Sports Analytics Vocabulary

noun a principle in statistics and probability that states that the result of a large number of trials will tend to approach the expected value

• According to the law of averages, the outcome of a random event will eventually even out over a large number of trials.
• I know I've been losing a lot lately, but hey, the law of averages says I have to start winning soon, right?
• Don't worry about losing a few games in a row, it's just the law of averages at work.
• In life, things may not always go your way, but remember the law of averages - things will balance out in the end.

noun A word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea.

verb A word that expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being.

adverb A word that modifies or describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb.

preposition A word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence.

• Please take a moment to look at the detailed report before making a decision.
• Hey, can you look at this picture and tell me what you think?
• Yo, check out this new song - you gotta look at it!
• When faced with a challenge, sometimes you need to step back and look at the bigger picture.

noun a person or thing that predicts something, such as a future event or outcome

• The predictor variable was found to have a significant impact on the outcome of the study.
• The predictor we used in our analysis really made a difference in the results.
• That predictor totally nailed the forecast for the game.
• Her intuition acted as a predictor of the impending danger.

noun a book used to keep track of records or important information

• The record book contains all the official data and statistics for the company.
• I keep all my important information in the record book.
• Hey, can you pass me the record book? I need to check something.
• Her dedication to her craft has earned her a permanent spot in the record book of history.