{"id":9140,"date":"2022-07-06T17:38:06","date_gmt":"2022-07-06T21:38:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/?p=9140"},"modified":"2024-05-15T13:42:22","modified_gmt":"2024-05-15T17:42:22","slug":"2022-big-ten-football-betting-preview-marc-lawrences-playbook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/college-football\/2022-big-ten-football-betting-preview-marc-lawrences-playbook\/","title":{"rendered":"2022 Big Ten Football Betting Preview | Marc Lawrence&#8217;s Playbook"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Big Ten Football Predictions and Betting Odds<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Football fans have been using Marc Lawrence&#8217;s Playbook to prep for upcoming football seasons for the last 30 years. Marc shares his thoughts on the 2022 Big Ten football season with key stats and betting angles to keep an eye on.\u00a0 Find <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/free-sports-picks\/mlb\">FREE MLB PICKS<\/a>!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Interested in joining WagerTalk at the Westgate&#8217;s SuperContest Weekend in Las Vegas? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/nfl\/wagertalk-joins-westgates-supercontest-weekend-august-19-21\/\">Click here<\/a> to learn more about the activities (golf, basketball, panels and more) and the discounted room block as WagerTalk takes over Sin City in August.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2>Big Ten Expansion on the Horizon<\/h2>\n<p>In 1990, the Big Ten universities voted to expand the conference from 10 to 11 teams and extended an invitation to Atlantic 10 member and football independent Penn State, which accepted it. When the Nittany Lions joined in 1990, it was decided the conference would continue to be called the Big Ten.<\/p>\n<p>In 2011 Nebraska was added as the conference\u2019s 12th school when the Big Ten formed two divisions \u2013 the Legends and the Leaders \u2013 which stayed in effect until 2013. The conference also adopted its Big Ten Conference Championship Game between the winners of the two divisions.<\/p>\n<p>In 2014 Maryland and Rutgers came aboard with the conference expanding to 14 teams. It was also then the titles of the division changed to East Division and West Division.<\/p>\n<p>Roll the clock forward to 2022 to the West Coast expansion when UCLA and USC announced they would be joining the conference in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>Somehow we feel it won\u2019t stop there with the brand of \u201cSuper Conference\u201d being bandied about.<\/p>\n<h2>2022 Big Ten Championship Odds<\/h2>\n<p>Odds below courtesy of DraftKings as of Wednesday, July 6:<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Team<\/th>\n<th>Big Ten Championship Odds<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ohio State<\/td>\n<td>-210<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Michigan<\/td>\n<td>+600<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Wisconsin<\/td>\n<td>+1100<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Penn State<\/td>\n<td>+1600<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Iowa<\/td>\n<td>+2000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Nebraska<\/td>\n<td>+2200<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Minnesota<\/td>\n<td>+2800<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Michigan State<\/td>\n<td>+2800<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Purdue<\/td>\n<td>+3000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Maryland<\/td>\n<td>+15000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Illinois<\/td>\n<td>+15000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Indiana<\/td>\n<td>+30000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Northwestern<\/td>\n<td>+40000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Rutgers<\/td>\n<td>+50000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>Projected All-Big Ten Team<\/h2>\n<p>The projected All-Big Ten team from Athlon\u2019s Sports, based on how players will perform in 2022, is led by 17 selections from Michigan, while Ohio State (16), Michigan State (11), and Iowa (11) round out the Top Four with double-digit selections this season.<\/p>\n<p>Minnesota and Purdue are next with 9. The next tier is headlined by Penn State (8), Maryland (8), Illinois (7), Nebraska (7), and Wisconsin (7).<\/p>\n<p>Indiana, Northwestern, and Rutgers round out the list with 6 selections each.<\/p>\n<h2>Big Ten Betting Notes<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Big Ten teams have fared exceptionally well as underdogs in bowl games dating back to 1998, going 68-51-1 ATS Overall.