw a graph of the English betfair market since it began. The only thing it was good for was that it showed that layers were doing no better or worse than bettors. Anecdotal evidence aside, basically it's dead even between them. As a guide to which horse to back, it's probably no better than watching price fluctuations on a tab screen. Meaning horrible.

The best guide I think to which horses you can make money on is always a very good form guide, stewards reports, gear changes [and knowing what they mean], etc. etc., learning how to use all that info. profitably and ignoring everything else, especially media tip prattle, horse or trainer promotion and short price firmers and backing your own opinion even if it's drifting in price badly! Not as easy as it sounds, I'm still trying !!

The Betfair markets have been assessed as being the most efficient & most accurate in determining winners, that is 6/4 shots win at around about the ratio 6/4 shots should win, likewise with 50/1 shots. What advantage that gives punters is dependent on how that information is used, eg. as a measurement of value then it would be of some use, but as a measurement of which horse is going to win a particuar race, then no more than any other type of measurement.

However, the Betfair markets on the UK races are now very highly regarded as they their closing markets are now used as the official SP prices & not those actually on offer on track.

Most of the major corporate bookies in the UK now use Betfair for 'betting back' & not on track bookies.

I have found the betfair markets usually are pretty close to the totes in Australian races.

There will be slightly better value on betfair due to the commission structure but overall its just as useful to look at the tote as to look at betfair.

I have watched BF market for some time, the best indicator for me is the amount of money their is for a horse to lay or back. eg: you are not going to put $5K $10K on a horse if didn't now something or someone on the inside.

Also use Unitab as a indicator if a horse dog is paying less on unitab compared to S/tab it normally runs well. Must be better punters up their.

I have found (without any figures to back it up )that the betfair markets seem to reflect the on course bookies prices rather than the Tote but as I said its only an observation.