Hardly the same.

For me, even if the margin meter became a perfect science over the course of a season, it's ultimate purpose seems to be to spoil the game as a spectacle; given that the TV audience is contingent on the game being exciting, competitive and unpredictable, then that doesn't seem very sensible.

They could do some interesting things with stat's and modelling - this however, is what my son would call an 'epic fail.'

Give your son a pat on the head - he's absolutely spot on.

What is being being said is that there is an algorithm to predict the result of a game ?

What complete and utter tosh if so Betfred should be sweating ( other bookies are available )

Onto what Bren2k says "They could do some interesting things with stat's and modelling", the NFL is a good example of this and has some very good data on all players ie
Metres gained per drive on average
Total metres gained by player this game / this season
Tackles made on ave per game etc etc etc

this would bring more to the game than the cheap gadget they have chosen

It's ludicrous, no machine can predict an intercept, bounce of a rugby ball, knock ons etc. An interesting idea, but due to the nature of sport it will never work.

Agreed, but it appears to be another reason to have Clarke waffling on.

There is. All bookies use them. The MM would be interesting if it was pre game only, possibly at half time too. A useful example of this the Sky Sports Predictor for their Greyhound racing which has sometimes tipped every single winner of the card. Obviously this is mostly based on times, but there are numerous other factors that are taken into consideration.

The problem is that the game ebbs and flows so it will always be playing catch up and so wont become at least marginally accurate until the last quarter.

It would be interesting to see what it predicts at the end of a match compared to the actual score. As that (providing the formula/criteria is accurate) should give an idea of whether the better side won.

He has slipped up actually,the meter is not in Wigan colours.

...except there are very few variables in greyhound racing.

Does anyone else think Phil Clarke looks like a thunderbird?

"We predict that the team which is losing by 30 at half time is going to lose by around 30".

After 60 minutes, the scores are almost level and momentum has completely swung around with the other team still having all the game:

"We predict that the team which is now scoring for fun and has all the momentum is going to win by 4"

They go 16 in front with 10 to go

"We predict they are gonna win by 22"

Other team scores the traditional late couple of consolation scores and lose by 6

"Interesting. We'll feed all this data into the system and see if the aArgin meter really can predict what the final score is going to be."

No, Phil, it can't. Speculating about the score is good fun and all very well. But pretending that your Margin Meter could ever be taken seriously is taking muppetry to a whole new level.

Algorithms? I thought bookies used highly paid odds compilers, to make a book, on the fly?

What's this Sky Predictor? If somebody invented a system that could go through a 12 race card at a greyhound meet, I'd be pretty sure it'd be owned by a guy in a gold plated yacht moored off Barbados.

I will put money on it being right more than it is wrong.

I will also put money on it not factoring in whether or not your star player's girlfriend has run away with his dad and has started sending him daily naked photos.

Sorry but a Bookie is far from accurate enough to really call it a scientific algorithm, at best a very educated guess otherwise no one would ever win??

as an aside would the photos be of dad or his girlfriend, if the latter can i be copied in ??

I think an interesting use for it would be to say at the end of the game, we have inputted the stats from the game (not including tries and goals etc) and the margin metre reckons that based on this the score should be... Then see how that compares to the actual score. This would give us an idea of just how important things like possession and completion actually are.

Dirty boy!!!

Both. Together. With the Sydney Harbour bridge in the background.

Salford by 14

At one point tonight it was saying Salford by 20....

the only reason its pointless is because a rugby game never stays the same its allways changing so if salford kept playing the same way in the 2nd half i would expect it to be 20 points. they should look at factors leading in to the game and then try to perdict the score like they do in the stats before games. i think eddie hemmings has put this tool across wrong it shouldn't be perdiction tool it should be a way of showing how the game is falling.

The only thing now interesting me is just how far out this contrivance can be. Tonight's halftime to fulltime swing is a new record...44 points. Could take some beating.

Depends on the sport. Horses, yes, big influence from odds compilers but still a huge reliance on data or else Timeform wouldn't be in business. Sports are largely algorithms, no matter what people on this thread say (I deemed your response the most intelligent and reasonable to respond to). The people who implement them are highly paid too. Look around for a job as an Odds Compiler and you will struggle. You'll see plenty of jobs as a trader, which is competely different.

My example regarding the Predictor was obviously a one off and the predictor is largely for novelty purposes but it shows how a feature can actually be interesting and respected.

Bookies were 24 points or so on the handicap and had it spot on near enough. And this was nothing to do with this evenings "odds compilers" opinion on tonights match.

Well you've just nailed it. Nobody ever wins. They have the advantage all the time because they employ some extremely clever people who use data to their advantage.

And this is coming from someone who loves a punt. But I'm not naive.

I'd also do a prediction at the start as well like Bilko does on the Wigan match previews.