GUIDES · BETSLIP DOCTOR
Why must a record review exclude information published after its stated cutoff?
A research cutoff defines what information was available to the review at that time. A source published afterward was not part of that snapshot, even if it describes an event that happened earlier. Keep event time, publication time, capture time, and cutoff distinct. Later information can be noted as a later update, but inserting it into the earlier record creates hindsight. A time from event start to cutoff is also not the same as a verified finish-to-start rest interval.
For Bettors and cappers interpreting sports-record evidence · Updated
Track when the event and information were recorded
A careful source ledger separates when an event occurred, when a source published an update, when the information was captured, and the research cutoff. These timestamps answer different questions. A result posted after the cutoff was not available to the earlier snapshot, regardless of the event's start time.
- Write the cutoff date and time with its time zone.
- Record the source publication or update time, not only the event date.
- Keep later corrections in a separate later snapshot.
Do not use hindsight to rewrite the earlier review
Using a later lineup, ranking, result, or event status in an earlier research snapshot can make the review look as if that information was known then. Preserve what the selected sources showed by the cutoff. If a later source changes the picture, label it as a later update rather than silently backdating it.
Elapsed time to cutoff is not a rest interval
A calculation from a recorded event start to the research cutoff measures elapsed time between those timestamps. It does not establish when that event ended or when the subject next began an event. Do not describe it as rest without the separate finish and next-start evidence.
Hypothetical example: a later report misses the cutoff
In a synthetic timeline, an event starts at 17:45 and a research snapshot closes at 18:00. A status report about that event is first published at 18:06. The report belongs to a later snapshot, not the 18:00 review, even though it refers to an event already underway. The elapsed 15 minutes from start to cutoff is not a measured rest interval. These times are invented and do not describe a real event.
Related questions
Can a later report be used if it describes an earlier event?
It may be useful in a later update, but it was not available to the earlier snapshot. Keep its publication time and the original cutoff explicit.