Scrape Times

Joseph Buchdahl of the Football Data web site kindly clarified the question of when the prices for matches are taken, and the answer is that there is no set time.

There is no exact same time.

I try to have Friday odds available by 17:00 and Tuesday odds available by 15:00 but it won't always be exactly at those times.

The odds represent a snapshot in time of the market.

Not perfect of course, but if there is a limit on resources and just the one scrape can be made per round of fixtures, then with some matches being played on most Friday evenings, this is the best we can hope for, and it is certainly a lot better than nothing.

Joseph is also known for writing "Fixed Odds Sports Betting" and "How to Find a Black Cat in a Coal Cellar: The Truth About Sports Tipsters" and his article Most Bookmakers Do Not Like Winners should be mandatory reading for anyone serious about making money from betting long-term.

Joseph's closing comments on account closures and restrictions are also worth reading:

Patrick Veitch, writing in his book Enemy Number One: The Secrets of the UK's Most Feared Professional Punter made the observation that under currently legislation, in the UK at least, bookmakers are permitted to advertise prices only to refuse to take a single penny if they are too wary of placing the bet. Meridianbet, with a dysfunctional approach to risk management had, with me, clearly taken the meaning of "wary" to the next level. Whilst I agree with Patrick that it is high time the regulatory framework governing online sports betting considers the introduction of minimum trading standards for bookmaking such that any firm is obliged to accept a minimum level of bet based on its liability, I fear that this will be a long time, if ever, in coming. Bookmakers, naturally, will always be able to fall back on the argument that whilst betting requires the consent of two parties, it remains their right not to accept a bet if they choose. In the meantime, therefore, it is essential that customers continue to vote with their feet. Bookmakers like Meridianbet and Corbettsports have no place in the world of online sports betting, and the sooner such brands can be consigned to the scrap heap of history where they belong, the better. If punters refuse to bet at all with such bookmakers it will only be a matter of time before they fold and disappear. Low turnover brands and those who despise winners are of little use to the sophisticated sports bettor, other than to make a quick buck before the predictable restrictions are imposed. If you're not being restricted then it probably means that you losing money, and if you're not losing it yet, "Egobet" believes you soon will be.