Using VB2008 to acccess the Betfair API: A tutorial

[Tony Logun]

When nothing is returned

Hi Mumbles,

Got a problem i'm trying to fix. I'm using these values in my code:

(.bestPricesToBack(0).price)
(.bestPricesToLay(0).price)
(.bestPricesToBack(0).amountAvailable) all 3 values
(.bestPricesToLay(0).amountAvailable) all 3 values

Here's a simple version of the code:

With .runnerPrices(i)
If .sortOrder = 1 And .bestPricesToBack.Length > 0 Then
Runner1ID(.selectionId)
If .bestPricesToBack(0).price > 0 Then
Back1 = Math.Round((.bestPricesToBack(0).price), 2)
lblBack1Line1.Text = Back1
ElseIf .bestPricesToBack.Length < 1 Then
Back1 = Decimal.Round(0.0)
lblBack1Line1.Text = Back1
End If
If .bestPricesToLay(0).price > 0 Then
Lay1 = Math.Round((.bestPricesToLay(0).price), 2)
lblLay1Line1.Text = Lay1
ElseIf .bestPricesToLay(0).price < 1 Then
Lay1 = Decimal.Round(0.0)
lblLay1Line1.Text = Lay1
End if
If .bestPricesToBack(0).amountAvailable > 0 Then
Print(.bestPricesToBack(0).amountAvailable)
ElseIf .bestPricesToBack(0).amountAvailable < 1 Then
WomB1L1 = Decimal.Round(0.0)
End If
If .bestPricesToLay(0).amountAvailable > 0 Then
Print(.bestPricesToLay(0).amountAvailable
ElseIf .bestPricesToLay(0).amountAvailable < 1 Then
WL1L1 = Decimal.Round(0.0)
End If
End With

I use the .SortOrder as my filter for all the values for that particular horse or whatever. So i reiterate the above for .sortOrder 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and this works really well.
The problem come when there is no information in say .bestPricesToLay(0).amountAvailable. If this string returns nothing then it crashes. I tried to counter this by using the elseif statement to insert a value (0.0) but this is not working. Can you offer any advice?

Thanks
Tony

[Mumbles0]

Reply to Tony Logun (re your code)

Tony,

A tip: When pasting code snippets into a forum post, enclose it between [code] tags like this:

[code]
Paste your code here
[/code]

It make it a lot easier to see what’s going on.

I think you have realized that, when a market is new, some runners may not yet have any bets placed on them, so no information is returned by the bestPrices arrays. In this case, your code shown here will crash as you’ve discovered (probably with the “Index was outside the bounds of the array” exception).

If .bestPricesToLay(0).price > 0 Then
  Lay1 = Math.Round((.bestPricesToLay(0).price), 2)
  lblLay1Line1.Text = Lay1
ElseIf .bestPricesToLay(0).price < 1 Then
  Lay1 = Decimal.Round(0.0)
  lblLay1Line1.Text = Lay1
End If

Here you are looking at the array element .bestPricesToLay(0). But if there are no bets on this runner, the array will be empty and this element will not exist, so you must not attempt to access it. When an array is empty, its length is zero, so use this test instead:

If .bestPricesToLay.Length > 0 Then         'Array contains at least one element
  lblLay1Line1.Text = .bestPricesToLay(0).price       'Show the best price
Else      'Array is empty
  lblLay1Line1.Text = 0       'Show 0
End If

That seems to be you main problem.

By the way....

Your Round statements are not doing anything. Prices returned by the API will never have more than 2 decimal places. Decimal.Round(0.0) simply evaluates to 0.

Also, I’m not wishing to nit-pick, but you’ve referred to .bestPricesToLay(0).amountAvailable as a string. A string is something else. It is important to know what a string is.

[Tony Logun]

Thanks Mumbles,

I'm still a novice programmer but i should know that .bestPricesToLay(0).amountAvailable is a double not a string. Was typing from work in a hurry and reading back i realise i need to make the question clearer. I think the rounding is something i was thinking of implementing just in case it could solve the problem, i wont bother now but will try your solution when i get back home.

Cheers.
Tony

[supunsilva.]

Getting profit &amp; loss for each and every runner

Hi Mumbles, Thanks for your reply. your update bet code is working fine. I have found how to place low amount(Stake<2) bets. Thanks for all.

Could you kindly tell me .. is there any method to get profit and loss for each and every runners. I have attached JPEG for your review. I don't like to bother you too much.. Reply me when you free.