<\/li>\n<li>When coming off a win they zoom to 46-28 ATS, including 29-8 ATS against foes surrendering 21.5 or more points per game.<\/li>\n<li>On a sidebar note: Since 1946, the Big Ten champion has had a tie-in with the Rose Bowl game. It was not until the 1975 season that the Big Ten allowed teams to play in bowl games other than the Rose Bowl. With expansion running wild, the future of Big Ten\/Rose Bowl tie-ins is up in the air.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Big Ten Football Team Previews<\/h2>\n<p>Note: Team write-ups are excerpts from the 2022 PLAYBOOK Football Preview Guide magazine \u2013 on sale at Barnes &amp; Noble and Books A Million bookstores nationwide or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.playbooksports.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PlaybookSports.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>INDIANA<\/strong> \u2013 CRASH AND BURN \u2013 4 W &#8211; *5 \/ 7<\/p>\n<p>Indiana now knows what Space Shuttle Columbia went through during its disastrous return to earth. Well, not quite to the same degree, but the Hoosiers\u2019 descent last season was calamitous. And that\u2019s being kind for a 2-win team that was ranked in the Preseason Coaches Poll for the first time since 1968. While star QB Michael Penix Jr. was in limbo most of the season with injuries, the Hoosiers offense averaged a mere 10.4 PPG, finishing ahead of only lowly UConn nationwide in overall Offensive Pass Efficiency. Charred and burned head coach Tom Allen is hoping Missouri transfer QB Connor Bazelak can lead an upward ascent in 2022.<\/p>\n<p>PLAY ON: at Cincinnati (9\/24)<\/p>\n<p>STAT YOU WILL LIKE: Indiana seniors made 191 team starts last season, the second-most in the Big Ten, and 10th highest in the nation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>MARYLAND<\/strong> \u2013 STICKING THEIR NECKS OUT &#8211; 6 W &#8211; *9 \/ 7<\/p>\n<p>Not only did the Terps come out of their shell and enjoy their first winning season since 2014 last year, but they also crushed Virginia Tech in the Pinstripe Bowl for their first bowl win since 2010. After transferring in from Alabama, and leading the attack, QB Taulia Tagoviola returns after passing for 3,860 yards and 26 TDs. Another year of improvement by Tagoviola could find him among the top QBs in the nation this season. Best of all, his top three WRs return, in addition to Florida transfer Jacob Copeland, who joins the fray in what shapes up as possibly the best receiving corps in the conference.<\/p>\n<p>PLAY AGAINST: vs. SMU (9\/17)<\/p>\n<p>STAT YOU WILL LIKE: Maryland is 0-10 SUATS during the regular season following a win from Game Seven out over the last nine years.<\/p>\n<p><strong>MICHIGAN<\/strong> \u2013 SNUB CLUB \u2013 9.5 W &#8211; *9 \/ 4<\/p>\n<p>Despite coming off a Big Ten championship and a College Football Playoff appearance, the Wolverines still feel overlooked heading into this season. Despite losing a boatload of quality players, including Aidan Hutchinson, David Ojabo, Daxton Hill, and a total of seven defensive starters to the NFL, as well as running back Hassan Haskins, head coach Jim Harbaugh insisted his troops were \u201cscary good\u201d after the spring game, and is committed to winning a national championship. However, after winning its first Big Ten title for the first time since 2004 last season, a return to the norm appears to be in the offing in 2022. Like brethren Michigan State, the Wolves jumped from a 2-win unit in 2020 to double-digit wins (12) last season. Teams accomplishing such a feat often take huge steps backward the following season. Buyer beware.<\/p>\n<p>PLAY ON: vs. Michigan State (10\/29)<\/p>\n<p>STAT YOU WILL LIKE: The Wolverines are 3-17 SU in their final two games of the season since 2012.<\/p>\n<p><strong>MICHIGAN STATE<\/strong> \u2013 RETURN TO SENDER \u2013 7.5 W &#8211; *5 \/ 9<\/p>\n<p>The Spartans rose from a 2-win squad in 2020 to an 11-victory team in 2021 under second-year head coach Mel Tucker, finishing in the AP Top 10 poll. But like big brother Michigan, we expect a return to the norm in 2022 for MSU. It starts with a defense that yielded 46 YPG more last season than in 2020, along with a secondary that ranked 85th in pass efficiency defense as Sparty actually allowed more yards than they gained in 2021. On the other side of the ball, QB Payton Thorne won&#8217;t have the luxury of Kenneth Walker III in the backfield to keep defenses honest. You know the saying, \u201cWhat goes up\u201d\u2026<\/p>\n<p>PLAY AGAINST: vs. Indiana (11\/19)<\/p>\n<p>STAT YOU WILL LIKE: The last time the Spartans won more than 10 games in a season (2015) they went 3-9 the following year.