Tim Lavalli

Tim Lavalli, PhD, is an expert in sports psychology whose research has focussed on the mental aspects of competitive games. He helped co-author (with Amy Calistri) poker pro Mike Matusow's autobiography, Check-Raising the Devil. His coverage area for OG is broad, but he can't help but pay special attention to the Big Ten.

Who is in contention for the four slots in the College Football Playoffs. (Image:  The Comeback)

College Football Playoff – Who’s In, Who’s Not, Who Might Be

Six weeks into the season and nearly a month before the College Football Playoff Selection Committee meets for the first time, there are odds out on who will be in the final four. There might be a surprise or two for those following the AP Top-25 rankings. The CFP Selection […]

Who wants to win the AFC South automatic playoff slot? (Image: Battle Red Blog)

National Football League AFC South – Parity or Mediocrity?

The AFC South division of the NFL isn’t the worst division in football, but its not a real threat either. Despite two teams making the playoffs each of the last two seasons, the stigma remains. The Texans, Colts, Titans, and Jaguars aren’t considered to be Super Bowl contenders. Through the […]

Penn State and Wisconsin face true tests this week in Big Ten play. (Image: Onward State)

Penn State, Wisconsin Face Crucial Tests in Big Ten Showdowns

With conference favorite #3 Ohio State off this week, it’s time to see if Penn State is really going to challenge for the Big Ten East title. Penn State (5-0) travels to Iowa (4-1) this Saturday. The Hawkeyes are coming off a disappointing performance at Michigan, losing a snore-fest, 10-3. […]

All kinds of prop bets are available on the U.S. Presidential Election. (Image: Fact Retriever)

US Presidential Election Offers Potentially Lucrative Prop Bets

We’re just over a year away from the US presidential election and nothing is clear yet about who will win, or even, who will be nominated. A wide range of gambling sites are putting out all kinds of prop bets on the election. Some are very intriguing to savvy gamblers […]

Iowa travels to Michigan for a Big Ten East vs. West showdown. (Image: USA Today)

Iowa Travels to Michigan for East vs. West Division Showdown

The Big Ten Conference is shaping up as having just one important question to answer. Can anyone beat Ohio State? Michigan always has a shot on the last Saturday of the regular season. Iowa is ready to make a statement that they are the team to beat in the West, […]

Political Wagers Move Heavily to Sen. Elizabeth Warren

The polls have former V.P. Joe Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren in a near dead heat for the Democratic Party nomination, but bettors have Warren far in front of Biden and the other 17 Democratic candidates. Is this important? Maybe not, but following the betting money is often a more […]

Fox and the Dish Network have reached an impasse, causing sports blackouts. (Image: YouTube)

College and NFL Games Face Blackout in Fox vs. Dish Network Dispute

Fox-owned television stations in 17 markets have gone dark on the Dish Network because of a failure to renegotiate and extend a contract. Blacked out channels include sports outlets such as the Big Ten Network, FS1, FS2, Fox Deportes, and Fox Soccer Plus. The loss of access will reach over […]

Oklahoma aims for an undeated season and a playoff berth. (Image: SB Nation)

Oklahoma and Clemson Have Clear Paths to Undefeated Seasons

Undefeated Oklahoma at #6, and undefeated Clemson at #1, are the only two teams with clear paths to the College Football Playoffs. All they have to do is win out. While that may seem obvious, seven other top-10 teams are also undefeated, but not all of them can run the […]

Odds on President Trump being impeached are rising fast. (Image: newsfna.com)

Trump Impeachment Odds More Than Double Overnight

Odds on President Donald Trump facing impeachment have been hovering in the mid to high-teens for months. Yesterday, they jumped to 42%. These are the odds on the House of Representatives voting to level charges that could lead to an impeachment trial in the US Senate. The past few days […]

The 3-0 Patriots travel to Buffalo to take on the 3-0 Bills on Sunday.

Which Undefeated NFL Teams Are Locks for the Playoffs?

A fast start means a lot this year in the trek toward the NFL playoffs. After three weeks, there are seven undefeated teams (eight, if you count the 2-0-1 Detroit Lions) with wildly different odds to make the postseason. Three, or maybe, four of these teams seem like near locks […]

Could Michigan pull the ultimate switch-a-roo and hire Urban Meyer? (Image: Sporting News)

Could Urban Meyer Replace Jim Harbaugh at Michigan?

The Michigan faithful are screaming NO NEVER!, but the odds are out on who might replace Jim Harbaugh in Ann Arbor. High on the list is long-time Ohio State coach and arch-nemesis, Urban Meyer. Michigan hasn’t fired head coach Jim Harbaugh. The football winds aren’t actually even blowing in that […]

Ohio State is one again the cream of the Big Ten crop. (Image: usatoday.com)

Ohio State and Wisconsin Continue to Roll in Big Ten

The preseason hype has been trashed. The non-conference games are mostly over. Once again, Ohio State is the team to beat in the Big Ten. The only murmurs of disagreement are coming out of Madison, Wisconsin but the Badgers and the Buckeyes don’t face each other until Halloween week. The […]

Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightening is the dean of current NHL head coaches. (Image: tampabay.com)

New Season Brings Seven New NHL Coaches

The National Hockey League has become a revolving door for head coaches. This year, seven teams are in training camp with a new head coach. Three of the new guys are replacing coaches who were new to the position just last year. Last year, the season began with 11 new […]

Top ten ranked Notre Dame and Georgia meet on Saturday.

Something’s Odd About the Notre Dame-Georgia Odds

For a matchup between two top-10 teams, the odds on Georgia vs. Notre Dame are really long. Georgia opened as a 10.5 point favorite, but the line has moved to 14. What do the oddsmakers see that would make a #7 Notre Dame squad a two touchdown underdog to the […]

Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers start the season 0-2. (Image: USATODAY)

Which 0-2 Teams Still Have a Shot at the NFL Playoffs?

It’s not impossible for some NFL teams to start the season 0-2, and still have a realistic shot at a playoff birth. But, which two-loss teams have shown their true natures early, and are on their way to a high draft pick? And, which teams have still have a shot […]

The New England Patriots are already on cruise control to the AFC playoffs. (Image: time.com)

The Patriots Are Practically in the AFC Playoffs Already

There’s never a sure thing, bettors know all too well. But what kind of odds do the reigning Super Bowl champion New England Patriots have after only one game? They are the favorite to win their division, their conference and yes, the Super Bowl. But are the 2019 Patriots really […]

Can Clemson or anyone else finish the regular season without a loss.

What Are the Odds? On Going Undefeated in College Football

What are the odds that a Division One team will finish the regular season undefeated? For most teams, the answer is slim to none. But for a few teams, like Clemson and Alabama, they can see a path. Two weeks in, there are only 14 teams with at least a […]