The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Team Trends By Marc Lawrence Some say the NBA is simply an acronym for ‘Nothing But Aggravation’. Others insist it’s merely a ‘Nice Bankroll Additive’. Whatever your take, there is no better time than the present – with the NBA taking a time out for the All-Star break - to examine the condition of each team in the league at this stage of the season. From the surprise teams to the disappointments... Read more

By Marc Lawrence Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis kicks off February 5 when New England meets the New York with the Patriots looking to avenge losses to the Giants in Super Bowl XVII, and also a 24-20 defeat at Foxboro this season in a game which snapped a 20-game regular season home win streak by New England. Aside from betting the game itself, a myriad of betting propositions abound in every Super Bowl as... Read more

By Marc Lawrence As we begin preparation for the 20th anniversary edition of the PLAYBOOK FOOTBALL HANDICAPPERS YEARBOOK magazine, the wild and wacky world of College Football moves to the 2012 season with plenty of changes in order. Here is your guide to what lies ahead. Aside from a highly anticipated BCS revision, and a few new rules changes, the first task at hand is sorting through the realignment of the conferences... Read more

By Marc Lawrence After expanding its playoff format to 12 teams in 1990, the NFL left the door wide open to the possibilities of a Wild Card team running the table and hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. And while a Wild Card team has done so only seven times in Super Bowl history, five such winners have been crowned since 1997. Last year witnessed the Packers hauling home the hardware. In 2007 it was the NY Giants, in... Read more

By Marc Lawrence Handicapping the NFL Playoffs can be a bit tricky. The knee-jerk reaction is to back home teams. After all, they have been a solid-moneymaker, going 161-131-6 (55.1%) dating back to 1980. Today, however, that would be a mistake as the success of home teams in the playoffs has dissolved faster than an Alka Seltzer in a cold glass of water. A closer look finds home teams just 108-98-5 ATS... Read more

By Marc Lawrence It’s unanimous. Smart handicappers alike agree on one thing – preparation is the key to success. The better prepared you are the better chance you stand at succeeding. With the 2011 College Bowl season now upon us, it’s time to get ready for the thirty-five games that await. While a myriad of different techniques and approaches exist, one simple element is often overlooked and that is how a team... Read more

Long considered the 'beast' of all NFL divisions, the NFC East features no less than three Pro Bowl quarterbacks. The division is also the top-heavy favorite with an average 8.875 'win total' for the season per team. Does this mean all four teams are playoff bound in 2011? That's doubtful, but we just might find three's company by season's end. No team appeared in more playoff games since 2000 than Philadelphia. The Eagles... Read more

If you've ever wondered why it is Pittsburgh is pretty much a rival to every team in the AFC North, the answer is simple. Three of the teams have connecting histories. Cincinnati and Cleveland were founded by Paul Brown, while the Baltimore Ravens and the city of Cleveland have their own unique relationship. Only the Steelers, who are older than the original Browns, have no direct history involving Paul Brown. The AFC... Read more

With NFL 'EAST' division teams leading the charge with a combined total of 14 games played in Conference title tilts this new millennium, including a league high five championship game appearances games by squads located in the AFC EAST, it speaks to the strength of this group. So does the division's 148-95-5 ATS mark away from home in games versus sub .667 opposition since 2000, including a sterling 17-5 ATS record in... Read more

If ever there was a telling stat about a conference in decline it's this about the WAC: Of the 29 first-team all-WAC players in 2010, just five return for the 2011 season and none from the offensive side of the ball. In fact, there were 30 second-team players, and only half of them are scheduled to return this year. That's quite a dilution in talent and it's directly attributable to the loss of conference powerhouse Boise... Read more