How are computer programs made to help sports bettors ?

Hi Everyone - I was curious how computers helps all sports bettors from the beginners to the experts. It seems people like to talk about how the experts use computer programs that are very successful and or very sophisticated. You don't hear much detail about what the computer analyzes? Not sure if this is more a question for computer programmers as it is sports bettors?

Sports betting seems very simple to those that don't follow it - yet for those that try to break down games and study, there is so much stats and information its hard to imagine how a computer program is designed to help a sports bettor because if you don't include enough variables, you might be forgetting important info, if you include everything you can possibly think of, it might take forever to design a program to fit your needs.

lots of websites these days seem to have game simulators, that will spit out a score of a projected final score - these sights are fun, but they don't seem like the type of programs that are winning long term against the spread.


So just throwing this out there, any feedback and opinions are helpful . Do you use study and instinct and brains when making selections or do you rely on what the computer tells you to do ? Thanks in Advance :)

The computer is just a tool. But if a good computer programmer can imagine something useful, they can probably make it happen.

Do you want to study how the weather has affected team performance? Day of the week? Past performance against the spread? You can use a computer and data to analyze anything you put your mind to. If you, as a sports handicapper, want to study some effect, a computer & programmer can help you.

But you must have the idea first... There are no freebies, the computer doesn't know who is going to win anymore than you do.

Quote: dwheatley

But you must have the idea first... There are no freebies, the computer doesn't know who is going to win anymore than you do.

The essence of data mining particularly from large, complex data sets is that it is NOT necessary for a human to have some prior idea all variables are compared and the computer can spit out Rain on a Thursday and a certain umpire means the underdog will win.

Garbage In Garbage Out George is the only computer than can make you a winner.

The best software would include the stats that would have the most impact on the score. Expert data mining as mentioned above. Useless ones should be ignored or minimized. G.I.G.O. as mentioned above.

After the software picks the total score prediction, you could still use some filters that might not be figured into the results given. Filters could include weather, injuries, etc.

If you find software, how has it performed in past years (if it has been created already)?

Basically, you are asking the computer to do what a capper would do with pen and paper, like I do.

Buzz,

I do not think a lot of people know that George was a blackjack computer that is illegal now in casinos!! :-)

Is that the computer you refer to? I read about that 15 years ago. The computer was in a shoe!! Brilliant but not hard to count the old fashion way.

George also kept track of the value of each card. Which could lead to telling you to double down on a hard six and other silly stuff LOL