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Technical analysis: Support and Resistance Levels in Betfair Graphs
Trading - Betfair Trading
Wednesday, 25 March 2009 10:10

Betfair Horce Racing MarketsBetfair trading is all about odds movement. By learning basic terms of technical analysis like support and resistance, and applying them to Betfair graphs, we are able to make money by correctly predicting them. I included 7 betfair graphs from yesterday's horse racing betting markets in this article and I try analyzing and discussing the various support and resistance levels in them. I used to study about technical analysis in the past years when I traded the Betfair UK Horse racing markets and I applied the same knowledge back then to make about 10,000 euros per month. I'm not sure if they can be applied profitably in today's markets but they will certainly help you understand and predict the odds movements more efficiently.

Betfair Trading: Technical analysis with support and resistance levels

At the 16:20 horse race the favorite horse was Flying Lady. The betting odds graph started in a downtrend moving the odds from 4.00 to 2.60 initially. Later on the odds retraced and almost reached 3.00. If we take a look at the previous peak on the black trendline, that peak was at 3.00. We could have expected a retracement up to that point, since the down trend was interrupted when the odds broke above the black trendline. After the second touch at 3.00, we are now sure that 3.00 is the resistance level of the betting odds and we don't expect it to be overcome, unless the odds resume an uptrend. In the following minutes the odds fall down to 2.50 only to climb once again up to 3.00 and end up at 2.75 right before the start of the race. The competent betfair trader could possibly take advantage of the steaming odds from 3.00 to 2.50 once the resistance level was confirmed, while a second profitable and successful trade could have been made during the last move from 3.00 to 2.75.

In the next horse race, the horse called Presque Perdre started the race at 1.64, while the betting odds had previously ranged between 1.75 and 1.60. Once again we had a confirmation of the support level quite a few times, making the trading to seem quite easy laying first and backing later whenever the odds touched 1.60. A second resistance level could have been considered at 1.70 afterwards, although a much safer trading would have been to lay at 1.60 and closing the position a couple of ticks above, securing small profits.

At 16.40, Killard Point offered enough trading opportunities for profitable trading before the start of the race. Right from the beginning we confirmed the resistance level at 2.50 and the support level at 2.00. So, when the betting odds reached 2.45 where the green trendline begins, we could back the horse and make money from the downtrend up to 2.00, while if we were wrong, we would have placed our stop loss at 2.55. In other words we risked 5 ticks to win 20. In the end we would have won the whole downtrend of the odds, although we could have split our trading into smaller trading moves. An example of that is when the betting odds found a support level at 2.20 (blue line). When the odds moved below 2.20, the support level converted into a resistance level. In the main betting exchange interface we see that the betting odds have moved below 2.00 and have reached 1.95, but 30 seconds before the start of the horse race, it isn't the most appropriate time to open a trading position having very few seconds to complete our trade.

Betfair Trading: Technical analysis with support and resistance levels

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During the horse race at 16:50 the betting odds literally plumbed. In the beginning of the downtrend the odds found some support level at 1.80, but the retracement to 2.00 wasn't strong enough to stop the forthcoming continual of the downtrend. When the odds retracement is relatively small in comparison with the move that has preceded (2.75 to 1.80), it is a good sign that the trend has neither ended nor lost speed. Indeed the cautious betfair trader would have backed at 1.75 when the odds broke below the support level at 1.80, while a more risky trader would have already backed the horse at 2.00 for bigger profits. From that point on and like in the previously mentioned betfair graph, the odds ranged between 1.50 and 1.60 where they found support and resistance. Safe trading could have been made by backing first at 1.50, since it wasn't expected to be overcome having the odds touched 1.50 so many times. Surely the profits wouldn't have been that significant as in the initial downtrend, however that doesn't mean there weren't trading opportunities.

At 17:00 there was the most predictable odds movement, when the favorite horse called Finlays Footsteps climbed from 4.00 to 7.00 losing at the same time the favorite place. In the beginning of the betfair graph, the odds have found support level at 4.00 and they entered a strong continuous uptrend. When the horse racing betting odds show such signs, the worst a trader can do is to back that horse. If we couldn't predict the uptrend at 4.00 or 5.00, we still had a chance for 2 profitable trades when the odds traded at 6.00. The odds found resistance level at 6.00 but when they overcome it, the resistance level converted into a support level and the odds moved twice from 6.00 to 7.00 afterwards. Always have in mind that when a level is broken, it is converted in the exact opposite kind of level. While the odds had difficulty overcoming 6.00 after a strong uptrend, they never fell below upon breaking the resistance level.

