Betfair API-NG

[spreadbetting]

It is a ridiculous situation that 16 years on from formation we're still having to rely on workarounds to protect our money on the worlds biggest betting exchange. Years ago my kids used to play an online game called neopets and even that had a built in 'bank' option where people could store their neopoints in a password protected area. I'm sure if we all started withdrawing our banks at night and redepositing the next day they'd soon implement something.

[Euler]

It all boils down to competition. If you have two active competing companies they strive hard to improve customer service. If you have a monopoly they have no incentive.

[jimibt]

It is a ridiculous situation that 16 years on from formation we're still having to rely on workarounds to protect our money on the worlds biggest betting exchange. Years ago my kids used to play an online game called neopets and even that had a built in 'bank' option where people could store their neopoints in a password protected area. I'm sure if we all started withdrawing our banks at night and redepositing the next day they'd soon implement something.

yes, it's not an entirely new concept and the fact that by not implementing it, folks have had to walk around it in this way shows more than a little disdain from BF.

i know that the AUS wallet was a complete kludge and was never intended for that purpose. however, parochial use of this wallet is probably more widespread than BF realise. also, were it not for the post earlier on this change, i would have had no knowledge of this (tho i appreciate that it's my own responsibility to check on breaking changes - i realise this). it's more the timeframe that bothers me, as we have very little time to dream up a contingency. of course, i could go back to using tools like selenium to automate opening a chrome session and transferring the money out to my bank account, but the beauty of the current implementation is that i can use the AUS wallet as a reserve staging post and thus have it available, should an opportunity present itself.

anyway -grrrr....

[LinusP]

If you're capable of programming a bot to transfer between accounts surely you'd be competent enough to limit the exposure of your bot?

I wish, all code has bugs.

It's annoying because separate wallets was requested years ago and ignored, it's as if they have no idea how we all use the exchange.

[jimibt]

If you're capable of programming a bot to transfer between accounts surely you'd be competent enough to limit the exposure of your bot?

I wish, all code has bugs.

It's annoying because separate wallets was requested years ago and ignored, it's as if they have no idea how we all use the exchange.

and therein lies a huge problem for many. code that has to be radically overhauled actually makes it a liability in itself as tracking down new bugs (as well as containing old bugs whose behaviours may change due to other elements of the code) becomes a full time pre-occupation. i can see many people having to alter many elements of their processes, just to contain (never mind accommodate) this change.

fingers xx'd that a bit of common sense can prevail and that at least the functionality of the AUS wallet can somehow be retained until a replacement mechanism is implemented.

[Euler]

No good begging to Betfair, if there isn't better margin in it for them or a cost saving you have no chance of winning them over.

I suspect they are looking to shut off the entire Aus API to remove that cost completely out of the equation so there is no chance of a change of mind IMHO.

[jimibt]

No good begging to Betfair, if there isn't better margin in it for them or a cost saving you have no chance of winning them over.

I suspect they are looking to shut off the entire Aus API to remove that cost completely out of the equation so there is no chance of a change of mind IMHO.

PW - you are probably correct, but i was hoping for a reasoned response to that *intimation* from the holier than ones...

oh well!

[Wildly]

That's a total disaster, and will absolutely destroy liquidity on AUS markets from UK based traders

I was thinking the other way around. The Aussie guys will get much bigger latency now.

Would expect the majority of turnover on Aus markets is from Aus based customers and that turnover will dramatically reduce with bigger latency and not be replaced from Global (UK) customers who operate through the UK night.

Sickening that Betfair describe this as "designed to improve our service offering to our customers"

Perhaps due to some states turnover charges Betfair are fine with killing trading on Aus markets and are so naive they don't see this will kill liquidity.

[PDC]

I suspect they are looking to shut off the entire Aus API to remove that cost completely out of the equation so there is no chance of a change of mind IMHO.

Would that mean that there would be no way to trade the Australian markets using Bet Angel from the UK? I have recently started to trade these markets but will not bother continuing to learn how to trade them if in a few months I will no longer be able to. Thank you.

[Euler]

No, quite the opposite.

[Euler]

Would expect the majority of turnover on Aus markets is from Aus based customers and that turnover will dramatically reduce with bigger latency and not be replaced from Global (UK) customers who operate through the UK night.

I don't think it will be as big a problem as you suspect, apart from perhaps some people who are reliant on time specific strategies.

I've succesfully traded aussie markets for years very successfully despite having a latency problem. I'd imagine the market will change subtly, but generally remain intact.

[PDC]

No, quite the opposite.

Could you expand on this please as I do not understand how not having an Australian wallet will increase the ability to trade the market? Thank you.

[spreadbetting]

The AUS wallet, and markets, used to be hosted on the AUS servers. If those markets are now being hosted on the general API servers in Ireland(?) then obviously for most punters that means our latency is reduced making it smoother to trade with less lag. The removal of the AUS wallet also mean people will have funds in place rather than the hassle of transferring funds back and to if they want to place a bet on AUS markets. But like most things Betfair we'll never really know until they go live.

[Euler]

See above

[Wildly]

Would expect the majority of turnover on Aus markets is from Aus based customers and that turnover will dramatically reduce with bigger latency and not be replaced from Global (UK) customers who operate through the UK night.

I don't think it will be as big a problem as you suspect, apart from perhaps some people who are reliant on time specific strategies.

I've succesfully traded aussie markets for years very successfully despite having a latency problem. I'd imagine the market will change subtly, but generally remain intact.

I hope you're right Peter. What responsiveness numbers do you see on Bet Angel when you trade Aus markets? From Australia I get responsiveness times on Aus markets around 30 to 40 milliseconds but on UK markets minimum 300 and often over 1000. If yours aren't this bad are you using different communication settings when you trade Aus markets from the UK?