The Next Sports Exchange API is Coming

[xaitek1]

You may be right AlgoTrader, but I think it would be naive to assume there are no corporates on BF doing exactly that. There's certainly large bookmakers using it for laying-off and if there are no Sports Hedge-Funds here now, its just a matter of time and BF would do well make it easy for them as they bring huge liquidity.
For some exchanges, the binary offering is close to the internal protocol used so is more efficient for the exchange if the customers use it.

[kawafan]

Its An Upgrade , Good or Bad it will only be Clear after Initial Tests. But Look Promising.

[shuba]

Any concrete dates available for time when developer's hell will start?

[feilimb]

Will the new JSON based API add any additional functionality related to the Cash Out feature of the website?

For example, if a bet had been placed in a particular market, it would be great to be able to use an API call to retrieve the cash out amount available for trading that bet (regardless of whether the trade would lose money or gain money - the value returned would be positive or negative). If such a value could be returned, it would of course follow that an API call to perform a 'cash out' would be most useful.

[MarkL]

Will there be any sort of mailing list we can subscribe to for receiving updates about API releases & request for suggestions?

Hi,

There won't be a mailing list, but I'm going to create a new section of the forum next week where I will share a bit more details about the shape of the API.

[MarkL]

Perhaps the best way to implement this would be a ExcludeVirtualBets argument in the API call so the user could specify.

Thanks for your feedback. We are planning to have an option to retrieve prices excluding cross matched prices.

[woskti]

Do you guys have a planned delivery date or any indication of how long it will take before the New API is ready?

I am just wondering as I'm very keen to start using the API but if the New API is only a couple of months away maybe it would be better to wait.

[Zhong]

Hi MarkL, is the timestamp problem going to be solved in the new API? http://forum.bdp.betfair.com/showthr...p?t=819&page=3

For example if I'd like to collect the information of market order and traded volume for research, in the current API version, I do the following:

1) GetMarketPricesCompressed
2) GetTradedVolumeCompressed
3) GetMarketPricesCompressed

However in the current API version, since the timestamp returned is nonsense due to the distributed server architect, it's impossible to make sure that the traded volume information from step 2) is strictly after market order information from step 1). Neither is it guaranteed that the traded volume information from step 2) is strictly before the market order information from step 3)

This makes the market data dirty and hard to research. In the new API is there a solution to this problem?

Thanks a lot!

[MarkL]

This makes the market data dirty and hard to research. In the new API is there a solution to this problem?

Thanks a lot!

Hi,

In the new API, you'll get Traded Volume and current prices in a single request/response.

[Logical Bettor]

Bets not to be placed in-play

A long standing request, I believe. Bets should be able to be flagged as not to be placed in play, so you don't run the risk of a bet that was placed when the market was pre-play, hitting the market after turning in-play.

[repthe4155]

Too good to be true

Cmon' MarkL,

stop the talking and hook us up with a sneak preview access to the new API so we can start rolling The SOAP Overhead is been around for too long.

[MarkL]

A long standing request, I believe. Bets should be able to be flagged as not to be placed in play, so you don't run the risk of a bet that was placed when the market was pre-play, hitting the market after turning in-play.

In the new API, markets will have a version number that increments every time the market status changes. For example, when it turns in play. When it is suspended after a goal is scored, etc.

On bet placement, you optionally submit a version (i.e., the current version) and if the market version changes before your bet is placed, it will be rejected.

This requires some core exchange work, so may not be available right from the first release, but it is a planned feature.

Cheers,
Mark

[merecat_]

but I don't see JSON as some massive leap forward

I too am happy enough with SOAP/XML - JSON is fine too, but I don't see JSON as some massive leap forward, though I do welcome an overhaul of the API.

For one thing, you can run all your code out of your browser - JavaScript works very well with JSON - and modern browsers run JavaScript very well.

[Fred77]

For one thing, you can run all your code out of your browser - JavaScript works very well with JSON - and modern browsers run JavaScript very well.

I would be surprised if betfair facilitated cross-domain JSON usage for an API that supports financial transactions.

[vossie]

I would be surprised if betfair facilitated cross-domain JSON usage for an API that supports financial transactions.

Hi Fred, The App Cloud will make it possible to get you code hosted by Betfair and we will put services on domain for you. The program is currently in Beta testing on an invite only basis. API-NG and App Cloud is designed to work with each other
https://www.cloud.betfair.com