Category Archives: Sports

NFL Picks- Super Bowl 2016

The NFL betting season is wrapping up, with a profitable overall season guaranteed for me. Panthers are killing everyone and favored by 4.5 in the Super Bowl. My model has them favored by 7.6 on a neutral field. Even if they were playing in Denver, they’d be favored by 4.6 in my model.

Overall Against the Spread: 126-110
Week 2: 9-7
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 10-5
Week 5: 5-6 (2 pushes, 1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 6: 8-6
Week 7: 6-7 (1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 8: 6-6 (2 pushes)
Week 9: 6-7
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 6-7 (1 push)
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 4-11 (1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 14: 7-7 (2 not bet due to correct line)
Week 15: 8-6 (2 pushes)
Week 16: 9-6 (1 push)
Week 17: 10-6
Wildcard: 2-1 (1 not bet due to correct line)
Divisional: 2-2
Conference: 2-0

Super Bowl Predictions (line in parentheses):
Carolina Panthers at Denver Broncos (+4.5): Predicting 26.8-19.2. Bet on the Carolina Panthers.

Optimal Basketball Strategy

Interesting post at Nylon Calculus about the things that can be optimized in a basketball strategy.

1. Allocative efficiency: Teams should allocate shots such that the marginal shot (the last “acceptable” shot) taken by each player on the court has an equal expected value for points.

2. Dynamic efficiency: Teams should pass up a shot that will lead to a lower expected value than what they could get with the remaining seconds on the shot clock.

3. Risk/reward tradeoff: Teams should choose shot strategies that maximize the probability of winning, not the number of points scored.

I agree that teams seem to be particularly bad at #3. It’s frustrating to see a team give up a big lead by hoisting up 3’s in an attempt to run the other team out of the building.

NBA players’ intuitive feel for the risk/reward tradeoff seems to have a number of deficiencies. Generally, NBA teams do respond correctly to “underdog” situations: they increase the proportion of 3’s taken when they have a big deficit and little time remaining. But they respond incorrectly to situations where they are favored. Where they should play conservatively (making safe, low-variance plays), they actually play less conservatively: taking more 3’s, for example.

In situations where the game is very close, NBA teams seem to become highly risk averse. For example, in such situations teams tend to take a suboptimally small number of 3-pointers.

basketball strategies

NFL Picks- Conference Round of 2015 Playoffs

Overall Against the Spread: 124-110
Week 2: 9-7
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 10-5
Week 5: 5-6 (2 pushes, 1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 6: 8-6
Week 7: 6-7 (1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 8: 6-6 (2 pushes)
Week 9: 6-7
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 6-7 (1 push)
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 4-11 (1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 14: 7-7 (2 not bet due to correct line)
Week 15: 8-6 (2 pushes)
Week 16: 9-6 (1 push)
Week 17: 10-6
Wildcard: 2-1 (1 not bet due to correct line)
Divisional: 2-2

This Week’s Predictions (line in parentheses):
New England Patriots at Denver Broncos (+3.5): Predicting 21.7-22.7. Bet on the Denver Broncos.
Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers (-3.0): Predicting 23.9-27.1. Bet on the Carolina Panthers.

NFL Picks- Divisional Week of 2015

Overall Against the Spread: 122-108
Week 2: 9-7
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 10-5
Week 5: 5-6 (2 pushes, 1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 6: 8-6
Week 7: 6-7 (1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 8: 6-6 (2 pushes)
Week 9: 6-7
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 6-7 (1 push)
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 4-11 (1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 14: 7-7 (2 not bet due to correct line)
Week 15: 8-6 (2 pushes)
Week 16: 9-6 (1 push)
Week 17: 10-6
Wildcard: 2-1 (1 not bet due to correct line)

This Week’s Predictions (line in parentheses):
Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots (-5.0): Predicting 21.7-23.6. Bet on the Kansas City Chiefs.
Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals (-7.0): Predicting 20.6-26.9. Bet on the Green Bay Packers.
Seattle Seahawks at Carolina Panthers (-2.5): Predicting 21.7-24.9. Bet on the Carolina Panthers.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos (-6.5): Predicting 21.2-22.3. Bet on the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Congrats Junior

“I am really superstitious,” Griffey said in an interview on MLB Network. “I have played in the Hall of Fame Game three times and I’ve never set foot in the building, I’ve never even seen the front of it. I’ve gone directly from the field to the hotel and the hotel to the bus and never looked at the front of it because the one time I wanted to go in there, I wanted to be a member of it.”

99.3%; almost everybody.

NFL Picks- Wildcard Week 2015

Bengals make the playoffs, but don’t get a bye and have to play the (expletive deleted) Steelers again. Oy. Model likes the Bengals more than Vegas does. All the games should be pretty close.

