The best way to create your first rule is to write it down in a series of logical steps.
Imagine we want the software to back a horse only if it trades at 1.3 in-play. We normally cannot place a bet until it reaches 1.3 because the exchange will always match the back bet at the highest odds on offer at the time of placement. The theory that we want to test is 'does a horse backed at 1.3 win a race often enough to cover the stakes used when it loses?'. To test the theory we need to run the experiment on dozens of races in a consistent manner. Automation is perfect for this, so let’s use this as an example of how to create an Automation rule.
Requirements : Back a horse in-play if the horse is priced at 1.3 but only back ONE horse at this price.
Note: We want to back only one horse at this price as the payout from the winner would not be enough to cover the cost of two back bets on different horses.
You can see this requirement is about as simple as we can make it. The theory that we want to test is that we believe a horse at 1.3 has a good chance of winning the race, so back it. Let’s setup our first rule and then we can test it.
TIP: When you start with a new automation rule it is advisable to use practice mode. The rule will require testing and mistakes could cost money in a live market. However please be careful about excessive use of practice mode as this can lead to Betfair placing restrictions on your account. Try to place some live bets with your account every day to avoid restriction.