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OHIO STATE<\/strong> \u2013 POISED FOR PAYBACK \u2013 10.5 W &#8211; *6 \/ 8<\/p>\n<p>For the first time in four years \u2013 and the only time under Ryan Day \u2013 the Buckeyes failed to make their way to the Big Ten championship game last season. It proved to be a costly flub when they finished No. 5 in the CFP final poll. Uncharacteristically, OSU has finished ninth in the conference each of the past two seasons in total defense. As a result, Day brought in four new assistant coaches, including former Oklahoma State DC Jim Knowles. Nonetheless, the Buckeyes are loaded with returning player experience, including star QB CJ Stroud, a Heisman Trophy nominee last season, along with sophomore RB TreVeyon Henderson, and junior WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba. And for the first time since 1995, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will travel to the Horseshoe, looking to snap a four-game-series losing skein.<\/p>\n<p>PLAY ON: vs. Michigan (11\/26)<\/p>\n<p>STAT YOU WILL LIKE: The Buckeyes are 24-0 in games versus .900 or fewer opponents under Ryan Day.<\/p>\n<p><strong>PENN STATE<\/strong> \u2013 FRESHLY MINTED \u2013 8.5 W &#8211; *7 \/ 4<\/p>\n<p>Midway through the 2021 college football season, Penn State gave James Franklin a 10-year contract extension with a potential value of $85 million. $70 million of Franklin\u2019s money is guaranteed, though most doubt Franklin earned such a contract. You can count us as one of the doubters. The Lions lost six out of their last eight games in 2021. They actually went backward statistically, both on offense and defense, yet managed to improve both SU and ATS. And that\u2019s a big no-no in our books, as teams meeting these criteria almost always take a step back the following season. So much for that big fat extension.<\/p>\n<p>PASS<\/p>\n<p>STAT YOU WILL LIKE: Head coach Franklin is 4-18 SU and 5-15-2 ATS away versus greater than .666 opponents.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RUTGERS<\/strong> \u2013 OPERATION INTELLECT &#8211; 4 W &#8211; *6 \/ 6<\/p>\n<p>Greg Schiano\u2019s Knights were sitting pretty when they opened the 2021 season on a 3-0 winning note. However, suddenly sitting at 5-5 in mid-November, with a pair of season-ending games ahead, they folded like a cheap card table. But then fate played its card when Texas A&amp;M was forced to back out of the prestigious Gator Bowl due to COVID protocols, and the Knights were accepted as a replacement team with a 5-7 record thanks to its outstanding Academic Progress Rate scores. Sure, they were waxed by Wake Forest, but it didn\u2019t matter \u2013 the season was already a success. With just 12 starters back, they\u2019ll need more than just a studious cast in 2022.<\/p>\n<p>PLAY ON: as a dog vs. Michigan (11\/5)<\/p>\n<p>STAT YOU WILL LIKE: Greg Schiano is 16-4-1 ATS as a non-conference pick or dog with Rutgers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>ILLINOIS<\/strong> \u2013 POWER DOWN \u2013 4.5 W &#8211; *7 \/ 6<\/p>\n<p>The Illini returned 17 scholarship seniors on last year\u2019s roster, and it nearly got them to a bowl game, when a 4-3 finish wasn\u2019t enough to overcome a 1-4 start. The bad news this season is the senior throng is now history, and Bret Bielema is now faced with a cast of the fewest returning production in the Big Ten this season. Making matters worse is this year\u2019s Transfer Portal yielded little-to-no support. After finishing with one of the worst offenses in the nation in 2021, new OC Barry Lunney Jr. was brought in from UTSA to jump-start the attack. Former transfer QBs Tommy DeVito and Artur Sitkowski will draw straws for the starting job.<\/p>\n<p>PLAY ON: vs. Iowa (10\/8)<\/p>\n<p>STAT YOU WILL LIKE: Bret Bielema is 1-9 ATS when coming off a SU underdog win and facing a .700 or fewer opponent.<\/p>\n<p><strong>IOWA<\/strong> \u2013 PERMANENCE \u2013 7.5 W &#8211; *8 \/ 7<\/p>\n<p>Despite suffering its 13th four-plus loss season since 2005, Iowa finished in the AP Poll for the fourth straight season, which is the longest streak under head coach Kirk Ferentz. One of the reasons is Iowa is 22-6 in its last 28 rivalry trophy games (Iowa State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin). Head scratchily, the Hawkeyes somehow improved from 6 wins to 10 last season despite slipping offensively and defensively in overall scoring and yardage on both sides of the ball. Ferentz completed his 23rd season as Iowa\u2019s head football coach in 2021 and is the longest-tenured active head coach in college football. Iowa is the only school in the country to have just two head football coaches since 1979 (Hayden Fry 1979-98). And speaking of continuity, returning QB Spencer Petras had started 17 consecutive games before he was injured last season.