What is sports analytics?

Sports analytics is a field of applied statistics that uses past performance data to provide a competitive advantage to a team or individual player. By using data, an analyst can make suggestions on strategies for a given game, monitor the performance of a player, and provide quick analysis of potentially record-setting activities. Sports analytics focuses on two areas: on-field and off-field. The on-field analysis helps improve the tactics and fitness of players, while the off-field analysis focuses on the business and merchandising aspect of sports. Sports analytics is also used in sports gambling to help casinos and similar companies decide on which odds to offer to customers.