Help Developing a virtual sportsbook software for contests

[jp81024]

Hello...been visiting site for a long time but this is first time posting. I am possibly looking create a sportsbook on my computer that I am going to use for fun contests at my business (bar), mainly for football. We currently run a lot of boards for the NFL and college where people draw a team and if that team scores a certain amount of points that week they win the pot, if no one wins it carries over. I have been approached by multiple people asking to set up a pick the winner of each game pool throughout the year, or a survivor pool, or a ATS pool (where you pick every game for the whole year). I thought that was a great idea and could be fun and think I am going to try to set up a ATS and survivor pool this year.

That being said I am looking to develop some software for my computer to track this easily and thought it would be fun to have current lines for everyone (updated a few times throughout the day) when they are making picks instead of just using static ones. Does anyone know how the monitoring sites get their lines to update? Or how the monitoring sites grade the selections (hoping not manually)? I think I have the part down for creating new users and creating a leader board but am struggling to figure out a way update lines.

I have time on my hands most days and just thought this would be a more fun option for the participants than circling teams on a piece of paper that I have to pay my employees to grade. Plus it gets them to come into bar instead of just mailing in something or calling on phone. I also like to have projects going on and learn new trades.

Appreciate any input anyone can give me and thanks in advance. And no I am not a bookie, if I was I would just hire someone to do this.
JP

[Doustism]

If you don't need bells and whistles, this could easily be done in Excel if you know your way around Excel. If all you're worried about is getting updated lines, refreshing a link to a website within Excel would be an easy way to get up to date lines.

[lindetrain]

officefootballpool.com is a great site for what you're wanting, if you decide you don't want to put in the work...

[jp81024]

Thanks guys. Officefootballpool.com looks like the least amount of work and exactly what I'm looking for. I will most likely use this but doesn't accomplish my goal of getting them to come in to make picks as they can do it from home.


If I have time to throw something together This is exactly what I am looking to create but just software on my own computer. I can figure out all the 'pretty stuff/software design' but how can I pull lines? From some more research I'm thinking of pulling an XML feed from a book and storing the lines in a msSQL database and then software would pull from the database, does anyone know if this would work? Can't figure out grading though, is there an XML feed with final results that anyone knows off? Could I scrap results from web pages legally?

Thanks!

[LeoOYS2]

Hi I would recommend checking out: http://www.ownyoursportsbook.com

Is a complete Bookie Toolbox solution.

You can also reach me at leo@ownyoursportsbook.com

Cheers!

[jijeykiray]

Officefootballpool.com is good if you just need it for game purposes.