[FSPA] FSPA: Ocelot Results for 02/28/2022 (Meet #4)

[Joe Schober]

Kenneth Padgett wrote...

> I'm sure this has been addressed, but can anyone enlighten me as to the reason games are not more evenly distributed? 

Short summary is: when using the "Shuffle Machines" feature in the scorekeeping system, each group gets a random set of games that is intended to ensure that a group doesn't play a game more than once on a night (if possible), nor are any groups scheduled for the same machine in the same "round" (if possible).  Because of the nature of "random", in the short term (e.g. one night), sometimes you get clumps of outcomes, sometimes you get outcomes that are more evenly distributed.

Over a stretch of time (e.g. a season), the number of plays across all machines is in fact pretty evenly distributed (obviously assuming no external factors, like machines being added or removed mid-season).  Any given machine might be assigned to 1 group this week, 4 groups next week, and 2 groups the week after... or any other pattern you can imagine, much like rolling a fair die.  It all tends to balance out pretty well.  Of course, it's understandable how it might not feel that way if you happen to be in a group that's logjammed by another group that's absolutely blowing up a machine, or by a machine that blew up.

Hope this helps.

--Joe