Once upon a time, there was very little data in sports when it came to understanding sports analytics. You might hear about world record runs or the historical scorelines of your favorite team’s legendary wins, but that was it. However, in the digital age, we can now track a wide range of performance statistics. Not only can this enhance sports and athleticism, but it can also make the game more enjoyable for spectators and fans.
The Most Vital Metrics
A metric is a system of measurement or standardization. When it comes to sports, this is a numerical account of a player or team’s skills or ability. However, it runs much deeper than simple scorelines, looking at how they play and perform under certain categories.
In sports, you can generally break key metrics down into three components: Historical, head-to-head, and their outcomes. Historical is the most self-explanatory. This is looking at key performance data from the past to identify possible trends or results. For example, looking at a golfer’s PGA record on a certain course may give some indication as to their possible forthcoming results.
Head-to-head involves looking at metrics from when teams have faced off against each other before. One may have a better away record or may have never beaten a team in a certain tournament. You may find that they have different defensive or attacking records against each other.
Finally, their outcomes are the metric predictions you can make from them. Sports have very defined metrics based on the activity you are watching. Cricket may include how many runs, and rugby may include converted tries. It all depends on the nature of the sport.
Statistical Analysis
Taking the metrics one step further, statistical analysis processes them into meaningful data. It is the backbone of sports commentators, who use it to pad out the segments and show off their knowledge. Despite the hot air that comes with them, they can be very useful.
Statistical analysis can be broken down into two areas. The first is descriptive statistics. They will take the metrics and turn them into means, modes, and medians. From this, you can get averages and rough odds or probabilities of an event occurring.
Correlation is next. This is the relationship between the different variables. For example, there may be correlations between how many corners a team has and how many games they win in soccer.
Using Analytics, Metrics, and Statistics When Betting
Analytics has now become so big that there is a whole industry set up around sports statistics. The global sporting equipment market rakes in around $160 billion per year. Not only that, but it is a large provider of employment in the sports industry. Of this, 4.47 billion is accounted for by the sports analytics industry alone, showing its huge impact and financial potential.
There are some important ways to use this information, beyond just trying to predict the outcome of your favorite team. Any bookmaker you use will have the most sophisticated equipment sifting through this information to get the best odds, not just for you, but for their margins.
If you are using a bookmaker, then make sure you are betting with one that has competitive odds. This can give you a distinct advantage when combined with statistical analysis. Utilizing ones that have great bonuses can also let you test the outcomes without risking your bankroll. You can use a sign-up bonus when you first join up, to benefit from regular reloads and offers. Checking through them is easy with rank and review websites.
When you have a bonus combined with statistical analysis, you can test out a theory. You may have an inkling that your favorite NFL side does better under certain conditions. By delving into the metrics and data, you can check that theory out. Your observation may be backed up by statistics. Then, it can let you compare and contrast different players, athletes, and teams. This can let you see which are the most likely outcomes, and compare these with odds from bookmakers. Using the bonus means you risk very little.
The statistics that can be tracked are numerous. For example, in the NFL, people may look at downs, kicking, passing, tackles, and sacks. In horse racing, people may look at the course and distance, chase or hurdles records, days since the horse’s last run, and others.
Beyond Analytics: Human Psychology
Of course, by no means should data and statistical analysis be your only guide when trying to predict the outcomes of your favorite matches or the path of your team. There is one factor that all these numbers overlook: That is the human.
We very seldom know what is going on beyond the doors of the locker rooms, or in a player’s personal life. We can get a glimpse of this in the media, but it is often sensationalized. This works for teams as well as individuals, and these factors can’t be categorized in numbers.
Players may move away and get homesick, putting them off their game. They may have something as trivial as the flu in a certain game. A personal argument with their partner may be weighing on their minds. Anything can cause this data to go out the window.
A perfect example of how psychology can impact sport can be found in British soccer. It is the country’s national sport, and it has the most famous league in the world in the form of the EPL. It is also one of the most valuable leagues in the world, with every team getting an equal share of $115.8m. Yet the English have not won a major trophy since 1966. Despite having the best squad statistically on paper, the weight of expectation keeps holding them back at every tournament.
Just as you must keep this human aspect in mind, you must also embody it as a bettor. Placing a wager is a way to enjoy sports more and enhance the entertainment on offer. It is never a way to make money, or even worse, claim money back. Once you start getting deep into these metrics and statistics, you may find that it takes a lot of the joy away. Once reduced to numbers and decimals on a page, the thrill of sport can vanish.
Analytics, metrics, and statistics are just one facet of the global sports industry. If you are going to deep dive into it, make sure it is with a sport you love. You may find all those theories you have are true, and that you are well poised to make a much more informed bet in the future.
