About

Behind the engine

Who builds The Edge, and the principles we hold the model to.

The Edge is the AI sports-prediction product from Sandman Sports. We built it for the bettor who has been burned by “lock of the day” hype and wants something different: a model that shows its work, explains its reasoning, and is honest about what it doesn’t know.

What we believe

The Edge is an AI sports-analytics tool that grades moneyline, spread and totals picks across NBA, NCAAB, NFL, NCAAF, NHL, MLB, EPL and MLS soccer, and PGA Tour golf. It is a research product, not a sportsbook: it does not accept wagers, hold funds, or move betting lines. Four principles govern how it is built. Every pick exposes the factors behind it — pace, form, splits, pitching, weather and market divergence — rather than asking to be trusted as a black box. The model passes when the line looks fair, returning NO PICK instead of forcing action, and a PASS is never counted as a loss because no wager was recommended. Confidence is a calibrated probability graded against real outcomes over time, not a guarantee. And responsible play is the default: The Edge is informational only, never financial advice.

Transparency over hype

Every pick exposes the factors behind it: pace, form, splits, pitching, weather, market divergence, and more. No black box, no “trust us.”

Discipline over volume

The engine passes when the line looks fair. We would rather show fewer, better-supported picks than force action on every game.

Calibration over bravado

Confidence is a calibrated probability, graded against real outcomes over time, not a guarantee. We don’t promise wins.

Responsible by default

We are a research and analytics platform, not a sportsbook. We don’t take wagers or move lines, and we surface responsible-gambling resources throughout.

How the engine works

Every game runs through the same pipeline: live odds, team form, pace, splits, injuries, and (where it matters) weather, all feeding a statistical model that projects each side’s score from five anchors, with qualitative context layered on top. It then compares those projections to the market and either makes a calibrated pick or passes. The full breakdown is on the methodology page.

Who builds it

The Edge is built by the founding team of Sandman Sports, LLC.

Eric Bierman — Co-Founder & CEO

Eric has worked in the sports-pools business since 2005 and has run day-to-day operations since 2014. He leads growth, content and brand at Sandman Sports, and coordinates the company’s legal and compliance work.

Bill Sanders — Co-Founder & COO

Bill founded the pools business in the late 1990s, running contests for friends and family, and previously ran RunMyPools — the longest run in the sports-contest business of the three founders. He owns contest formats, rules and the commissioner experience, and is the voice that holds the products to a testing and launch-quality bar.

Craig Phalen — Co-Founder & CTO

Craig leads product, technology and data, and is responsible for the prediction engine itself: the data pipeline, the five-anchor projection models, and the calibration behind every confidence grade. When the model’s output and its explanation disagree, fixing that is his job. He wrote the methodology page.

Contact

Questions or feedback? Reach us through the support page or on X at @_sandmansports.

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The Edge is a research and analytics platform: informational tools, not financial advice. 21+. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit ncpgambling.org.