Overall Against the Spread: 120-107
Week 2: 9-7
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 10-5
Week 5: 5-6 (2 pushes, 1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 6: 8-6
Week 7: 6-7 (1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 8: 6-6 (2 pushes)
Week 9: 6-7
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 6-7 (1 push)
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 4-11 (1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 14: 7-7 (2 not bet due to correct line)
Week 15: 8-6 (2 pushes)
Week 16: 9-6 (1 push)
Week 17: 10-6

This Week’s Predictions (line in parentheses):
Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans (+3.5): Predicting 20.7-20.3. Bet on the Houston Texans.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals (+2.5): Predicting 20.9-24.8. Bet on the Cincinnati Bengals.
Seattle Seahawks at Minnesota Vikings (+5.5): Predicting 21.7-21.6. Bet on the Minnesota Vikings.
Green Bay Packers at Washington Redskins (-1.5): Predicting 22.1-23.6. Line is correct; do not bet.

NFL Picks- Week 17 of 2015 Season

Titans at Colts line is not out yet, still, Saturday afternoon, somehow. Will the Colts succeed in their 10 team parlay to make the playoffs?

Overall Against the Spread: 110-101
Week 2: 9-7
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 10-5
Week 5: 5-6 (2 pushes, 1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 6: 8-6
Week 7: 6-7 (1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 8: 6-6 (2 pushes)
Week 9: 6-7
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 6-7 (1 push)
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 4-11 (1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 14: 7-7 (2 not bet due to correct line)
Week 15: 8-6 (2 pushes)
Week 16: 9-6 (1 push)

This Week’s Predictions (line in parentheses):

New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons (-4.0): Predicting 22.1-27.1. Bet on the Atlanta Falcons.
New York Jets at Buffalo Bills (+3.0): Predicting 21.7-23.2. Bet on the Buffalo Bills.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers (-11.5): Predicting 19.0-29.7. Bet on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears (even): Predicting 22.3-25.0. Bet on the Chicago Bears.
Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals (-10.0): Predicting 17.4-27.6. Bet on the Cincinnati Bengals.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns (+11.5): Predicting 25.6-20.8. Bet on the Cleveland Browns.
Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts (even): Predicting 19.7-24.8. Bet on the Indianapolis Colts.
Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys (-3.5): Predicting 20.9-21.2. Bet on the Washington Redskins.
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers (-3.0): Predicting 20.3-23.2. Bet on the Minnesota Vikings.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans (-7.0): Predicting 20.5-26.0. Bet on the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs (-7.5): Predicting 18.7-27.3. Bet on the Kansas City Chiefs.
New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins (+11.5): Predicting 26.4-20.7. Bet on the Miami Dolphins.
Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants (-3.5): Predicting 23.7-28.2. Bet on the New York Giants.
Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals (-7.0): Predicting 21.1-27.0. Bet on the Seattle Seahawks.
San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos (-10.0): Predicting 17.1-24.7. Bet on the San Diego Chargers.
St. Louis Rams at San Francisco 49ers (+3.0): Predicting 19.3-18.9. Bet on the San Francisco 49ers.

NFL Picks- Week 16 of 2015

Lines for Jags at Saints and Texans at Titans are not out yet (though it looks like the Texans/Titans should be close to even).

Overall Against the Spread: 101-95
Week 2: 9-7
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 10-5
Week 5: 5-6 (2 pushes, 1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 6: 8-6
Week 7: 6-7 (1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 8: 6-6 (2 pushes)
Week 9: 6-7
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 6-7 (1 push)
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 4-11 (1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 14: 7-7 (2 not bet due to correct line)
Week 15: 8-6 (2 pushes)

This Week’s Predictions (line in parentheses):
San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders (-6.0): Predicting 21.1-25.4. Bet on the San Diego Chargers.
Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles (-3.0): Predicting 22.5-24.6. Bet on the Washington Redskins.
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons (+7.5): Predicting 25.8-21.7. Bet on the Atlanta Falcons.
Dallas Cowboys at Buffalo Bills (-7.0): Predicting 18.6-24.8. Bet on the Dallas Cowboys.
San Francisco 49ers at Detroit Lions (-10.5): Predicting 18.6-24.3. Bet on the San Francisco 49ers.
Cleveland Browns at Kansas City Chiefs (-13.0): Predicting 16.4-28.9. Bet on the Cleveland Browns.
Indianapolis Colts at Miami Dolphins (-1.0): Predicting 21.5-24.5. Bet on the Miami Dolphins.
New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings (-5.5): Predicting 21.5-25.4. Bet on the New York Giants.
Jacksonville Jaguars at New Orleans Saints (even): Predicting 26.3-27.9. Bet on the New Orleans Saints.
New England Patriots at New York Jets (+3.0): Predicting 23.7-23.1. Bet on the New York Jets.
Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans (even): Predicting 20.8-20.8. Line is correct; do not bet.
Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3.0): Predicting 22.1-24.6. Bet on the Chicago Bears.
Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals (-4.5): Predicting 20.8-27.1. Bet on the Arizona Cardinals.
St. Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks (-14.5): Predicting 15.8-25.5. Bet on the St. Louis Rams.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens (+11.5): Predicting 25.5-22.1. Bet on the Baltimore Ravens.
Cincinnati Bengals at Denver Broncos (-3.0): Predicting 21.1-21.1. Bet on the Cincinnati Bengals.

