Experts weigh in on effectiveness of artificial intelligence in sports betting

BEAUMONT — Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the way we approach various industries, and sports betting is no exception.

From predicative analysis to automated betting systems, it’s drawing out data that could help predict which of your favorite teams will win.

But how much of a game changer is this for avid sports fans?

Peytyn Merritt of Port Neches has been using fantasy sports apps and online sportsbooks since he reached the legal gambling age.

“I placed the first one the day I turned 18 years old, and I placed my first bet on that date actually,” he said. “I’ve placed 3 or 4 this week on MLB alone.”

He uses what he considers advanced analytics to make his picks.

“What’s their record at home, what’s their record away, how do they play against teams that play this way or this style,” Merritt said. “I’d say I have a 50 to 60 percent success rate.”

That success rate has driven some to turn to AI to increase their odds. Dr. Ashley Dockens studies generative AI at Lamar University and said the market is saturated with apps tailored specifically for sports betting.

“If they have all the historical data from these games, player statistics, team performance all that stuff, if all that information could be put in, AI can absolutely identify patterns,” she said.

Merritt believes it could help some people make smarter bets.

“I think it would help people who aren’t very knowledgeable in it or don’t have the time to look into it like I do,” he said. “Definitely help them out on some picks.”

But Dockens has some concerns.

“AI 1. is just not meant to be necessarily truthful,” she said. “It’s just basing its responses based on the large amount of information that exists on the world, and we know that large amount of information that’s out in the world isn’t always right.”

You also run the risk of AI generating opinions based on misinformation and super fans online. These programs will only give a prediction based on the information you give it.

“You know how people are with sports right, nobody’s better than the Packers if you love the Packers,” Dockens said. “Whatever you put in is going to get you whatever you put out, so if you don’t write good prompts, if you’re doing it on your own, you’re probably not going to get what you want out of it.”

So for folks like Merritt, Dockens recommends they stick to what they know best.

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