Start here

Get started: your first Betfair bot

Most people read a strategy, bookmark it, and never run it. This page is the short path: get the settings sheet, sanity-check the idea, then test it in BF Bot Manager before you risk a stake.

Three steps

You do not need every article on BotBlog. You need one strategy, one checklist, and a Simulation run.

Step 1 Get the LTD checklist

Confirm your email and we send the Lay the Draw + 0-0 insurance parameter sheet — the same numbers we use in the guides.

Step 2 Sanity-check in Ask Bob

Paste a rough rule set or run a football/horse playbook on historical data. Five free backtests a day — no account required.

Step 3 Test in BF Bot Manager

Start the 7-day trial, follow Simulation mode, then build one bot. Annual licence from £119.95 after the trial.

Here for live tennis scores?

The Tennis Trader Board is the tool most visitors open — free ATP/WTA scores, break-point alerts, and model win % for Betfair tennis. No API key. If you want the same feed in your own dashboard or bot, that is Live Tennis API Ultra (code botblog, 10% off).

Open the live board → Subscribe to Ultra (10% off) →

Pick one market

Ignore the rest of the library until this one is running in Simulation without surprises.

Football Lay the Draw → Football Under 2.5 → Horse Pre-race scalp → Tennis Live board → Tennis In-play bot →

New to the software? Read Simulation mode, then your first bot in 10 steps. Full hub: BF Bot Manager guides.

The software we actually use

BF Bot Manager — 7-day free trial

Visual rules, no coding. Lay the Draw, Under 2.5, horse racing and dutching on Betfair, Betdaq and Matchbook. Test with fake money first. We may earn a commission if you subscribe via this link — it does not change the walkthroughs.

Start 7-day free trial → Review & pricing

No credit card required for the trial · from £29.95/month or £119.95/year

Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Full disclosure

7-day Free trial

£119.95 Per year

Sim Test first

Stuck on the first bot?

If the rule builder, staking, or Simulation results do not make sense, say so. Use the contact form and choose BFBM setup / first bot help — include the sport and whether you are still in Simulation. This is setup help, not tips or a managed account.

Ask for setup help →

Educational only. BotBlog does not place bets, manage accounts, or provide financial advice. Trading and gambling carry risk — 18+ only. BeGambleAware.org