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So Easy a Caveman Can Beat the Football Betting Market

Author

Listed:
  • Ladd Kochman
  • Randy Goodwin
  • David Bray

Abstract

An alleged relationship between winning football games and beating the point spread is investigated. Results from the 2003–2012 seasons of the National Football League connected the highest wins-to-bets ratio and the lowest ratio with the teams earning the highest winning percentage and the second-lowest percentage, respectively. Wagers on New England and against Oakland produced a significantly profitable W/B ratio of 61.4 percent. Beating the market by betting on perennial NFL winners and against perennial NFL losers seems so easy a caveman can do it.

Suggested Citation

  • Ladd Kochman & Randy Goodwin & David Bray, 2015. "So Easy a Caveman Can Beat the Football Betting Market," The American Economist, Sage Publications, vol. 60(2), pages 225-228, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:amerec:v:60:y:2015:i:2:p:225-228
    DOI: 10.1177/056943451506000210
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ladd Kochman & Randy Goodwin, 2004. "Underdogs are Man’s Best Friend," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 5(4), pages 387-391, November.
    2. Gray, Philip K & Gray, Stephen F, 1997. "Testing Market Efficiency: Evidence from the NFL Sports Betting Market," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 52(4), pages 1725-1737, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Alessandro Innocenti & Tommaso Nannicini & Roberto Ricciuti, 2021. "The Importance of Betting Early," Risks, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-15, April.

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