A sports statistician analyzes teams, leagues, and individual athletes in sports. This data can be used for things like improving team performance, accurately predicting outcomes, and working with athletes to help them improve their weaknesses on the field. Advanced degrees in mathematics, physics, or related fields are often required of experts in this field. They collect and interpret data for their employers, which may include team managers, sports organizations, and gambling companies, using a variety of formulas.
Some teams enlist the help of a sports statistician. When they need to add players to the roster, the consultant can assess the available candidates and determine who, based on the numbers, would be the best choice. The sports statistician may consider who would integrate best with the team, not necessarily the flashiest or most famous player, or even the best performer. The statistician can keep track of and update data that will be useful in coaching as the team practices and competes.
Statistical analysis can help the team as a whole identify specific issues that need to be addressed. Individual athletes can work with a sports statistician and coach who can assist them in improving their performance. The consultant may, for example, identify an area where the athlete consistently underperforms on the field. During games, coaches may use consultations to help them decide which athletes to start and when, based on current performance and data on the opposing team.
Sports leagues and sponsoring organizations can benefit from data analysis as well. Based on past performance, sports statisticians can assign starting positions for tournaments and make recommendations for organizing competitions. Leagues may publish statistics for the benefit of their members and fans, with a statistician preparing the data and ensuring its accuracy. Sports statisticians play a big role in horse racing handicapping, which determines how much weight a horse should carry to level the field.
Sports statisticians, who calculate the odds for various game outcomes, are also used betting companies. This allows bookmakers to choose which odds to offer their customers and how to adjust them over time. Individual bettors may use statistical analysis to make informed decisions about how and when to bet, hoping to find a statistical anomaly that will allow them to profit on a well-placed wager.
Sports statisticians can also be useful in investigations into cheating. Periodic probability evaluation may be part of the measures used to identify problems in environments like casinos where this is an ongoing concern. A sports statistician might discover that a series of outcomes were extremely unlikely, which could indicate cheating.