1. A method for determining an auction format for a market, said method comprising the steps of: selecting, performed by a computer system, characteristics of said market based at least in part on stored historical bids data that includes data for historical auctions performed in the past for a plurality of bidders, wherein said historical bids data is stored on computer readable medium that is accessed by said computer system; selecting, performed by said computer system, a relevant bidding model that specifies past bidding behavior as a function of information held privately by a bidder, that is determined based at least in part on said historical auctions data, and said characteristics of said market based on segments of said historical auctions related to a specified item; selecting, performed by said computer system, at least a first estimated structure of said market, which describes at least a first factor that affects how bidders behave, and a second estimated structure of said market, which describes a second factor that affects how bidders behave, at least in part by inverting said relevant bidding model; predicting, performed by said computer system, a first bidding behavior utilizing said first estimated structure of said market, said characteristics of said market and said relevant bidding model; predicting, performed by said computer system, a first outcome of said market based on said first bidding behavior; predicting, performed by said computer system, at least a second bidding behavior utilizing at least said second estimated structure of said market, said characteristics of said market and said relevant bidding model; predicting, performed by said computer system, a second outcome of said market based on at least said second bidding behavior prediction; and determining, performed by said computer system, said auction format for said market by evaluating said first outcome of said market and at least said second outcome of said market.