In the high-stakes world of sports, the final score tells you who won, but it rarely tells you why. This is a crucial distinction for everyone, from professional analysts and sportsbooks to media outlets and sports fans.

This is why Expected Goals (xG) has become such a key metric – a powerful insight that offers a layer of knowledge, helping understand the true performance of a team beyond the scoreboard.

Advanced xG analytics are now available across STATSCORE’s product suite, including SportsAPI, ScoutsFeed, LivematchPro, and PrematchPro.

By integrating this advanced metric, we help our partners deliver the insights that today’s data-driven world demands, transforming large sets of raw numbers into compelling narratives and informed decisions.

How xG Works

STATSCORE provides advanced xG data that measures the quality of every single shot and estimates its probability of resulting in a goal.  

This metric moves beyond simple shot counts to give each attempt a value from 0.01 to 0.99. For example, a difficult, long-range shot might have a tiny xG of 0.02 (a 2% chance), while a close-range tap-in could have a high xG of 0.90 (a 90% chance).

At the end of a match, these values are added up. If a team’s total xG is, for example, 3.5: it means that based on the quality of their chances, they “should have” scored around three or four goals. This information is calculated by STATSCORE using our top-tier data, ensuring unmatched accuracy and reliability.

It’s assigned to every shot -whether it’s on target, off target, blocked, or results in a goal – and is evaluated based on key factors like: 

• Shot type: Was it a header, a volley, or a close-range finish? 

• Defender pressure: Was the player under high pressure, or no pressure at all? 

• Zone of the pitch: Where was the shot taken from? 

• Number of defenders: How many opponents were there on the line of the shot? 

• Shot conditions: How favorable were the conditions for taking the shot?

These factors are processed through a sophisticated model to produce a single xG value, accurately reflecting the difficulty and likelihood of scoring.

The Power of Live and Seasonal Data

We deliver two types of xG insights: seasonal trends that track performance over time, and live xG that capture the flow of a match in real time.

• Seasonal xG: This data provides a foundational layer of insight before the first whistle. By analyzing a player’s and team’s season-long xG streams, you can see their true attacking and defensive performance.  

• Live xG: During a match, a live xG stream provides a real-time narrative. When a player or a team is dominating but hasn’t scored, a rising live xG total validates their performance and builds tension. This adds a new layer of excitement and understanding for both fans and bettors.

Benefits for Media and Sportsbooks

By integrating xG, media and sportsbooks gain a significant competitive edge, driving engagement and growth with reliable, easily consumable but sophisticated data. 

• For Media: xG is one of the factors that transform sports coverage in media, from a simple recount of events into a compelling, data-driven narrative. It offers a reliable tool for storytelling, helping to explain the hidden “why” behind the results. Media outlets can use xG to highlight a team’s true dominance, showcase an unlikely victory, or underline a player’s incredible performance. 

• For Sportsbooks: xG empowers bettors with transparent analytics, keeping them informed and increasing their confidence. This is crucial for user retention and attracting the next generation of data-savvy bettors.

Seamless Integration via STATSCORE Products

The power of xG is seamlessly integrated into the STATSCORE ecosystem. This invaluable data is available through our SportsAPI and ScoutsFeed products, and is also directly implemented in our popular widgets: 

• LivematchPro: Displays live xG statistics for both teams and players. 

• PrematchPro, LivematchPro, and the H2H Stats widget: All display seasonal xGoals statistics for teams only.

Expected Goals is no longer a niche statistic. By integrating live and seasonal xG data, we empower everyone – from professional analysts to passionate fans – to engage with the sport on a deeper, more informed level.

xG has become the new standard for understanding football – delivering a clearer, data-driven view of every match, every team, and every shot.

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