ksentak / odds-bot

Discord bot that sends messages delivering NFL betting odds

Odds Bot

Project Structure

This project uses an AWS Lambda function to fetch NFL odds from the odds-api, format the fetched data, and then send it to a Discord channel. Here's a breakdown of the main functions:

1. getNFLWeek(date): Determines the NFL week number based on a provided date.

2. getOdds(): Makes a call to the Odds API to fetch the odds for NFL games.

3. filterData(data, week): Filters the fetched dataset to include only games for a specified NFL week.

4. formatMsg(data): Transforms the filtered dataset into a human-readable message for each game.

5. sendDiscordMsg(msg): Sends the formatted message to a Discord channel using a bot.

Flow

The flow is as follows:

1. Determine the Current NFL Week: The current date is used to find out the NFL week we're in.

2. API Call: A call is made to the Odds API to fetch game odds for the NFL.

3. Data Filtering: The fetched data is filtered to consider only games in the current NFL week.

4. Data Formatting: The filtered data is formatted into a message, making it user-friendly.

5. Send to Discord: The formatted message is then sent to a Discord channel using a bot.

Environment Variables

Environment variables allow customization of the behavior of the Lambda function. Here are the variables used:

• ODDS_API_KEY: Your API key for the odds-api. Ensures authenticated and authorized access to the API.

• NFL_START_DATE: The start date for the NFL season. Use the date of the first Thursday of the NFL Season. Used to calculate the NFL week for a given date. Ex. 2023-09-07

• BOOKMAKER: Specifies the bookmaker you're interested in when fetching odds. Different bookmakers may offer different odds. Ex. FanDuel, DraftKings

• DISCORD_BOT_URL: The webhook URL for your Discord bot. This is where the message will be sent.

• TIMEZONE: The timezone that game times are formatted for. Ex. America/New_York

By changing these variables, you can customize the results that the Lambda function produces.

Preparing the AWS Lambda Package

Ensure you have all necessary node modules installed. If not, run:

npm install

Zip up the necessary files:

zip -r odds-bot.zip node_modules index.mjs utils.mjs .env

The odds-bot.zip file is now ready to be uploaded to AWS Lambda.

Setting up the AWS Lambda

1. Lambda Creation:

• Navigate to AWS Lambda in the AWS Management Console.
• Click "Create function".
• Select "Author from scratch".
• Name your function and choose the appropriate runtime (e.g., Node.js 14.x).
• Create the function.

2. Upload Code:

• Under the "Function code" section, choose "Upload a .zip file" from the "Code entry type" dropdown.
• Click on "Upload" and select the lambda-upload.zip file you created.
• Click on "Save".

3. Environment Variables:

• Under the "Configuration" tab, go to the "Environment variables" section.
• Add each of the environment variables (ODDS_API_KEY, NFL_START_DATE, BOOKMAKER, DISCORD_BOT_URL).

4. Adjust Timeout:

• In the "Configuration" tab, go to "General configuration".
• Click "Edit" and adjust the timeout based on your needs (e.g., 30 seconds).

Using AWS CloudWatch Events (Scheduler)

To trigger the Lambda function periodically:

1. Rule Creation:

• Navigate to AWS CloudWatch.
• On the left pane, under "Events", choose "Rules".
• Click on "Create rule".

2. Event Source:

• For "Event Source", choose "Schedule".
• Define the frequency (e.g., every 1 day).

3. Targets:

• Click on "Add target".
• Choose Lambda function as the target and select the function you created.
• Configure other settings as necessary.

4. Create Rule:

• Name your rule, describe it, and click "Create Rule".
• Your Lambda function will now execute based on the schedule you've set up in CloudWatch Events.