In recent years, the coverage and popularity of women’s sports have dramatically increased. Yet as the public and bettors are taking a larger interest, a few intriguing questions emerge. One of those is whether women’s sports are harder to predict than men’s.
Whether it is the Women’s World Cup or local Ladies Gaelic Football, interest has soared in recent years. It’s a level of recognition that has long been overdue. Is one of the reasons for this interest the unpredictability of women’s sport?
Unsurprisingly, the answer isn’t a simple one. There are arguments on both sides but is there a clear winner on one side of the debate? Here are the key points so you can decide if women’s sports are harder to predict.
Is Unpredictability a Good Thing?
Before the analysis on women’s sport specifically, it’s important to consider whether or not unpredictability is a good thing. There are times when sport can be boring. This can be two teams cancelling each other or a big team crushing the underdog. These instances are usually predictable. Sport is at its best when you’re on the edge of your seat, in eager anticipation of what comes next.
This is what makes watching and betting on sports so fun. Ironically, sports bettors want to battle against this unpredictability. This is when you need to go to https://megatipslist.com to get the inside scoop, with data and analysis to back up your hunches. When sports are hard to predict, that’s when getting your bets right is all the more thrilling. Due to higher odds, this usually comes with higher winnings too.
Unpredictability is certainly a good thing. Katie Taylor’s early fights in her career weren’t as entertaining, as you knew she was going to win. Her trilogy against Amanda Serrano was incredible, as there was a strong chance she could lose. Of course, due to her genius, she never did.
Is Women’s Sport Less Predictable?
There are certainly some strong arguments to say that women’s sport is less predictable. One reason sport can be predictable is due to historical data. For example, the men’s Six Nations Championship came into being in 1883. The women had to wait over 100 years later to get their own version in 1996.
It’s not just time either. Men’s sport has generally received much greater coverage. This means more stats and in-depth analysis to scour over. Even though it has been going for nearly 30 years, the Women’s Six Nations Championship, for example, has only recently been given anywhere near the same coverage. It makes for a huge disparity in useful information.
Even in lower levels of men’s sport, there are usually plenty of facts and figures to look at. For women’s sport, you can struggle to find the likes of head-to-head records, previous formations, and injury news.
There is also instability in rapid growth. Investment in teams can vary wildly and change suddenly. A team that was once the worst in the league may suddenly get a boost of money and become more competitive. It can make the likes of previous results and league positions almost meaningless.
Are Women’s Sports More Predictable?
What about the other side of the argument? Some may argue that women’s sport can be more predictable than men’s. That can be the case when it comes to some sports. There can be a greater disparity between teams at the top and bottom.
Due to this, there can be a gulf in quality, especially in global tournaments. Yet as more teams become professional, this gap does seem like it’s slowly closing. For now, with smaller talent tools, the gap between the top and bottom can be greater than in men’s sports.
There is also less external drama in women’s sports. Media scrutiny, established rivalries, hostile crowds and commercial pressure can all impact sports performance. With the women’s game yet to get as much focus as the men’s, these factors have less of an impact.
So, What’s the Answer?
On the balance of argument, it would appear that women’s sports are harder to predict. This can be frustrating for bettors and fans but does create opportunities as well. Good data is sparser in the women’s game, which means finding this data can give you more of an advantage.
It also gives you a chance to get your own data. For punters who attend games, record their own stats, or follow club updates, it can give you an edge on the bookies. This makes unpredictability even more enthralling when added to the excitement of a game.
Now seems like the perfect time to take more of an interest in women’s sport. As the talent pool increases, the gap of predictability between men’s and women’s sports may get smaller. Until then, there are many opportunities to be found for fans and bettors.
