Is the Poisson distribution useful for modeling goals?
statisticsmodelingsports analytics
Synthesized Answer
Based on 1 community responses
The Poisson distribution is indeed useful for modeling goals in sports, particularly in soccer and hockey, where the number of goals scored is typically low and events are relatively independent. It assumes that goals are scored at a constant average rate and that the occurrence of one goal does not affect the probability of another. This makes it a reasonable model for predicting the number of goals scored by a team in a match.
Key Takeaways
The Poisson distribution assumes a constant average rate of events
It is suitable for low-scoring sports like soccer and hockey