Want to join Smarkets?
May 26, 2010
We’re looking for an experienced front end web developer for a full time position with an immediate start. Sound interesting? Read on…
Job description
Our front end application is a collection of Django apps built on an exclusively Python API client (to a RESTful Erlang API), and we’re looking for someone to build out user-facing features.
Required skills and qualities
- Hand-written, valid (when required) (X)HTML (although Smarkets values HTML 4.01 Strict, and we’d expect a candidate to be able to explain the difference between XHTML and HTML in practical terms);
- Solid knowledge of Javascript, above and beyond frameworks, but also experience with the benefits of Javascript frameworks, including jQuery and YUI;
- Experience writing cross-browser CSS;
- Demonstrated understanding and experience of how the above things can affect accessibility and performance;
- Experience with Django, Pylons, TurboGears or any other modern Python-based web frameworks. We use Django at Smarkets, so bonus points for that;
- A good cultural fit for a small team that works under intense pressure, short deadlines, and a high workload; and
- A proven history of getting the job done on high quality websites.
Desirable skills
- Knowing your way around Linux;
- Solid Python experience, beyond just Django or Pylons;
- Using Git in a multi-developer environment.
Additional information
- This is a full time, on site job;
- The job is based in Clerkenwell, London, United Kingdom.
If you’re looking for a flexible, agile team to work with; want to work somewhere free of big corporate politics; would like a cool project to work on; and fit the above criteria we’d love to hear from you!
Fox on InTrade and the Wisdom of Crowds
May 20, 2010
A nice piece here from Fox TV (never thought I’d say that) on the wisdom of crowds and how prediction markets function.
The John Stossel show covered a bunch of other aspects of the American gambling industry in this six part series, all of which can be found on on www.midasoracle.org.
Walkers Flavour Cup
May 20, 2010
Walkers are running a competition to find the biggest fan of their new flavours. We loved the idea so we’re running a market on it, we also had a little taste test at Smarkets towers to see what the residents think.
We put the Northern Europe and Southern Europe flavours head-to-head. These were the results:
| Flavour | Like | Dislike | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| German Bratwurst | 12 | 5 | +7 |
| English Roast | 4 | 11 | -7 |
| French Garlic Baguette | 6 | 8 | -2 |
| Spanish Paella | 2 | 12 | -10 |
| Italian Spag Bol | 10 | 6 | +4 |
| Dutch Edam | 10 | 6 | +4 |
So the winner from this round, with a love/hate difference of +7 is German Bratwurst. The English didn’t even get a look in.
Our market still has the yet untasted American Cheeseburger in the lead, but we’ll see how German Bratwurst progresses in our taste tests!
Tweet away, we’re listening!
May 13, 2010
We don’t often blow our own trumpet, but when Lindsey, an eagle eyed Smarkets member, spotted this tweet from Alastair Campbell:
It’s only took us 37 minutes to get the market live (we were a little slow because we were eating lunch!).
Battle of the Premiership Pundits Results
May 10, 2010
So, that’s it, Chelsea lift the league title with an emphatic 8-0 win at Wigan. Here’s the end of season results for the pundits:
| Match | Actual Result | Lawro | Andy Gray | Huw Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal v Fulham | 4-0 | Correct | Correct | - |
| Villa v Blackburn | 0-1 | Incorrect | Incorrect | - |
| Bolton v Birmingham City | 2-1 | Correct | Correct | - |
| Burnley v Spurs | 4-2 | Incorrect | Incorrect | - |
| Chelsea v Wigan | 8-0 | Correct | Correct | - |
| Everton v Portsmouth | 1-0 | Correct | Correct | - |
| Hull v Liverpool | 0-0 | Incorrect | Incorrect | - |
| Man Utd v Stoke | 4-0 | Correct | Correct | - |
| West Ham v Man City | 1-1 | Correct | Incorrect | - |
| Wolves v Sunderland | 2-1 | Incorrect | Incorrect | - |
| This Week | 6 of 10 (60%) | 5 of 10 (50%) | ||
| Final | 39 of 69 (56%) | 30 of 59 (51%) | 33 of 69 (48%) |
What does this tell us? Not a great deal! The pundits are pretty much 50% accurate in predicting the result of the game but much less effective at predicting the correct score. BBC’s Mark Lawrenson takes the title, but it’s a hollow victory, the pundits are pretty much as accurate as your local pub know-it-all!
Next season I’ll throw the open the challenge to new pundits, track the full season and record the correct score predictions when given.
Battle of the Premiership Pundits Pt.9
May 7, 2010
The Premiership is pretty much all done, and Huw appears to be sitting this week out, but here’s how the remaining pundits see the final weekends action going down.
| Match | Lawro | Andy Gray | Huw Davis | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal v Fulham | 2-0 | 2-0 | - | Bet Now |
| Villa v Blackburn | 2-0 | 2-1 | - | Bet Now |
| Bolton v Birmingham City | 2-1 | 1-0 | - | Bet Now |
| Burnley v Spurs | 1-2 | 1-2 | - | Bet Now |
| Chelsea v Wigan | 4-0 | 4-1 | - | Bet Now |
| Everton v Portsmouth | 2-0 | 3-0 | - | Bet Now |
| Hull v Liverpool | 1-2 | 1-1 | - | Bet Now |
| Man Utd v Stoke | 2-0 | 3-0 | - | Bet Now |
| West Ham v Man City | 1-1 | 1-2 | - | Bet Now |
| Wolves v Sunderland | 1-1 | 2-2 | - | Bet Now |
Smarkets’ 1000th user to deposit!
May 4, 2010
Last week we announced a mini-promotion to give the 1000th depositing user a bonus £50. Well, it didn’t take long, Smarkets members can’t get enough General Election betting.
On Sunday, Patrick from Lancashire became our 1000th depositor and won himself fifty notes. Congratulations Patrick!
It’s a double celebration this week as we’ve passed our £100,000 traded figure too (not bad considering we only passed £50,000 seven days ago).
Back-patting, celebratory cake and high-fives all round.
Battle of Premiership Pundits Pt.8 Results
May 4, 2010
No one called that Stoke v Everton draw, but on the whole it wasn’t a bad week for the pundits. Only a few matches left in the season so it’s looking like Lauro will take the crown.
| Match | Actual Result | Lawro | Andy Gray | Huw Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham v Burnley | 2-1 | Correct | Correct | Correct |
| Man City v Villa | 3-1 | Correct | Correct | Correct |
| Portsmouth v Wolves | 3-1 | Incorrect | Correct | Incorrect |
| Stoke v Everton | 0-0 | Incorrect | Incorrect | Incorrect |
| Spurs v Bolton | 1-0 | Correct | Correct | Incorrect |
| Liverpool v Chelsea | 0-2 | Correct | - | Correct |
| Fulham v West Ham | 3-2 | Incorrect | - | Incorrect |
| Sunderland v Man Utd | 0-1 | Correct | - | Correct |
| This Week | 5 of 8 (62%) | 4 of 5 (80%) | 4 of 8 (50%) | |
| Rolling | 33 of 59 (56%) | 25 of 49 (51%) | 33 of 69 (48%) |
