Betfair's Just after the Start price

[JollyGreen]

Did anyone see the SP return for Siberian Tiger? 16:20 Ffos Las I was happily trading it around 2.44-2.46 seconds before the start and took my final order to SP....which they returned at 2.35!

[Euler]

I don't know what the solution is but SP can be really shocking sometimes.

[JollyGreen]

They just did it again. Ay Tay Tate was trading around 4.8-4.9 right at the off and they returned an SP of 4.53!!

[SilentDave]

I have totally given up on taking the SP - it always seems to return so far from the last traded range that it's just not worth the unknown risk imo.

[freddy]

It works both ways though,
but yes it's frustrating at times

[JollyGreen]

What annoys me the most is that a horse has drifted or steamed in and is trading at a certain price as the race suspends. Quite how it then returns miles away in terms of SP is totally beyond me.

[Dobbin]

Hi there

Is there not a profit then in backing just before the off and laying at SP

Dobbin

[freddy]

there might be but is seems very erratic to me sometimes the s.P seems to big others to small.

but probably like most things on Betfair you would break even long term at best.

[JollyGreen]

Basically it is easily altered if something negative or positive occurs at the start. The trackside traders see it first and immediately influence the market. If a horse is slow away or rears, if a horse breaks quickly, especially a fancied runner then the trackside boys will change things in those brief moments before the person at Betfair hits the suspend button. That's why I referred to is as the "just after the start price"

[rubysglory]

Agree JG that there is a serious problem with BF SP pricing. I wonder however if the problem is partly due to the use of API software. If I was to place an SP bet via the BF website, this bet, once placed, can not be cancelled. If placed with an API service like BA however, the SP bet can be cancelled during the trading process. This perhaps allows distortion of projected odds.

rg

[stinklyonion]

I don't know what the solution is but SP can be really shocking sometimes.

I agree. It is like being friendly for some time, but will stab you at the back right after. lol.

[superfrank]

A simple solution?...

Each race is suspended at the official off time and then immediately turned in-play.

It would sort out the SP problem, and would still allow trading up to, and beyond, the actual off time.

It would result in Betfair SPs being quite different to non-Betfair SPs quite often - but then they often are anyway.

Am I missing something?