Pick your stack
Google Sheets, Notion, Airtable, or a lightweight SQL DB—all work if you update them daily.
Level 2A · Data Lab
Transform messy notes into repeatable betting intelligence.
Intermediate bettors win by collecting the right data—line movement, lineup surprises, weather, travel—and storing it in a system that surfaces edges. Build your African football database with intention.
Why tracking matters
Without structured data you cannot tell if your strategies work. Tracking converts emotions (“I felt good about that bet”) into facts (“CLV +0.18, result unlucky”). The Data Lab is your control room for every market you touch.
Define fields
League, team, odds taken, fair odds, stake, closing odds, result, notes, confidence score.
Automate feeds
Use APIs (football-data, SportMonks) or manual CSV imports for shots, xG, and cards.
Data architecture 101
- Raw tab: Every bet, no filters.
- Processed tab: Adds formulas (ROI, CLV, variance).
- Insights tab: Pivot tables + charts for quick reads.
Template generator
Generate column headers tailored to your goals.
Columns: Date · League · Bet Type · Odds Taken · Closing Odds · CLV · Notes
Automations to explore
Google Apps Script: Pull odds snapshots or closing lines daily.
Zapier/Integromat: Pipe bookmaker emails (settlement receipts) into spreadsheets.
Python notebooks: For advanced users, scrape league data and convert to CSV for your lab.
Sample weekly workflow
Monday: Import weekend data, reconcile bankroll, tag standout performers.
Tuesday–Thursday: Log initial odds, projected probabilities, and travel notes for upcoming fixtures.
Friday: Run filters (e.g., “teams with >0.15 CLV edge”) and decide which matches deserve attention.
Weekend: Update entries live with lineup news, weather, and mood markers; this context makes post-match reviews far richer.
Quality control tips
Version history: Keep backups of your database so accidental edits do not ruin months of work.
Standardized tags: Use consistent labels (e.g., “injury-keeper”, “travel-3h”) to filter insights quickly.
Review cadence: Schedule a monthly “data clinic” where you prune unused columns and add new ones that match evolving strategies.
Quality control checklist
- Weekly: ensure formulas still calculate correctly.
- Monthly: archive past sheets so file size stays manageable.
- Security: password-protect sensitive sheets with bankroll info.
Case study: Tracking CAF Champions League angles
By logging all Al Ahly matches, you noticed closing lines kept shifting toward your projections (+0.25 CLV average). When variance hit, you stayed calm because data proved your edge. Without the lab, you might have abandoned a profitable strategy.
Next steps
Commit to entering every bet this week, no excuses. Set calendar reminders for Monday imports and Friday reviews. The more effort you invest now, the easier your journey toward professional-level betting discipline becomes.