spread bet through APIs

daxdaytrader · Nov 21, 2006

Does anyone know a spread bet outfit that offers accounts to be traded programatically via an API, using sockets or whatever?

Thanks.

John

c6ackp · Nov 21, 2006

futuresbetting.com offer this, it's the only one because the regular spreadbet companies would never offer this as it goes against their edge

A Dashing Blade · Nov 22, 2006

Something I've been looking at myself, these guys offer automated trading through ninja trader and a couple of other platforms. Private clients can't hook into their API directly.

daxdaytrader · Nov 22, 2006

c6ackp said:
futuresbetting.com offer this, it's the only one because the regular spreadbet companies would never offer this as it goes against their edge

Thanks for that but the transaction costs would be too high for small value bets. I was wanting to do £1 bets per point on DAX. The average winner is only 5 points, so narrow spreads and v low costs essential.

Directional · Nov 22, 2006

FuturesBetting/TwoWayFutures are the only option for API & automation via spreadbet. You wont find it anywhere else. The only reason you can do it via these guys is because they are "direct access" SB. Anywhere else is just making their own market, and if they were to offer an API it would open them up to arb against the underlying, or arb between SB firms. they might as well give away free cash like WorldSpreads were with their slow quotes.

dcraig1 · Nov 22, 2006

Arbitrageur said:
FuturesBetting/TwoWayFutures are the only option for API & automation via spreadbet. You wont find it anywhere else. The only reason you can do it via these guys is because they are "direct access" SB. Anywhere else is just making their own market, and if they were to offer an API it would open them up to arb against the underlying, or arb between SB firms. they might as well give away free cash like WorldSpreads were with their slow quotes.

If somebody really wanted to do this there would be ways and means to circumvent the need for a 'broker' API. Probably somebody has already done it.

c6ackp · Nov 22, 2006

dcraig1 said:
If somebody really wanted to do this there would be ways and means to circumvent the need for a 'broker' API. Probably somebody has already done it.

Yes, I'm sure it's been attempted. I believe it would be quite feasible to take apart a Java applet (not sure how easy Flash would be) and create one's own API. However, it would be pretty pointless as the spreadbet companies are not charities: if you had something reliable they would just restrict your account like any bookie would.

c6

gle101 · Nov 22, 2006

Arbitrageur said:
FuturesBetting/TwoWayFutures are the only option for API & automation via spreadbet. You wont find it anywhere else. The only reason you can do it via these guys is because they are "direct access" SB. Anywhere else is just making their own market, and if they were to offer an API it would open them up to arb against the underlying, or arb between SB firms. they might as well give away free cash like WorldSpreads were with their slow quotes.

I agree, using Ninja Trader for example, could definitely give you a better control over your trading. I think this is one of the most important features for using the DMA business model.

A Dashing Blade · Nov 24, 2006

dcraig1 said:
If somebody really wanted to do this there would be ways and means to circumvent the need for a 'broker' API. Probably somebody has already done it.

Not for those guys, the trading software comes through citrix (already tried that one!)

spread bet through APIs

daxdaytrader

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c6ackp

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A Dashing Blade

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daxdaytrader

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Directional

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dcraig1

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c6ackp

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gle101

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A Dashing Blade

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