In high-stakes soccer, goalkeepers exhibit 'gambler's fallacy'

When goalkeepers are pitted against multiple kickers in tense penalty shootouts, their attempts to dive for the ball show a predictable pattern that kickers would do well to exploit. After kickers repeatedly kick in one direction, goalkeepers become increasingly likely to dive in the opposite direction, according to an analysis of all 361 kicks from the 37 penalty shootouts that occurred in World Cup and Union of European Football Associations Euro Cup matches over a 36-year period.

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