<\/p>\n<p>PLAY AGAINST: vs. Iowa State (9\/10)<\/p>\n<p>STAT YOU WILL LIKE: Iowa underclassmen made 192 team-starts last season, the third most in the FBS.<\/p>\n<p><strong>MINNESOTA<\/strong> \u2013 EXPERIENCE THE FEELING \u2013 7.5 W &#8211; *6 \/ 6<\/p>\n<p>The Gophers were on the opposite end of the EXPERIENCE THE FEELING poll last season with just under 12% of all their starts made by underclassmen. That figures to serve P.J. Fleck well in 2022, as he welcomes a team deep with returning experience. Among the returnees are all three leading RBs, each of whom went down with season-ending injuries. Meanwhile, offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarocca returns, after stints with West Virginia and Penn State the past two seasons. Ciarocca served as the Gophers&#8217; OC in 2019 when Minnesota won 11 games behind an explosive offense that averaged 34 PPG. With QB Tanner Morgan back after tossing for over 3,200 yards and 30 TDs last season, the chemistry couldn\u2019t be better.<\/p>\n<p>PLAY ON: at Illinois (10\/15)<\/p>\n<p>STAT YOU WILL LIKE: P.J. Fleck is 6-0 ATS away versus .800 or greater opponents.<\/p>\n<p><strong>NEBRASKA<\/strong> \u2013 CAT \u2018O NINE LIVES \u2013 7.5 W &#8211; *7 \/ 5<\/p>\n<p>So, what happens when your coach who hasn\u2019t had a winning season in his four-year term comes off the worst season in his tenure? The school extends his contract, of course. One likely reason is that all nine of the Cornhusker losses last year were by single-digits. Another is that the team improved its stats on both sides of the ball \u2013 both scoring and statistically \u2013 over 2020\u2019s effort. Yes, Scott Frost is still squarely on the hot seat, and working for less money. But he got a reprieve, and with it he will welcome former Texas QB Casey Thompson with open arms. Get on him early.<br \/>\nPOINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:<br \/>\nPLAY ON: at Purdue (10\/15)<br \/>\nSTAT YOU WILL LIKE: Nebraska will face losing foes in five of its first six games, and winning foes in five of its six final games this season.<\/p>\n<p><strong>NORTHWESTERN<\/strong> \u2013 THORNS AND ROSES &#8211; 4 W &#8211; *9 \/ 5<\/p>\n<p>Things were so bad for the Northwestern offense last season they finished with the third-worst Red Zone offense \u2013 behind UMass! Six signal callers have taken snaps for the Wildcats since Clayton Thorson graduated in 2019. In those three years, they\u2019ve combined to throw for just 3,532 yards and 19 TDs. The hope is that homegrown 3* prospect Jack Lausch, a former Notre Dame commit with an outfielder\u2019s arm, can calm the QB woes. He\u2019ll need to beat out last year\u2019s starter, Ryan Hlinski. Either way, it won\u2019t be a bed of roses for the Wildcats, not with a schedule from late September to mid-November laced with 8 consecutive foes that played in bowl games last season.<\/p>\n<p>PLAY ON: at Iowa (10\/29)<\/p>\n<p>STAT YOU WILL LIKE: Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald is 9-1 ATS as a dog with revenge versus .500 or fewer opponents.<\/p>\n<p><strong>PURDUE<\/strong> \u2013 BALANCING ACT \u2013 7.5 W &#8211; *7 \/ 8<\/p>\n<p>The Boilermakers bounced back from a 2-win effort in a shortened 2020 campaign with 9-wins for the first time since 2003. It was only their second winning effort in ten years, and it concluded with an impressive 48-45 overtime win over Tennessee in the Music City Bowl as a 7.5-point underdog behind a short-handed, and banged-up team. After tossing for 534 yards and 5 TDs in the bowl victory, QB Aidan O\u2019Connell returns in 2022, but his main target, David Bell, is off to the NFL. Jeff Brohm knows his team will need to develop a ground game (three straight seasons 85 RPG or less) if they wish to become a viable threat.<\/p>\n<p>PLAY ON: at Minnesota (10\/1)<\/p>\n<p>STAT YOU WILL LIKE: Jeff Brohm is 20-6 ATS as a dog of 4 or more points, including 10-0 ATS off a loss.