ODDS CALCULATOR ( v1.00) ..... HELP

The Forth Dimension Odds Calculator ( for Windows ) is intended
for use with the bookmaker's fixed-odds football coupon.
It will also be found useful by the horse racing enthusiast.

The software provides invaluable betting and 'payout' data for varying
levels of stake and values of odds. It is a simple matter to prepare a bet
and to experiment with different permutations, selections and prices.
By using the calculator you can be sure that an acceptable balance of costs
and financial return is achieved.

The program has been placed in the 'public domain' and as such may be copied
and distributed. However the program 'code' remains the copyright of the
author of the software, named below ....

W.A.Hunter B.Sc. B.A.
c/o Forth Dimension
28 Macbeth Road, Dunfermline, Fife
Scotland. KY11 4EG    Tel : 0383 721729

                                   ( keys - PgUp PgDn ?=info Esc=exit help )

The following is an extract from the explanatory booklet available only
from Forth Dimension at the above address. To obtain a copy of the
booklet send 10 first class UK postage stamps, or a cheque / postal order
for three pounds sterling. Details of other software provided by
Forth Dimension will be included.

The booklet begins by listing your system requirements and describing
the transfer of the calculator to your hard drive ....

HARDWARE AND SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Any IBM compatible with a 386SX processor or higher.

Hard Disk.

3.5" floppy drive.

VGA display.

A mouse.

Microsoft 'Windows' ( minimum v3.0 ).


SETUP

The 'setup' program is supplied by Microsoft.
The calculator will be placed in a directory named C:\ODDSCALC

  1.	Boot up your system and start Windows.
	( No Windows 'applications' should be opened )

  2.	Insert the Fixed-Odds diskette in drive A.

  3.	From the 'File' menu of the Windows Program Manager choose Run.

  4.	Type a:setup

  5.	Follow the instructions on the screen.


Note that the fixed-odds executable file, named FFOC.EXE, uses only
about 100K of your hard disk capacity. However during the installation
process certain Windows files, such as .DLLs, must be accessed by the
program and will be copied to your WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory if they are
not already present.

Upon completion of setup, the ODDS icon, which represents a fixed-odds
football coupon, will have been placed in a Windows program 'group'
named Odds. If you wish you may 'drag' the icon to another group such
as Windows 'Applications'. It is then possible to select the now empty
group Odds and remove it using Delete from the Program Manager 'Edit' menu.

Double-Click the ODDS icon to start the program.


USING THE CALCULATOR

The screen 'buttons' and 'input boxes' are as listed below.
The numbers to the left provide a 'key' to the diagram in the handbook,
but are also referred to later in this text.

Key to diagram

  1.	This 'spin' button changes the number of match selections.
  2.	The total number of matches selected ( maximum twelve ).
  3.	The 'New' key. Press this to begin input process.
  4.	'Clear' deletes all previous input.
  5.	'Insert' includes a match above indicated line ( see 33 ).
  6.	'Add' an extra match to the list if less than 12 selected.
  7.	'Delete' the indicated match line ( see 33 ).
  8.	'Exit' the Fixed-Odds Calculator.
  9.	The unit stake in pounds & pence with its 'spin' button.
  10.	The date of the bet, plus 'spin' button.
  11.	'C' cancels the entry in which the cursor is located.
  12.	'/' is used in the input of the date or odds.
  13.	Use '0' to '9' to input line numbers, odds, stake or date.
  14.	'Win' check boxes ( 'X' shows correct prediction ).
  15.	Press 'Bet' to give full details of the wager to be placed.
  16.	'Pay' shows payout after 'win' selections ( see 14 ).
  17.	Display 'Odds' paid for single bets and accumulator.
  18.	The bookie's 'Margin' of profit from a single match line.
  19.	'Copy' the bet, payout, etc to the Windows Clipboard.
  20.	'Print' the bet and payout displays ( but check 21 ).
  21.	'Indicator' is red when bet/payout displays require update.
  22.	Mini-calculator.
  23.	Fixed-Odds Calculator 'Forth Dimension' Copyright.
  24.	The number of correct match predictions ( see 14 ).
  25.	Winning permutations for which there is a payout.
  26.	Total permutations making up the complete bet.
  27.	Total cost of the bet ( depends upon 9, 26 & 28 ).
  28.	'Tax' option boxes ( pre-paid tax is added to 27 ).
  29.	Fixed-Odds coupon line numbers.
  30.	Team names taken from the fixed-odds coupon.
  31.	Predictions - normally a home, draw, away or score.
  32.	Odds given on the coupon or by a bookmaker.
  33.	'Indicator' red shows current line for deletions/insertions.
  34.	'Permutation' check boxes.
  35.	The number of permutations of each kind.


All of the initial input can be achieved through the use of the mouse.


A trial run ....

First of all use the 'spin' button (1) to select the number of matches.
Place the cursor over the spin button and press the left hand mouse button.
Select five matches, then press New (3).
Position the cursor over any 'blue' line (29), team (30), predict (31), or
odds (32) box, and press the mouse button. A red 'indicator' (33) will show
that the line has been selected.
Click the Delete button (7) and reduce the total number of match selections
to four. Matches can always be inserted or added using buttons (5) and (6),
but for now keep to four matches.
Notice the numbers of singles, doubles, trebles and 4-folds are shown in
box type (35). Click 'off' the permutation 'check box' (34) to remove
'single' bets. The bet now consists of six doubles, four trebles & one
4-match accumulator - eleven perms in total.
( This is the bet popularly known as a 'Yankee' ).
Use the unit stake spin button (9) to increase the stake to 20p.
The total cost (27) of the bet is now 2.20. Click 'on' the tax pre-paid
'option box' and tax will be added to the cost of the bet.
Press the date spin button (10) and try changing the date.

