Microsoft® Excel Data Analysis and Business Modeling

Chapter 30. Using Solver to Rate Sports Teams

• Can I use Excel to set NFL point spreads?

Many of us follow basketball, football, hockey, and baseball. Bookmakers set point spreads on games in all these sports and others. For example, the bookmakers’ best guess was that the Oakland Raiders would win the 2003 Super Bowl by 3 points. How can you use Excel to come up with team "ratings" that generate reasonable point spreads?

Using a simple Solver model, you can generate reasonable point spreads. The changing cells for the Solver model will be a rating for each team and the size of the home field advantage. For example, if the Indianapolis Colts have a rating of +5 and the New York Jets have a rating of +7, the Jets are considered 2 points better ...