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Forecasting football results and the efficiency of fixed‐odds betting
Author(s) -
Goddard John,
Asimakopoulos Ioannis
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of forecasting
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.543
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1099-131X
pISSN - 0277-6693
DOI - 10.1002/for.877
Subject(s) - odds , league , football , econometrics , ordered probit , economics , competition (biology) , fixed effects model , test (biology) , probit model , statistics , logistic regression , mathematics , panel data , geography , archaeology , astronomy , biology , ecology , paleontology , physics
An ordered probit regression model estimated using 10 years' data is used to forecast English league football match results. As well as past match results data, the significance of the match for end‐of‐season league outcomes, the involvement of the teams in cup competition and the geographical distance between the two teams' home towns all contribute to the forecasting model's performance. The model is used to test the weak‐form efficiency of prices in the fixed‐odds betting market. A strategy of selecting end‐of‐season bets with a favourable expected return according to the model appears capable of generating a positive return. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.