alt Hacker NewsThe NFL still flips coins professionally. I wonder if they have better-than-webcam footage of each flip. Somewhere out there a bookie might be very interested in any potential bias.
Replies
aidenn0 • 11/19/2024
IIRC, past studies have suggested that letting the coin land, rather than catching it, reduces or eliminates the bias.
LVB • 11/20/2024
Some hi-res footage of an NFL toss: https://youtu.be/-sjAyQcv0oM
That makes me wonder whether any bookmakers or sports betting arbitration shops have ever internally ran a study like this.
With how much money there is in sports betting, it could potentially be somewhat lucrative, though I wouldn't be surprised if the bias doesn't actually end up mattering that much in practice.