The Next Sports Exchange API is Coming

[aubergine]

I don't know what files you were using but my guess is no they won't 'just work'. If the code is properly separated you would hope that the bot logic would remain the same with only the network layer needing to change.

They are planning on running the old API side by side for some time yet, so no need to panic

[aubergine]

This is good news Mark, will you also be able to share with us more details regarding data rates, throttling and pricing?
Application architecture can be very dependent on these constraints.

This is the key question that we need resolved sooner rather than later. Any news, or at least any idea when it will be confirmed?

Thanks

[scrooge_mcduck]

Thanks aubergine, good to know I won't need an overhaul for at least a while.

I used the files and example that were posted in this thread http://forum.bdp.betfair.com/showthread.php?t=786

It sounds like you are saying that the BetfairAPIFramework stuff (coded in php) will all need updating but my bespoke php files will still work, anyone able to confirm for me please?

[Strappa71]

How to navigate and find markets will be very different in the APINEXT I think?

If so I can imagine that a framework wont be 100% compatible after its been adapted to the new API.

[pulsoft1]

Hi Mark, where do I sign up?

[Blu-Ray]

On the new API, will it be possible to access the timestamps of the market traded volume?

[couton1]

I was about the start working on a new bot for myself, but I have decided that I would likely be better off waiting for the new API, at least in testing to allow me to develop this.

Do you guys have any indication yet of when testing will be available on a public basis which will allow the New API to be used on its own? ie. Can authenticate and look at markets without using API6.

Many thanks,
Paul

[BetfairDeveloperProgram]

Hi Paul,

Authentication via API-NG will be available in early July.

We are due to open up the API for public beta testing on the 3rd June.

Thanks

Neil

[BetfairDeveloperProgram]

will it be possible to access the timestamps of the market traded volume

Yes, the listMarketBook call returns a timestamp called 'lastMatchTime' and traded volume (if requested)

Thanks

Neil

[OzPunter]

Betfair is hard at work on the next version of the Betfair Sports Exchange API. It’s been a long time since we made any significant changes to the API and we know there is lots of pent up demand for some new features, etc.

As you may know, Betfair has been busy re-building the underlying infrastructure of the Sports Exchange. The Betfair.com website has had a facelift and is now powered by a new set of internal services. The next version of the Betfair Sports Exchange API is going to be built on top of these new services.

The goals for the new API are:

• Simple things should be simple, complex things should be possible
• The best way to build an interface to the Exchange
• Anything you can do in a Betfair built interface can be built on the API
• Build a modern web API (HTTP/JSON)
• Fix the missing features in the API (compared to the Website)
• Satisfy some long-standing feature requests
• Access to the same data
• Access to the same products (Sports Exchange, Sportsbook, etc)
• Easy to use and easy to learn

There are a number of specific enhancements and new features planned for the API based on the above goals, but we wanted to highlight three today:

1. Virtual Prices. The new API will return the same price data as the website.
   
2. No more SOAP. The new API is RPC/JSON. You can request data with an HTTP GET to a url like "api.betfair.com/v001/listMarkets/ and get a response like:
   
   

   ...
       "availableToBack" : [
                         {
                           "price" : 21,
                           "size" : 4.06
                         },
                         {
                           "price" : 17.5,
                           "size" : 3.62
                         },
                         {
                           "price" : 1.05,
                           "size" : 3.68
                         }

3. Easier to get the data you need. The new API combines public market data (like market prices) with private market data (i.e., you're matched and unmatched bet status) in a single response.

We don’t have a definitive release date for the new API. However, we are hoping to begin letting people kick the tyres sometime in the next few months. We will be posting more information about the upcoming API when we’re closer to a release date, including documentation and sample code.

Let us know what you think of these changes! Please post any comments here in the BDP Forum.

Is there going to be a trial version first so we can all get our interface programs up and running and be ready for the change over... excited!!!

[AlgoTrader]

Is there going to be a trial version first so we can all get our interface programs up and running and be ready for the change over... excited!!!

The NG API access was provided to the people who requested it. If I remember correctly, BF is about to open API for testing on June 3d.

There is no betting and login yet, so you should not worry about being late. The open part of API is not of much interest for now, it is absolutely not enough to build something real.

[OzPunter]

The NG API access was provided to the people who requested it. If I remember correctly, BF is about to open API for testing on June 3d.

There is no betting and login yet, so you should not worry about being late. The open part of API is not of much interest for now, it is absolutely not enough to build something real.

Thanks AlgoTrader,

I'll get up to speed on it asap..

[MichaelRNye]

Some things I would like to see,

• Reliable, consistent way to gather market results
• More efficient function structure (e.g., get multiple markets in 1 request)
• Better way to traverse the events tree, make it quicker to get a summary view of markets under a particular event type
• Better similar-market links (e.g., for a basketball game, all the markets related to that single game should be linkable via some kind of id)
• Clearer definitions of the state of a market (e.g., if suspending due to a withdrawal, explicitly state that)
• Uniform market information standard (e.g., get rid of the GetSilks... call for horse racing, give that information in the market info)
• Simple bet modification (can we modify odds & volume in a single call?)
• 1 call to get status of multiple bets, or all active bets on an account

Overall just a more concise API. The current/old API requires some really weird calls to gather all the required information, and makes it difficult to be confident with data. Less functions is better!

[denvb]

Can anybody explain the practical difference between using REST and RPC? Which is better / easier / more convenient for what purpose? What to use?

[AlgoTrader]

Personally, I prefer JSON-RPC as its requests seems to be more readable (I can pretty print JSON request that is difficult with REST URLs).

The difference is minor, both REST and JSON-RPC are good. REST can optionally return XML but it is out of interest for me.

Use whatever you like, that's rather religious question like chosing the language to write with.