Automatic Exchange Betting: Automating The Betting Process From Strategy to Execution

The past decade has seen a technological revolution in facilities for betting on horseracing and other sports. From the proliferation of online information to the advent of betting exchanges, it is now possible to analyse form and betting odds; run selection systems; place bets and track results without having to leave your computer. Today, the leading betting exchange, Betfair, matches 15 times as many daily transactions as the London Stock Exchange. In 2006 over 1 billion bets were placed on Betfair alone - more than all previous years added together.Crucially, the decision by Betfair and other exchanges to enable programmatic access to their markets via an application programming interface (API), enables the final piece in a reliable automation of the entire betting process, allowing your computer to bet - consistently and profitably - without you being present. "Automatic Profits" examines this exciting phenomenon, defining each stage of automating the betting process and looking at opportunities, best practice and pitfalls. The underlying principles are covered and coding examples in open source software are provided (also available online), including use of the Betfair API and building programs or (ro)"bots" for exchange betting. "Automatic Profits" provides a practical guide for any player who wants to explore the potential for automatic betting, whether by repurposing their own computer as a betting machine, or picking key elements to suit their own strategy.