Select Bet (15) for your first summary of the wager as it is placed
with the bookmaker. This display, like all others, may be copied (19)
to the Windows clipboard or printed (20).
Observe that at this stage ( within the 'Bet' display ) the match lines
are shown in brackets and are simply numbered 1 to 4.
The next step would normally be to input details directly from the
fixed-odds coupon. Click the mouse button with the cursor positioned over
an odds box (32). Use keys '0' to '9' & '/' to input odds values and
'C' to cancel an entry ( see 11, 12, 13).

Try inputting odds of 2/1, 15/8, 11/10 and 1/1 initially.
( Odds of 1/1 represent an even money bet ).
Select Pay (16), and your payout for the given odds and unit stake is
displayed. Also notice the individual payout for each type of permutation,
plus the total return. The total includes winnings, plus the refunded stake.

Of course these winnings are based upon the assumption that all selections
are correctly predicted. By clicking 'off' Win 'check boxes' (14) any
incorrect predictions can be eliminated. Try this, then select Pay once
again to show reduced payout.
It is important to re-display the bet or payout whenever the odds, stake,
date, etc have been updated. A red 'indicator' (21) provides a reminder
that certain values have changed and that it may be necessary to refresh
a display.
The numbers of correct predictions, and hence winning perms, are shown
in boxes (24) and (25) respectively.
Using the mouse, adjustments are easily made to selections, stake, odds
and permutations, to create a satisfactory bet. Only then need the actual
coupon line numbers, team names and predictions ( home, draw, away or score )
be added.
It is vital to be aware, during the course of preparing the bet, that all
of the Win 'check boxes' (14) should be clicked 'on'. Otherwise true
numbers of permutations, which determine the cost of the bet, will not be
shown in perm boxes (35) & (26).
The precise bet can always be displayed by selecting Bet (15).

Press Clear (4) to delete all of the current data and displays.

Choose Exit (8) to quit the program.

Recently a feature has been added to amend the tax rate should this
become necessary at a future date.


DATA INPUT

With the exception of team names and predictions it is most convenient
to use the mouse to enter your betting data. Nevertheless it is possible
to type directly into all of the input boxes or to erase information with
the 'Del' key.
Use 'Tab' or 'arrow' keys to move from one box to another.
The maximum number of characters which may be input to each box is
restricted. For example coupon line numbers may consist of up to only two
digits. Odds greater than 100/1 will not be processed, and the maximum
unit stake is 99-99.
The maximum number of match selections (2) is twelve.
After any input a red 'indicator' (21) will show that some kind of change
has taken place and that it would be wise to update your 'bet' or 'payout'
displays.
Finally, do not forget that in the course of 'constructing' your bet the
Win 'check boxes' (14) should be 'on' - that is displaying an 'X' - to show
the maximum number of perms.


BET AND PAYOUT

These are the principal calculator displays, and are obtained using buttons
(15) and (16) respectively. The input of any incomplete or unacceptable data
will prevent the appearance of these displays and generate an error message.
The 'bet' display describes the wager as it should be lodged with the
bookmaker. The 'payout' display shows winning permutations and the
financial return. The latter will vary depending upon the number of correct
match predictions.
These displays can be copied to the 'clipboard' or printed.
( Additional information can be included before printing - first 'select'
the bet/pay screen display using the mouse cursor ).


ODDS VALUES

Select the Odds button (17) to show comparative odds, paid out to a
single unit, for each match line. This selection also gives the payout,
based on your unit stake, for each 'single' and the 'accumulator'.


BOOKIES MARGIN

Spin button (1) to show 3 selections. Press New.
Enter the odds given for a home win, draw and away win from a single match
line on the fixed-odds coupon.
Select Margin (18) and view the bookie's profit margin.
For example enter odds of 11/10, 9/4 and 2/1. These will give a bookmaker's
margin of 111.7%. Such a value is typical for matches on fixed-odds coupons
and is quite acceptable. It is unlikely that values will be encountered
outside of the range 110% to 115%.
( A value of 100 represents 'statistically fair' betting odds. In such a
case the combined probabilities of a home win, draw and away win, for a
single match, add up to 100% ).


The following are typical 'BET' and 'PAYOUT' displays .....


    BET for 23/11/94

     1  Sheffield    away
     4  Nott.For.    draw
    31  Colchester   away
    47  Dundee       away
    53  East Fife    draw

    Treble(s)  =  10
    4 fold(s)  =   5
    5 fold(s)  =   1
    Total Bet Lines  =  16

    Cost 1.76
    at 00.10 per unit.
    ( includes 10% tax )


    PAYOUT 23/11/94

    5 of 5 correct
    13/5 9/4 7/4
    13/8 12/5

    Treble(s)  = 10
    Pays 30.1843
    4 fold(s)  =  5
    Pays 46.6402
    5 fold(s)  =  1
    Pays 28.7162

    Total 105.5407
    ( tax pre-paid )



Finally, may I wish you all the best with your betting investments.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any comments or queries.



Bill Hunter

1st November, 1994


28 Macbeth Road, Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland.  KY11 4EG   Tel : 0383 721729