Betfair Trading: Technical analysis with support and resistance levels

At 17:10 the betfair graph starts like the previous one with the support level found at 2.90, but this time the odds broke below the support level which was a major indication of a forthcoming downtrend. The odds moved continuously to lower lows until they found support at 2.40. Then they retraced up to a resistance level at 2.70. I believe there was a good trading opportunity when the support at 2.90 was broken, while it would have been difficult to predict the following weak uptrend.

Betfair Trading: Technical analysis with support and resistance levels

Finally in the horse race at 17:20, the odds didn't trend but rather ranged between 2 levels. Upon reaching 3.30 for the third time, I think that would have been a safe trade by laying there and closing at 3.70. At that time, it would have been another safe bet to back at 3.70 and make money from the forthcoming fall. In the end of the graph the support level's break is of little importance, since the remaining time until the start of the race is simply too short to be trading.

We analyzed 7 betfair graphs in UK horse racing for better understanding and prediction of the betting odds movement. The methods of technical analysis don't stop to terms like support, resistance and trendlines, but they contain innumerous indicators, oscillators and formations. However, on one hand the available basic betfair graph doesn't allow for deeper analysis, while on the other hand by using the most simple terms of technical analysis, it is possible to predict odds movements and make money in betfair trading.

Interested in more technical analysis for betfair graphs?

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Comments (14)
1 Thursday, 26 March 2009 13:25
Harvey
Fantastic read -
Over what time frames are this graphs ? Are these within a 10min window from the off ?

Thanks in advance
2 Thursday, 26 March 2009 14:44
Jimmakos
Hi, thanks for your comment.

It is actually the whole betfair graph of each horse, not just the final 10 minutes. The graph that is presented when we click on the small chart icon next to each horse.

I guess you all found it interesting judging by the article's popularity. Maybe I should be adding more posts like this in the future.
3 Thursday, 26 March 2009 23:47
James
Jim,

The examples here are very worthwhile reading. Having done a bit of TA studying myself i found your article very enlightening and also found instant better trades on horse races being able to plan entry and exits positions a whole lot easier. Have you found any other techniques for larger swings. I'm guessing that it would take form study to be able to predict major swings or would we be looking at the same support and resistance levels just with are larger price range??? Thanks again,

James.
4 Monday, 30 March 2009 14:35
Jimmakos
Hi James,
Thanks for the comment. Well, the available betfair graphs don't allow a lot of technical analysis to be applied. They don't provide that much detail and information to apply more complicated indicators. However, several formations can be drawn like triangles, trendlines, channels, etc. But I think it doesn't have to be too sophisticated analysis, just the basic.
5 Tuesday, 31 March 2009 11:25
Bill
You should use the advanced charting on Bet Angel it's fantastic for spotting techincal indicators and has candlesticks and lots of other things as well.
6 Thursday, 02 April 2009 09:24
takis
Hi very good work and well explained.There is need for more examples and not only on favourites.You have to train us in technical analysis...we love you.
many thanks
7 Sunday, 19 April 2009 12:34
Paul Tapley
Brilliant work Jimmakos, taking my trading to a new level.
8 Monday, 20 April 2009 10:29
Jimmakos
Thanks for your kind words!
9 Wednesday, 20 May 2009 22:36
James D
Excellently written Jim. Really given me something else to think about.
10 Sunday, 28 June 2009 08:18
REIMY
GREAT INFO JIM!! IS THERE ANY SOFTWARES(BOTS) OUT THERE WHICH CAN CAPTURE SITIUTIONS BASE ON THE GRAPHS AND TRIGGER THE BET ON AN AUTO PILOT.PLS SUGGEST.

TANX FOR YOUR INFO AGAIN
11 Monday, 20 July 2009 07:35
Jimmakos
There aren't such bots or trading platforms, even in stock or currency trading. The experienced eye can pinpoint easily trends and reversal points and you have to rely on your personal judgement.
12 Thursday, 10 September 2009 10:12
George Soros
Easy to draw lines after the event. Try doing that beforehand !!
13 Thursday, 10 September 2009 16:25
Jimmakos
I like your attitude. Why don't you check out this post?
http://www.jimmakos.com/en/trading-video/drawing-trend-lines-while-video-recording-a-betfair-trading-session.html
14 Monday, 09 November 2009 01:29
Mark
Thees surport and resistans levels cannot be trusted in horse racing. They get broken way to often.

What good is it to have a surport level, if it gets broken 50% of the times??

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Who is Jimmakos

Jimmakos.comMy name is Jimmakos and I am a professional gambler since 2003. I played at the casinos' blackjack tables for a year and during the following 2.5 years I have been a Betfair trader trading the odds in the UK Horse Racing markets. Nowadays I'm playing online poker. Apart from online gambling, I also write about online poker and trading for the Betfair's Greek Blog and own various websites.

 

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