NFL Picks- Week 15 of 2015

Colts line is not out because Hasselbeck is old.

Overall Against the Spread: 93-89
Week 2: 9-7
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 10-5
Week 5: 5-6 (2 pushes, 1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 6: 8-6
Week 7: 6-7 (1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 8: 6-6 (2 pushes)
Week 9: 6-7
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 6-7 (1 push)
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 4-11 (1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 14: 7-7 (2 not bet due to correct line)

This Week’s Predictions (line in parentheses):
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at St. Louis Rams (-1.5): Predicting 19.0-21.8. Bet on the St. Louis Rams.
New York Jets at Dallas Cowboys (+3.0): Predicting 21.7-19.9. Bet on the Dallas Cowboys.
Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts (even): Predicting 21.7-22.7. Bet on the Indianapolis Colts.
Atlanta Falcons at Jacksonville Jaguars (-3.0): Predicting 22.7-25.8. Bet on the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings (-5.5): Predicting 19.1-23.7. Bet on the Chicago Bears.
Tennessee Titans at New England Patriots (-15.5): Predicting 17.1-29.6. Bet on the Tennessee Titans.
Carolina Panthers at New York Giants (+5.0): Predicting 26.9-23.9. Bet on the New York Giants.
Arizona Cardinals at Philadelphia Eagles (+3.5): Predicting 26.8-23.0. Bet on the Arizona Cardinals.
Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens (+8.5): Predicting 24.4-21.0. Bet on the Baltimore Ravens.
Buffalo Bills at Washington Redskins (even): Predicting 22.5-23.2. Bet on the Washington Redskins.
Green Bay Packers at Oakland Raiders (+3.0): Predicting 23.5-23.0. Bet on the Oakland Raiders.
Cleveland Browns at Seattle Seahawks (-16.0): Predicting 16.6-29.4. Bet on the Cleveland Browns.
Denver Broncos at Pittsburgh Steelers (-7.0): Predicting 18.9-23.6. Bet on the Denver Broncos.
Miami Dolphins at San Diego Chargers (-1.0): Predicting 21.2-23.7. Bet on the San Diego Chargers.
Cincinnati Bengals at San Francisco 49ers (+4.5): Predicting 23.9-17.4. Bet on the Cincinnati Bengals.
Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints (-3.0): Predicting 24.6-26.9. Bet on the Detroit Lions.

NFL Picks- Week 14 of 2015

Updated with Colts and Ravens lines.

Overall Against the Spread: 86-82
Week 2: 9-7
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 10-5
Week 5: 5-6 (2 pushes, 1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 6: 8-6
Week 7: 6-7 (1 not bet due to correct line)
Week 8: 6-6 (2 pushes)
Week 9: 6-7
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 6-7 (1 push)
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 4-11 (1 not bet due to correct line)

This Week’s Predictions (line in parentheses):
Minnesota Vikings at Arizona Cardinals (-8.0): Predicting 18.2-27.6. Bet on the Arizona Cardinals.
Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers (-8.5): Predicting 19.8-28.2. Bet on the Atlanta Falcons.
Washington Redskins at Chicago Bears (-3.5): Predicting 20.8-24.3. Line is correct; do not bet.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals (-2.5): Predicting 19.4-25.4. Bet on the Cincinnati Bengals.
San Francisco 49ers at Cleveland Browns (-1.0): Predicting 20.7-22.2. Bet on the Cleveland Browns.
New England Patriots at Houston Texans (+3.0): Predicting 24.6-22.3. Bet on the Houston Texans.
Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars (even): Predicting 23.8-25.5. Bet on the Jacksonville Jaguars.
San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs (-11.5): Predicting 18.0-29.4. Bet on the San Diego Chargers.
Tennessee Titans at New York Jets (-7.5): Predicting 18.1-26.0. Bet on the New York Jets.
Buffalo Bills at Philadelphia Eagles (even): Predicting 23.7-24.2. Bet on the Philadelphia Eagles.
Detroit Lions at St. Louis Rams (even): Predicting 19.7-22.3. Bet on the St. Louis Rams.
New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3.5): Predicting 23.5-28.5. Bet on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos (-8.5): Predicting 18.7-25.9. Bet on the Oakland Raiders.
Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers (-7.5): Predicting 17.2-24.7. Line is correct; do not bet.
Seattle Seahawks at Baltimore Ravens (+13.0): Predicting 24.2-22.2. Bet on the Baltimore Ravens.
New York Giants at Miami Dolphins (even): Predicting 23.7-24.1. Bet on the Miami Dolphins.