How Do Betting Bots Work?

bot (n): A software program that imitates the behaviour of a human, as by querying search engines or participating in IRC discussions.

The official dictionary listing for the term "bot" doesn't quite do it justice, because we've only scratched the surface of what can be achieved using bot technology and even now their capabilities stretch far beyond search engine retrieval and IRC chatrooms.

It's true that the most common type of bots on the Internet are chat bots, search bots and advertising bots, but a more accurate description of how the bots we use here at BettingBots.com work can be found on the "Wikipedia" website...

"A bot is a piece of software that can autonomously accomplish a task for a person or other entity. The software has some sort of "trigger" built into it and, once executed, this intelligent agent, or bot, can carry out its function without further intervention."

To put that in layman's terms; the betting bots we're concerned with are web-based and desktop software applications that can scan bookmakers, betting exchanges, online casinos and poker rooms; analyzing live data, performing functions, placing wagers, securing profits and streamlining our overall betting strategy.

There are essentially two types of "Betting Bot"...

  Non-Transactional Bots

Non-transactional bots are, as the name suggests, applications that are programmed to perform "read" functions only. These may include poker analysis software, arbitrage alert services, data retrieval tools, tracking spreadsheets or calculators that allow you to track, test, forecast and analyse your regular betting activity.

An excellent example of a non-transactional bot in action is a neat application from Roy Rounder called "Sit & Go Shark"...

  Transactional Bots

Transactional bots take the ability to scan websites and analyse betting markets to the next level by combining these data retrieval techniques with powerful bet-on-demand controls that react to specific conditions and place bets for you automatically!

The popularity of transactional bots has grown in leaps and bounds over the last year or two and there are now many options available to those who wish to automate their betting strategy, but the main area we should concentrate on when talking about this kind of software is sports trading because since the introduction of the "betting exchanges" the opportunities that are available to professional sports traders have never been greater.

One of the most robust, and ever-evolving, trading applications on the market today for sports betting traders is "Bet-IE"...

Bet-IE is a powerful dutching and hedging application for accurately calculating odds and stakes automatically to achieve required profit targets. This exceptional program can hedge, arb or trade markets with one click, but it also comes packed with a variety of additional features such as automatic equalising, professional tick trading, accurate market indicators, triggered betting scenarios and even a "learning mode" function that enables you to test your trading ideas before you risk real money.

Unlike similar programs Bet-IE includes proven profitable strategies for dutching, hedging and easy trading techniques. What is more they can be tailored to meet your needs whether you are a newbie or an experienced user of Betfair, so even if you are just starting out with betting exchange trading these methods can be used by complete novices with great success!

And if this all sounds alien to you, don't worry, because Bet-IE comes with a comprehensive instruction manual which is geared towards new traders, an active message forum where you can learn from experienced traders and a number of built in trading strategies that can have you making money from DAY ONE!

Of course, these are only a couple of examples of transactional and non-transactional bot applications in action. Read on to the next section to discover some of the other interesting ways you can use "betting bots" to streamline your betting strategy...