Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences Behind How Sports Are Played and Games Are Won

Scorecasting a book to help the sports punter

The more you learn about how sports work the more likely you’re going to increase your winning bets over your losing bets. This is why I’ve introduced the Sports Betting Reviews category.

This weeks review is about a book by Tobias Moskowitz called Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences Behind How Sports Are Played and Games Are Won. We’ve all heard about the ‘home advantage’. Amongst other things the authors look  at the ‘home advantage’ factor. Is it because of travelling fatigue of visiting teams? Perhaps referees / umpires are affected by the crowd.

Scorecasting has been reviewed quite a lot, including the following;
“The closest thing to Freakonomics I’ve seen since the original. A rare combination of terrific storytelling and unconventional thinking. I love this book…”
Steven D. Levitt, Alvin H. Baum Professor of Economics, University of Chicago, and co-author of Freakonomics and SuperFreakonomics

“I love this book. If I told you why, the NBA would fine me again.”
Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks“Scorecasting is both scholarly and entertaining, a rare double.  It gets beyond the cliched narratives and tried-but-not-necessarily-true assumptions to reveal significant and fascinating truths about sports.”
Bob Costas“A counterintuitive, innovative, unexpected handbook for sports fans interested in the truths that underpin our favorite games. With their lively minds and prose, Moskowitz and Wertheim will change the way you think about and watch sports. Not just for stats nerds, Scorecasting enlightens and entertains. I wish I had thought of it!”
Jeremy Schaap, ESPN reporter, Author of Cinderella Man.“(Sports + numbers) x great writing = winning formula.  A must read for all couch analysts.”
Richard Thaler, Professor of Behavioral Science and Economics, best-selling author of Nudge.

Scorecasting will change the way you watch sports, but don’t start reading it during a game; you’re liable to get lost in it and miss the action. I’m not giving anything away because you’ll want to read exactly how they arrived at their conclusions.”
—Allen BarraNJ Star Ledger

“Like Moneyball and Soccernomics before it, Scorecasting crunches the numbers to challenge notions that have been codified into conventional sports wisdom.”
Wired Magazine

Freakonomics meets Moneyball
The Wall Street Journal

For an in depth review the New York Times has one titled Game Theory.
Naturally the reviews that matters most are the ones from people who have actually purchased the book. That’s why I love Amazon. You get to read real reviews from real people who don’t have anything to gain by writing their reviews. What Scorecaster seems to offer is a really good read. Everyone knows more will sink in when you’re enjoying what your reading. Boring books about facts and figures are harder to absorb. Scorecaster seems to have the entertainment factor necessary for making a good read.