Thanks,
Supun Silva

[puntingking]

Big pat on the back for Mumbles0

Awesome tutorial Mumbles0, you've allowed those of us that need the guiding hand to build our own bots, so thanks heaps.

supunsilva: When you post a question on a forum and subsequently figure out the solution yourself, you should post the solution rather than "Don't worry, I've figured it out". That way you may help others that have the same problem.

[supunsilva.]

Hi... puntingking... Thankyou for your instructions. I'm really apologizing about my knowledge. My english is not very clever. I will try to correct my presentations...

Thank you very much!!
Supun Silva

[supunsilva.]

Getting profit &amp; loss for each and every runner

Hi Mumbles.. I have tried your sub called 'PrintOutcome'. But it is not working. It is unable to find the market id in for loop. That's why I asked you any other method. I forgot to write above things in my previous post. I apologize for it.

Thank You,
Supun Silva

[Mumbles0]

Reply to supunsilva (re: Profit &amp; Loss)

The sub PrintOutcome (see this post) is an example of how to call getAccountStatement to see if your bets on a market have won or lost. It works OK for me. Call it with the marketId of a market you have had matched bets on

The API also has a service called getMarketProfitAndLoss which returns P&L data you may be interested in. This code gives a calling example:

Sub ProfitAndLoss(ByVal marketId As Integer)

  Print(vbCrLf & "*** Market P&L ***")
  Dim MPLreq As New BFUK.GetMarketProfitAndLossReq
  Dim MPLresp As BFUK.GetMarketProfitAndLossResp

  With MPLreq     'Set up the request
    .header = oHeaderUK
    .marketID = MarketOfInterest
  End With

  MPLresp = BetfairUK.getMarketProfitAndLoss(MPLreq)    'Call the API

  With MPLresp    The response
    CheckHeader(.header)
    Print(.errorCode.ToString)
    If .errorCode = BFUK.GetMarketProfitAndLossErrorEnum.OK Then    'Process the response
      For i = 0 To UBound(.annotations)
        With .annotations(i)         'Print the list of runner P&Ls
          Print(.selectionId & " " & .selectionName & " " & .ifWin)
        End With
      Next
    End If
  End With

End Sub

The .annotations array returns a list of runners and the expected P&L if the runner wins. The values are based on matched bets.

[supunsilva.]

Hi...Mumbles,
Thank you for your Great job! It is working fine. Thank you Thank you so much..

Regards,
Supun Silva

[supunsilva.]

Hi.. Again..... Is there any method to get Profit with deduct betfair commission using direct API Call?

Thanks..
Supun Silva

[Mumbles0]

Reply to supunsilva (re: P&amp;L commission)

Supunsilva,

Can you read the Sports API Guide? Your English can’t be that bad if you can read the forum. The API Guide has detailed explanations of all the parameters for all the calls - both request and response.

If you read the API Guide for getMarketProfitAndLoss you will see quite clearly that it has a request parameter called .netOfCommission which is normally False, but if you set it True the P&L values returned will have commission deducted. There are other request parameters as well.

It’s time for you to do some research yourself.

[supunsilva.]

Hi.. Mumbles..... Thank you for your support. I will look into API Guide. It is displaying as a XML. I will read it and If I have any other question I will ask you... Sorry for unnecessary questions...

Thank you,
Supun Silva

[Chasing Mug]

Event Hierarchy for a given MarketID

Is there a way to get the Event Hierarchy for a given MarketID (for a closed Market)? I am doing the following:

1. Getting a list of bets I placed using getBetHistory method.
2. For each bet in getBetHistory response, I fetch the MarketID for the bet and call the getMarket method.
3. The getMarket method returns the Event Hierarchy in its response as an array of integers. However, for me, the event hierarch array always has only one element in it and that is the marketid that I passed.

Could anyone help me out and say what I am doing wrong and if there is any other way I could get the event hierarchy of the market for the bet I placed?

- Chasing Mug....

[Mumbles0]

Reply to Chasing Mug (re: eventHierarchy)

I don't think you're doing anything wrong. I’ve looked at getMarket and it appears that you don’t get much info returned after the market has closed. An example of a horse race at Ling (marketId 100888038):

While the market was ACTIVE .eventHierarchy returned 3 eventIds:

7 (Horse racing)
298251 (GB)
26520377 (Ling 20th Oct)

After the market had CLOSED .eventHierarchy returned only the last eventId:

26520377 (Ling 20th Oct)

(You say that this returns marketId, but I don’t think this is the case.)

An API call that may be useful is getAccountStatement. This returns details of your settled bets, including:

.eventTypeId (7)
.fullMarketName ("GB/Ling 20th Oct/6f Mdn Stks")
.marketName ("6f Mdn Stks")
.eventId (100888038 - actually the marketId)
.etc

If this isn’t much use, you might have to keep track of market info when you place a bet.

