Issues With Horse Markets Going In-play

[pugs]

Hello Gary Mark All

Betfair have definitely changed something in the way markets go in-play since or around the same time the 4 markets did not go in-play last week. So just to add my own experiences......

1, Horse markets (not sure about others) now take a good 3 seconds from suspension to un-suspending for in-play. This seems to be the norm now.

2, Grid data (price/amounts) occasionally appear to change beneath the suspend flag. This seems too erratic and irregular for it to be Betfair removing the non “keep bets”, so I hope it isn’t the return of the suspend flag hanging for some users while others are able to bet (which had improved dramatically over the past six months or so)

3, The BA displays any non matched bet amounts in yellow (profit column). After a market has un-suspended for “in-play” the profit column adjacent to any selection you may have had unmatched bets in, often remains yellow for several seconds after the market has turned in-play. This delay has occasionally caused me to hit the “cancel all bets” button, thinking that Betfair had not cancelled my bets. I realise there may be a small lag while my BA refreshes my bets, but it’s never taken as long as it has in the last few days.

4, On a few occasions in the last few days the funds from unmatched bets (that were cancelled by Betfair at “in-play”) have NOT been made available to me till after the race has ended. This has happened before on occasions, but not for at least a year or so.

I would be interested if anyone else is experiencing the same or other issues, or could shed any light on what Betfair have changed regarding horse markets turning in-play.
I am hoping (praying) it’s just teething problems as their new code settles down, or is tweaked.

[Captain Sensible]

1) I think the delay is intentional and possibly here to stay. I imagine alot is down to the BSP reconciliation as betfair are now more active in the markets with multiples etc.

2) Again reconciliation stuff and bets being cancelled rather than bets appearing in the market

3) I'd imagine this is just a delay with the api returning lapsed bets and they aren't available for matching

4) I think this is due to he fact the bet data may have to be rolled back in the event of false starts etc and bets reinstated.

They've had a lot of complaints about the management of markets with void bets, management of the bsp , false starts, laying of horses stuck in stalls etc so it looks like they've taken on board suggestions to limit these problems.

[pugs]

Cheers Captain,

I never considered the SP/multiple bets being matched whilst the market was in limbo. That is something I wouldn’t of noticed before as the markets were usually switching from idle to in-play within a one refresh time frame. So I think (and hope) you’re spot on there, and it’s not the return of the dreaded “suspended” hanging.

I haven’t timed the extra delay, but it appears to be about 3 seconds. I understand the need to protect “keep bet” backers when a horse (or jockey) fails to leave the stalls, but IMO 3 seconds is merely a token gesture from Betfair (if that was part of their intention), even SIS/TurfTV watchers would have to be on the ball to cancel their bets in the given time against track players, so ATR/RUK players haven’t a prayer.
I don’t disagree with your theory captain, far from it, its perfectly logical, especially in false start situations when they would normally have to roll back to an idle market. But I hope Betfair don’t think they have addressed the stalls issue


3) I'd imagine this is just a delay with the api returning lapsed bets and they aren't available for matching

That is a little disconcerting for me because I have a trigger with a nasty habit of firing the occasional bet in-running (its not supposed to), But that is why I’m now constantly hovering over the “cancel all bets”. It may not happen now, with the extra 3 seconds of suspension. I will just have to monitor it closely for a while.

Anyway thanks again Captain, you have answered several questions/concerns for me there.

[Spike]

You could just add and(E2="Not In Play", (your other conditions here)) to your trigger if you don't want it to fire in running.

[pugs]

Thanks for that Spike,

But it’s a third party app I have to use. I just don’t know enough about Excel to use the best interface on the market (that should earn me a weeks free Gruss lol)