<\/p>\n<p><strong>WISCONSIN<\/strong> \u2013 STEADFAST AND FANCY-FREE \u2013 8.5 W &#8211; *5 \/ 3<\/p>\n<p>After a 1-3 start, which concluded with a blowout home loss to Michigan, the Badgers went 8-1 in their final nine games to finish 9-4 with a bowl win over Arizona State. Although they didn\u2019t win the Big Ten West again, they did create a solid foundation for the 2022 season. For openers, they capped the campaign with the top-rated overall defense in the FBS, one that allowed a season-best 4.1 Yards Per Play. While RB Braelon Allen is one of the top backs in the land, QB Graham Mertz has been inconsistent. Perhaps new OC Bobby Engram, who reunites with Paul Chryst from their days at Pitt, will turn him back around.<\/p>\n<p>PLAY AGAINST: at Nebraska (11\/19)<\/p>\n<p>STAT YOU WILL LIKE: The Badgers surrendered 1.8 points per game in the first quarter last season, tied for the lowest in the FBS with Georgia.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">Meet the Experts: Marc Lawrence<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Lawrence Prezman sits down with Marc Lawrence to discuss his career in the sports betting business. Marc has been a professional handicapper for over 40 years, and is celebrating the 30th anniversary of his Playbook preseason guide in 2022.<\/p>\n<div class=\"epyt-video-wrapper\"><div  style=\"display: block; margin: 0px auto;\"  id=\"_ytid_98056\"  width=\"870\" height=\"489\"  data-origwidth=\"870\" data-origheight=\"489\" data-facadesrc=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MHIEahzBsV0?enablejsapi=1&origin=https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com&autoplay=0&cc_load_policy=1&cc_lang_pref=&iv_load_policy=1&loop=0&rel=0&fs=1&playsinline=0&autohide=2&hl=en_US&theme=dark&color=red&controls=1&disablekb=0&\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__ epyt-facade  no-lazyload\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-spai-excluded=\"true\" class=\"epyt-facade-poster skip-lazy\" loading=\"lazy\"  alt=\"Meet the Experts:  Marc Lawrence | Sports Handicappers | Playbook Magazine\"  src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/MHIEahzBsV0\/maxresdefault.jpg\"  \/><button class=\"epyt-facade-play\" aria-label=\"Play\"><svg data-no-lazy=\"1\" height=\"100%\" version=\"1.1\" viewBox=\"0 0 68 48\" width=\"100%\"><path class=\"ytp-large-play-button-bg\" d=\"M66.52,7.74c-0.78-2.93-2.49-5.41-5.42-6.19C55.79,.13,34,0,34,0S12.21,.13,6.9,1.55 C3.97,2.33,2.27,4.81,1.48,7.74C0.06,13.05,0,24,0,24s0.06,10.95,1.48,16.26c0.78,2.93,2.49,5.41,5.42,6.19 C12.21,47.87,34,48,34,48s21.79-0.13,27.1-1.55c2.93-0.78,4.64-3.26,5.42-6.19C67.94,34.95,68,24,68,24S67.94,13.05,66.52,7.74z\" fill=\"#f00\"><\/path><path d=\"M 45,24 27,14 27,34\" fill=\"#fff\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button><\/div><\/div><span itemprop=\"video\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/VideoObject\"><meta itemprop=\"embedUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MHIEahzBsV0\"><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Meet the Experts: Marc Lawrence | Sports Handicappers | Playbook Magazine\"><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"Are you looking for the top sports handicappers? If so, in this episode of Meet the Experts, Lawrence Prezman sits down with Marc Lawrence. Who is Marc Lawrence? In addition to being on the faculty at SportsDataUniversity.com, Marc writes a weekly NFL column for the USA TODAY Sports Weekly and has authored hundreds of articles on the art and science of sports handicapping. He publishes the PLAYBOOK Football Preview Guide magazine and the weekly PLAYBOOK newsletter during the football and basketball seasons. In his over 40 years as a professional sports handicapper, Marc has won over 500 documented Top 10 handicapping achievement awards, more than anyone in the nation. He hosts the Marc Lawrence Against The Spread podcast. Marc won the 2005 STARDUST INVITATIONAL Football Contest and is a two-time WISE GUYS CONTEST champion. Thanks to his powerful sports database, Marc&#039;s technical approach to sports handicapping strongly adheres to the theory of &#039;cause and effect&#039; that the farther back you can look the farther forward you can see. Applying these findings to statistical and fundamental matchups makes for a solid handicap, and by applying &#039;value&#039; to the handicap we learn to become winners. And winning, in the long run, is what handicapping all about. \ud83d\udc4d You can get free sports picks and betting tips direct from Vegas by following the WagerTalk handicappers on Twitter: \u25ba Kelly Stewart: https:\/\/twitter.com\/kellyinvegas \u25ba Minty Bets: https:\/\/twitter.com\/MintyBets \u25ba Marco D\u2019Angelo: https:\/\/twitter.com\/MarcoInVegas \u25ba Ralph Michaels: https:\/\/twitter.com\/CalSportsLV \u25ba Teddy Covers: https:\/\/twitter.com\/teddy_covers \u25ba Bryan Leonard: https:\/\/twitter.com\/BLeonardSports \u25ba Bruce Marshall: https:\/\/twitter.com\/BruceAMarshall \u25ba Tony Finn: https:\/\/twitter.com\/FinnatWagerTalk \u25ba Gianni the Greek (VR\/Ace): https:\/\/twitter.com\/Greek_Gambler \u25ba WagerTalk: https:\/\/twitter.com\/WagerTalk \u25ba Sportsmemo: https:\/\/twitter.com\/sportsmemo \ud83d\udc47 Make sure to SUBSCRIBE to WagerTalk TV, \ud83d\udd14 CLICK the Bell and never miss an episode \ud83d\udc47 \ud83d\udcfa WagerTalk TV: https:\/\/wt.buzz\/tv \ud83c\udf10 WagerTalk: https:\/\/wt.buzz\/wt \ud83d\udcc8 Live Vegas Odds: https:\/\/wt.buzz\/odds \ud83d\uddde WagerTalk News: https:\/\/wt.buzz\/wn \ud83d\udc4d Facebook: https:\/\/wt.buzz\/fb \ud83d\udc26 Twitter: https:\/\/wt.buzz\/tw \ud83d\udcf8 Instagram: https:\/\/wt.buzz\/ig \ud83d\udcf0 reddit: https:\/\/wt.buzz\/rd \u2764\ufe0f iHeart Radio: https:\/\/wt.buzz\/iheart \ud83c\udf4e Apple Podcasts: https:\/\/wt.buzz\/ap \ud83d\udccc Pinterest: https:\/\/wt.buzz\/pin #SportsHandicappers #BestSportsHandicappers\"><meta itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/MHIEahzBsV0\/0.jpg\"><meta itemprop=\"duration\" content=\"PT1H8M10S\"><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2020-04-21T20:52:36Z\"><\/span>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>**************************************************<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Meet the Author<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>A contrarian by nature, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportsmemo.com\/profile\/marc-lawrence\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Marc Lawrence<\/a> loves ferreting out lives dogs that stand a good chance of winning the game. His \u201cWoody Hayes\u201d approach to handicapping is simple: Hayes\u2019 contention was that when you pass the ball three things can happen, and two of them are bad. In the same vein, when you bet on a favorite three things can happen and two of them are bad. Hence, when you bet on a live dog three things can happen and two of them are good. Marc is a 45-year veteran of the sports betting industry, having won more documented top-10 handicapping achievement awards than anyone in the nation &#8211; including winning the Stardust Football Invitational in 2005.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Looking for more free sports picks and sports betting tips?<\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Latest Betting Odds and Public Action<\/strong><strong>: <\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/wt.buzz\/odds\" data-schema-attribute=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Vegas lines<\/a> updated in real time, including who the public is betting on. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Last Minute Handicapping Advice<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">: Check out our extensive library of <\/span><a style=\"font-size: 12pt;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/sports-betting-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">handicapping tips<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> and advice from professional Vegas handicappers (we also recommend taking the time to look over our <\/span><a style=\"font-size: 12pt;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/videos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sports betting tips video library<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Want an expert opinion?<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> Check out the latest <\/span><a style=\"font-size: 12pt;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/free-sports-picks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Free Sports Picks<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> and <\/span><a style=\"font-size: 12pt;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/picks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Best Bets<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> from our team of expert sports handicappers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>Make sure to bookmark all the above!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Big Ten Football Predictions and Betting Odds Football fans have been using Marc Lawrence&#8217;s Playbook to prep for upcoming football seasons for the last 30 years. Marc shares his thoughts on the 2022 Big Ten football season with key stats and betting angles to keep an eye on.\u00a0 Find FREE MLB PICKS! Interested in joining [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2026,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[160,55,8,9],"class_list":["post-9140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-college-football","tag-big-10-football","tag-big-ten-football","tag-college-football","tag-ncaa-football"],"basic_html":"<h2>Big Ten Football Predictions and Betting Odds<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Football fans have been using Marc Lawrence's Playbook to prep for upcoming football seasons for the last 30 years. Marc shares his thoughts on the 2022 Big Ten football season with key stats and betting angles to keep an eye on.\u00a0 Find <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/free-sports-picks\/mlb\">FREE MLB PICKS<\/a>!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Interested in joining WagerTalk at the Westgate's SuperContest Weekend in Las Vegas? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/nfl\/wagertalk-joins-westgates-supercontest-weekend-august-19-21\/\">Click here<\/a> to learn more about the activities (golf, basketball, panels and more) and the discounted room block as WagerTalk takes over Sin City in August.<\/em><\/p>\n<!--more-->\n<h2>Big Ten Expansion on the Horizon<\/h2>\nIn 1990, the Big Ten universities voted to expand the conference from 10 to 11 teams and extended an invitation to Atlantic 10 member and football independent Penn State, which accepted it. When the Nittany Lions joined in 1990, it was decided the conference would continue to be called the Big Ten.\n\nIn 2011 Nebraska was added as the conference\u2019s 12th school when the Big Ten formed two divisions \u2013 the Legends and the Leaders \u2013 which stayed in effect until 2013. The conference also adopted its Big Ten Conference Championship Game between the winners of the two divisions.\n\nIn 2014 Maryland and Rutgers came aboard with the conference expanding to 14 teams. It was also then the titles of the division changed to East Division and West Division.\n\nRoll the clock forward to 2022 to the West Coast expansion when UCLA and USC announced they would be joining the conference in 2024.\n\nSomehow we feel it won\u2019t stop there with the brand of \u201cSuper Conference\u201d being bandied about.\n<h2>2022 Big Ten Championship Odds<\/h2>\nOdds below courtesy of DraftKings as of Wednesday, July 6:\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Team<\/th>\n<th>Big Ten Championship Odds<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ohio State<\/td>\n<td>-210<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Michigan<\/td>\n<td>+600<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Wisconsin<\/td>\n<td>+1100<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Penn State<\/td>\n<td>+1600<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Iowa<\/td>\n<td>+2000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Nebraska<\/td>\n<td>+2200<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Minnesota<\/td>\n<td>+2800<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Michigan State<\/td>\n<td>+2800<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Purdue<\/td>\n<td>+3000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Maryland<\/td>\n<td>+15000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Illinois<\/td>\n<td>+15000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Indiana<\/td>\n<td>+30000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Northwestern<\/td>\n<td>+40000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Rutgers<\/td>\n<td>+50000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>Projected All-Big Ten Team<\/h2>\nThe projected All-Big Ten team from Athlon\u2019s Sports, based on how players will perform in 2022, is led by 17 selections from Michigan, while Ohio State (16), Michigan State (11), and Iowa (11) round out the Top Four with double-digit selections this season.\n\nMinnesota and Purdue are next with 9. The next tier is headlined by Penn State (8), Maryland (8), Illinois (7), Nebraska (7), and Wisconsin (7).\n\nIndiana, Northwestern, and Rutgers round out the list with 6 selections each.\n<h2>Big Ten Betting Notes<\/h2>\n<ul>\n \t<li>Big Ten teams have fared exceptionally well as underdogs in bowl games dating back to 1998, going 68-51-1 ATS Overall.<\/li>\n \t<li>When coming off a win they zoom to 46-28 ATS, including 29-8 ATS against foes surrendering 21.5 or more points per game.<\/li>\n \t<li>On a sidebar note: Since 1946, the Big Ten champion has had a tie-in with the Rose Bowl game. It was not until the 1975 season that the Big Ten allowed teams to play in bowl games other than the Rose Bowl. With expansion running wild, the future of Big Ten\/Rose Bowl tie-ins is up in the air.