[supunsilva.]

Retrieving Market Total Matched Amount

Hi... I have tried write code for retrieve Total Amount Matched for Market.
I have read API Guide as you told me. After that I have written following code.

  Dim ToMreq As New BFUK.GetMarketTradedVolumeCompressedReq
        Dim ToMresp As BFUK.GetMarketTradedVolumeCompressedResp

        With ToMreq
            .header = oHeaderUK()
            .marketId = marketid
        End With
        ToMresp = BetFairUK2.getMarketTradedVolumeCompressed(ToMreq)
        With ToMresp
            CheckHeader(.header)
            If .errorCode = BFUK.GetMarketTradedVolumeCompressedErrorEnum.OK Then
                txtstake.Text = .tradedVolume
            End If
        End With

Following output is retrieving...

:4235600~0~0.0~0.0~0.0|2.1~269.2|2.12~1372.69|2.14 ~1101.8|2.16~411.14|2.18~497.08|2.2~656.48|2.22~85 1.56|2.24~665.44|2.26~529.94|2.28~855.72|2.3~1157. 64|2.32~713.06|2.34~384.5|2.36~490.76|2.38~84.88|2 .4~501.78|2.42~565.9|2.44~243.2|2.46~164.4|2.48~11 8.84|2.5~200.04|2.52~82.0|2.56~9.0|2.6~49.2|3.95~0 .02|4.1~3.98:4186669~0~0.0~0.0~0.0|14.5~2.18|15.0~ 3.98|16.0~0.02|16.5~3.98|26.0~2.16|27.0~3.84|28.0~ 13.7|29.0~9.96|30.0~3.32|32.0~6.0|34.0~1.12|36.0~1 4.56|38.0~12.58|40.0~19.18|42.0~19.78|44.0~2.58|48 .0~2.52|50.0~11.0|55.0~8.08|95.0~0.2:4187090~0~0.0 ~0.0~0.0|4.5~4.0|5.0~6.84|5.1~41.46|5.2~70.12|5.3~ 279.88|5.4~63.66|5.5~191.28|5.6~119.34|5.7~218.02| 5.8~3.98|6.0~10.0|6.2~30.76|6.4~76.94|6.6~103.04|6 .8~176.14|7.0~3.86|7.4~4.0|7.6~67.6|7.8~4.0:418875 2~0~0.0~0.0~0.0|2.62~0.2|2.64~3.8|2.74~4.0|2.82~74 .0|2.84~11.56|2.86~13.98|2.94~3.86|2.98~9.46|3.0~8 0.0|3.05~33.6|3.15~60.28|3.2~21.78|3.25~62.94|3.3~ 35.32|3.35~261.94|3.4~101.84|3.45~335.62|3.5~475.6 8|3.55~864.64|3.6~759.56|3.65~324.06|3.7~21.94|3.7 5~3.84|3.8~31.6|3.85~6.42|4.4~11.3:4243209~0~0.0~0 .0~0.0|15.0~8.76|15.5~3.98|16.5~13.6|17.0~3.8|17.5 ~11.34|18.0~3.86|18.5~4.08|19.5~6.76|20.0~7.7|21.0 ~13.62|22.0~1.84|23.0~6.02|24.0~6.72|26.0~21.52|28 .0~25.2|34.0~13.3|38.0~6.0|48.0~4.0|50.0~2.1|60.0~ 23.88|70.0~15.1|80.0~13.92|85.0~4.5:4188756~0~0.0~ 0.0~0.0|18.5~4.0|19.0~7.84|20.0~0.52|21.0~6.18|22. 0~6.02|23.0~5.82|24.0~8.0|25.0~7.98|26.0~20.42|27. 0~5.62|28.0~12.2|29.0~7.1|30.0~28.3|32.0~34.44|34. 0~20.64|36.0~3.14|38.0~3.16|40.0~6.74|44.0~4.06|46 .0~11.16|48.0~10.0:4233252~0~0.0~0.0~0.0|12.0~10.2 6|12.5~3.86|13.0~3.86|19.0~27.82|19.5~5.4|20.0~16. 18|21.0~71.72|22.0~10.38|23.0~10.56|24.0~3.08|25.0 ~12.02|26.0~0.6|27.0~15.8|28.0~5.9|29.0~4.34|30.0~ 17.08|32.0~16.2|36.0~3.02|44.0~2.74|46.0~4.48|50.0 ~11.2

I want Total Amount Matched for the Market and Total Matched for each and every runner. Please let me know what is the mistake I have made.. This is really appreciated..............



Thank You,
Supun Silva