I've always used predicted scores as one of my tools in capping games. Never as a crutch, and never as the sole reason for playing a game. I feel that predicted scores (or rather, predicted margin of victory) can be useful in deciding which side to play.
Starting this past week, I have begun tracking the results of predicted scores vs. the line. The predicted scores data comes from another website (msg me for URL), and I don't claim it as my own. Predicted scores can be flaky and unreliable, but as I said - this is just one tool (and not a single reference) to help in capping games.
My criterion is this:
3 star play = The predicted score is at least 6.00 above the posted line AND the std. deviation of the predicted scores is less than the avg of the std dev's.
2 star play = The predicted score is at least 6.00 above the posted line AND the std. deviation of the predicted scores is greater than the avg of the std dev's.
1 star play = The predicted score is at least 3.00 above the posted line but less than 6.00 above the posted line.
In simple terms, if the predicted margin of victory is much higher than the posted line, in this case 6 pts, then you should play the game (2 star). Also, if the predicted margin of victory is over 6 pts, and most of the predictions are fairly close (a low std. deviation), then you should really play the game (3 star).
Here is the sheet from this past weekend (Oct 3-5):
<pre>
Favors Line AvgPred Diff Std Dev Play Result
Air Force -23 -31.32 8.32 7.84 ** W
Arizona St -8.5 -13.68 5.18 6.55 * L
Arkansas +11 +2.28 8.72 6.27 *** W
Ark St +20.5 +7.17 13.33 12.88 ** W
B. Green -24 -30.85 6.85 8.17 ** W
California +12 +7.13 4.87 4.54 * W
Clemson +14.5 +9.81 4.69 3.36 * L
East Car. -20 -23.9 3.90 8.76 * W
East. Mich +11 +3.67 7.33 7.67 ** W
Iowa -8.5 -12.03 3.53 4.84 * L
Kansas +4 -1.11 5.11 5.9 * W
Kansas St -3.5 -9.33 5.83 8.62 * L
Minnesota -3.5 -10.31 6.81 5.78 *** W
Missouri +13.5 +10.24 3.26 4.93 * W
Notre Dame -8 -15.94 7.94 6.08 *** W
Oregon St -4 -7.03 3.03 7.21 * L
SJ St -6.5 -12.16 5.66 6.77 * W
South Car. -4 -10.85 6.85 5.34 *** W
TCU -11 -14.9 3.90 3.81 * W
USC -3 -7.98 4.98 7.75 * L
</pre>
This week's results:
3 star = 4-0-0, 100%
2 star = 4-0-0, 100%
1 star = 6-6-0, 50%
Now, there are probably a number of flaws in this method. I am not claiming that I have found a silver bullet. I am just curious as to how good of a measure the predicted margin of victory is. I'll continue to track these results each week in this post.
Chad
Starting this past week, I have begun tracking the results of predicted scores vs. the line. The predicted scores data comes from another website (msg me for URL), and I don't claim it as my own. Predicted scores can be flaky and unreliable, but as I said - this is just one tool (and not a single reference) to help in capping games.
My criterion is this:
3 star play = The predicted score is at least 6.00 above the posted line AND the std. deviation of the predicted scores is less than the avg of the std dev's.
2 star play = The predicted score is at least 6.00 above the posted line AND the std. deviation of the predicted scores is greater than the avg of the std dev's.
1 star play = The predicted score is at least 3.00 above the posted line but less than 6.00 above the posted line.
In simple terms, if the predicted margin of victory is much higher than the posted line, in this case 6 pts, then you should play the game (2 star). Also, if the predicted margin of victory is over 6 pts, and most of the predictions are fairly close (a low std. deviation), then you should really play the game (3 star).
Here is the sheet from this past weekend (Oct 3-5):
<pre>
Favors Line AvgPred Diff Std Dev Play Result
Air Force -23 -31.32 8.32 7.84 ** W
Arizona St -8.5 -13.68 5.18 6.55 * L
Arkansas +11 +2.28 8.72 6.27 *** W
Ark St +20.5 +7.17 13.33 12.88 ** W
B. Green -24 -30.85 6.85 8.17 ** W
California +12 +7.13 4.87 4.54 * W
Clemson +14.5 +9.81 4.69 3.36 * L
East Car. -20 -23.9 3.90 8.76 * W
East. Mich +11 +3.67 7.33 7.67 ** W
Iowa -8.5 -12.03 3.53 4.84 * L
Kansas +4 -1.11 5.11 5.9 * W
Kansas St -3.5 -9.33 5.83 8.62 * L
Minnesota -3.5 -10.31 6.81 5.78 *** W
Missouri +13.5 +10.24 3.26 4.93 * W
Notre Dame -8 -15.94 7.94 6.08 *** W
Oregon St -4 -7.03 3.03 7.21 * L
SJ St -6.5 -12.16 5.66 6.77 * W
South Car. -4 -10.85 6.85 5.34 *** W
TCU -11 -14.9 3.90 3.81 * W
USC -3 -7.98 4.98 7.75 * L
</pre>
This week's results:
3 star = 4-0-0, 100%
2 star = 4-0-0, 100%
1 star = 6-6-0, 50%
Now, there are probably a number of flaws in this method. I am not claiming that I have found a silver bullet. I am just curious as to how good of a measure the predicted margin of victory is. I'll continue to track these results each week in this post.
Chad
Last edited:

