User:Themeparkgc/Sandboxes/Best Roller Coaster Poll

The Best Roller Coaster Poll is an annual survey of roller coasters from around the world. It is widely regarded as the best and most accurate of any roller coaster poll available due to its ranking algorithm which prevents the poll from becoming a popularity contest. The poll has been conducted for both steel and wooden roller coasters since 2001, with the wooden poll dating back to 1993. The poll is run by Mitch Hawker.

Ranking algorithm
During November every year, ballots are released online for the year's poll. When the poll closes, all completed ballots are tabulated to produce the results of the poll. Each coaster is compred [sic] one at a time to every other coaster to see whether more people who have ridden both of them preferred one or the other. A coaster is given a "Win" for each coaster that more mutual riders ranked behind it, given a "Loss" for each coaster that more mutual riders ranked ahead of it, and given a "Tie" for each coaster that the same number of mutual riders ranked above it and below it. Coasters are ranked by their overall winning percentage (where ties count as half of a win and half of a loss). In the event that two coasters end up with identical winning percentages, the tie is broken (if possible) by determining which of the two won the mutual rider comparison between those two coasters.