Liverpool Fan Named UK's Unluckiest by Opta Data

Tommy McAllister, a 30-year-old lifelong Liverpool supporter from Moreton, Merseyside, has been named the United Kingdom's unluckiest fan after data showed his team consistently fails to win when he watches their matches. In a lighthearted collaboration between Xbox and sports analytics firm Opta, McAllister topped a new metric called xJ, or expected jinx, which measures fans' potential influence on game outcomes based on viewing habits.

The designation stems from Liverpool's performance in 10 Premier League matches since Christmas. McAllister watched six of them, all resulting in draws or losses, including a 2-1 defeat to Wolves on December 27, a goalless draw with Leeds United on January 1, and a 1-2 loss to Manchester City on February 8. The team secured victories in the four games he skipped, such as a 4-1 win over Newcastle United on January 31 and a 1-0 triumph against Nottingham Forest on February 22. This pattern extends beyond the current season; McAllister also missed Liverpool's dramatic 4-0 comeback against Barcelona in the 2019 Champions League semifinal second leg, which advanced them to the final.

Opta's xJ model, developed with director of analytics Jonny...