Abstract
Predicting the outcomes of sports events is inherently difficult due to the unpredictable nature of gameplay and the complex interplay of numerous influencing factors. In this study, we present a deep learning framework that combines a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D CNN) with a Transformer architecture to improve prediction accuracy. The 1D CNN effectively captures local spatial patterns in structured match data, while the Transformer leverages self-attention mechanisms to model long-range dependencies. This hybrid design enables the model to uncover nuanced feature interactions critical to outcome prediction. We evaluate our approach on a benchmark sports dataset, where it outperforms traditional machine learning methods and standard deep learning models in both accuracy and robustness. Our results demonstrate the promise of integrating convolutional and attention-based mechanisms for enhanced performance in sports analytics and predictive modeling.