Betfair data

[GeorgeUK]

I know that betfair supply huge csv files, but don't think what i need is in them.

Does anyone know where i can get data of betfair prices say 2 min before the off for horse racing win and place markets?
I have a system which seems to be in profit based on the adrian massey site data, but was hoping to verify with the actual betfair odds.

thanks
George

[The Gambling Monkey]

I've done something similar. It's not 100% accurate but you can get a rough guide to test ideas with.

[Captain Sensible]

Betfair data has the following headers

SPORTS_ID EVENT_ID SETTLED_DATE COUNTRY FULL_DESCRIPTION COURSE SCHEDULED_OFF EVENT ACTUAL_OFF SELECTION_ID SELECTION ODDS NUMBER_BETS VOLUME_MATCHED LATEST_TAKEN FIRST_TAKEN WIN_FLAG IN_PLAY


It does lump amounts together so I doubt you be able to get a true figure of the odds two minutes before the off time. Easy enough to find the off time I guess and the cells you'd be interested in would be LATEST_TAKEN & FIRST_TAKEN you cannot simply take off 2 minutes from the off time as the last taken odds could be at off time and two minutes prior to the off but you'd only ever see the off time. You may find some unique odds that were last taken two mins before the off if a horse continually shortened but as we all know most go in peaks and troughs and are nlikely to peak or trough on your two minute deadline

[GeorgeUK]

Thanks Captain.

Looks like i'll need to start learning some Access.
Hopefully i'm on to a winner - most of my systems are (before they start losing )

[mabell]

Hi George,

I have actually spent a fair amount of time slicing and dicing the Betfair data, so I may be of some assistance.

I have been using the otherdata files (everything except horse racing) but I think the format is the same. The two fields you will be interested in with regard to time is the ACTUAL_OFF field. The SCHEDULED OFF is the time the race was due to start but it is never the same, the ACTUAL_OFF is the time, I think, where the market is suspended and then turned in play if applicable.

In analysing the data, I think the odds field you want to use is FIRST_TAKEN as opposed to LATEST_TAKEN. In other other sports especially, if a large order is placed, it takes some time for that order to be matched at those specific odds, so really it is more accurate to know when those odds were first made available rather than the last chunk of that order was matched.

Whilst access is the easiest way of importing the data, not that quick to query so you may want to restrict the data set to just a few races, you can do this by using the EVENT_ID field.