The PSL season has officially kicked off and it promises to be an exciting one. Mamelodi Sundowns will be seeking a third consecutive title and fourth in five years. Can Pirates end their 8-year wait to taste success, or will we see a new contender rise to the top?
In an attempt to answer these questions and others, I decided to create a predictive model using BET.co.za odds for the overall 2019/2020 season.
In order to create a somewhat accurate predictive model, three metrics were used: BET.co.za odds which were used as an estimate of the team’s strength (lower value, greater strength), match location (home or away) and last season’s final position. Once these values were finalised, I ran 1000 simulations and aggregated the results which follow below.
Results A: Excluding last year’s final positions
I decided to run two different simulations. One excluding last year’s final table positions and one including them. For the former, the simulation follows directly from the betting odds.
Mamelodi Sundowns ended up first a staggering 45% of the time, with Orlando Pirates coming first 28% of the time. Another thing worth noting is how tight the relegation fight is predicted to be, keeping on trend with recent seasons. Surprisingly, Black Leopards are favourites for the drop.
Results B: Including all three metrics
The picture is a bit different when you factor in last year’s performances. Mamelodi Sundowns are favourites to win at an even higher percentage, perhaps highlighting how dominant the team has been over the past couple of years.
Polokwane City are dark horses and ended up going all the way 1% of the time. On the other end of the table, Stellenbosch FC were relegated 43% of the time, with Black Leopards and Baroka FC following closely behind.
Overall position breakdown