How does Betfair's price rush actually work?

[Euler]

I've been testing Betfair's price rush today to see how it influences exchange activity. As far as I can make out my price rushed bets are not making it onto the exchange and a lot don't get price rushed at all.

[Archangel]

My understanding of it was that when you got a price rush on the Sportsbook, Betfair just went to the exchange and got the better price for you
Makes you wonder why someone wouldnt just always go to the exchange and get Price Rushed every time

[Euler]

I thought I would test out the impact by trying to rush bets from the sportsbook onto the exchange and see them arrive. I deliberately picked horses whose prices were much higher on the exchange. A lot of them are not even being rushed, I'd say 50%

[LeTiss]

I tried this on a few football matches Peter, basically picking matches with low liquidity and a selection that was 20% higher on the Exchange to the Sportsbook

I couldn't see anything consistent at all, so gave up. There again I did only use £100 in total, so perhaps I needed to punt heavier to notice a difference

[Archangel]

I thought I would test out the impact by trying to rush bets from the sportsbook onto the exchange and see them arrive. I deliberately picked horses whose prices were much higher on the exchange. A lot of them are not even being rushed, I'd say 50%

did you get the price that was on offer ?

[Euler]

Betfair position it as a sure fire uplift, but it appears they don't do this on every bet it's at their discretion. I think that's deceptive if that is the case.

They implied how it would help the exchange by driving casual business to it, but it looks like another another way to divert business into their pockets instead.

Even when I get rushed it still way off the exchange price even including punitive commission. I can't see any reason why people just wouldn't use the exchange.

[marko236]

If you put a five fold bet on the sports book do they price rush that aswell or is it just single bets?

[Euler]

Struggling to see anything that is rushed to the exchange. It just doesn't seem to appear on it. I'll have a look at the footy tonight.

I think it's only singles.

[LinusP]

Maybe it only works when x-matching is on, its only turned on pre-race when the volume hits a certain value I think.

[Dallas]

If you put a five fold bet on the sports book do they price rush that aswell or is it just single bets?

Its only for single bets, muliples are not included

[Wainwright]

According to the feature announcement from September last year;

https://betting.betfair.com/betfair-ann ... 14-51.html

At bet placement we automatically check the prices offered by the thousands of customers on the Exchange. If there is a better price available in that particular Exchange market, we will transfer the Sportsbook stake to match those higher odds being layed on the Exchange.

Clearly states "will" and not "may" - if there is any discretion involved then they are misleading their customers.

There's another page which explains a bit more and apparently shows it in action;

https://www.betfair.com/sport/price-rush

[marko236]

What happens if it goes for a price on the exchange and misses it does it take the next best price or just cancel and take the sports book price?

[Euler]

Wainwright, thanks for the link, that is clearly not happening.

[Euler]

I think they have changed it and I think I know the date they changed it.

[andyfuller]

It wouldn't be the first time they have been in breech of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

Remember the man drinking milk - thought this was one of their many banned adverts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfZ93a_njiM