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Big Ten Football Team Previews<\/h2>\nNote: Team write-ups are excerpts from the 2022 PLAYBOOK Football Preview Guide magazine \u2013 on sale at Barnes &amp; Noble and Books A Million bookstores nationwide or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.playbooksports.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PlaybookSports.com<\/a>.\n\n<strong>INDIANA<\/strong> \u2013 CRASH AND BURN \u2013 4 W - *5 \/ 7\n\nIndiana now knows what Space Shuttle Columbia went through during its disastrous return to earth. Well, not quite to the same degree, but the Hoosiers\u2019 descent last season was calamitous. And that\u2019s being kind for a 2-win team that was ranked in the Preseason Coaches Poll for the first time since 1968. While star QB Michael Penix Jr. was in limbo most of the season with injuries, the Hoosiers offense averaged a mere 10.4 PPG, finishing ahead of only lowly UConn nationwide in overall Offensive Pass Efficiency. Charred and burned head coach Tom Allen is hoping Missouri transfer QB Connor Bazelak can lead an upward ascent in 2022.\n\nPLAY ON: at Cincinnati (9\/24)\n\nSTAT YOU WILL LIKE: Indiana seniors made 191 team starts last season, the second-most in the Big Ten, and 10th highest in the nation.\n\n<strong>MARYLAND<\/strong> \u2013 STICKING THEIR NECKS OUT - 6 W - *9 \/ 7\n\nNot only did the Terps come out of their shell and enjoy their first winning season since 2014 last year, but they also crushed Virginia Tech in the Pinstripe Bowl for their first bowl win since 2010. After transferring in from Alabama, and leading the attack, QB Taulia Tagoviola returns after passing for 3,860 yards and 26 TDs. Another year of improvement by Tagoviola could find him among the top QBs in the nation this season. Best of all, his top three WRs return, in addition to Florida transfer Jacob Copeland, who joins the fray in what shapes up as possibly the best receiving corps in the conference.\n\nPLAY AGAINST: vs. SMU (9\/17)\n\nSTAT YOU WILL LIKE: Maryland is 0-10 SUATS during the regular season following a win from Game Seven out over the last nine years.\n\n<strong>MICHIGAN<\/strong> \u2013 SNUB CLUB \u2013 9.5 W - *9 \/ 4\n\nDespite coming off a Big Ten championship and a College Football Playoff appearance, the Wolverines still feel overlooked heading into this season. Despite losing a boatload of quality players, including Aidan Hutchinson, David Ojabo, Daxton Hill, and a total of seven defensive starters to the NFL, as well as running back Hassan Haskins, head coach Jim Harbaugh insisted his troops were \u201cscary good\u201d after the spring game, and is committed to winning a national championship. However, after winning its first Big Ten title for the first time since 2004 last season, a return to the norm appears to be in the offing in 2022. Like brethren Michigan State, the Wolves jumped from a 2-win unit in 2020 to double-digit wins (12) last season. Teams accomplishing such a feat often take huge steps backward the following season. Buyer beware.\n\nPLAY ON: vs. Michigan State (10\/29)\n\nSTAT YOU WILL LIKE: The Wolverines are 3-17 SU in their final two games of the season since 2012.\n\n<strong>MICHIGAN STATE<\/strong> \u2013 RETURN TO SENDER \u2013 7.5 W - *5 \/ 9\n\nThe Spartans rose from a 2-win squad in 2020 to an 11-victory team in 2021 under second-year head coach Mel Tucker, finishing in the AP Top 10 poll. But like big brother Michigan, we expect a return to the norm in 2022 for MSU. It starts with a defense that yielded 46 YPG more last season than in 2020, along with a secondary that ranked 85th in pass efficiency defense as Sparty actually allowed more yards than they gained in 2021. On the other side of the ball, QB Payton Thorne won't have the luxury of Kenneth Walker III in the backfield to keep defenses honest. You know the saying, \u201cWhat goes up\u201d\u2026\n\nPLAY AGAINST: vs. Indiana (11\/19)\n\nSTAT YOU WILL LIKE: The last time the Spartans won more than 10 games in a season (2015) they went 3-9 the following year.\n\n<strong>OHIO STATE<\/strong> \u2013 POISED FOR PAYBACK \u2013 10.5 W - *6 \/ 8\n\nFor the first time in four years \u2013 and the only time under Ryan Day \u2013 the Buckeyes failed to make their way to the Big Ten championship game last season. It proved to be a costly flub when they finished No. 5 in the CFP final poll. Uncharacteristically, OSU has finished ninth in the conference each of the past two seasons in total defense. As a result, Day brought in four new assistant coaches, including former Oklahoma State DC Jim Knowles. Nonetheless, the Buckeyes are loaded with returning player experience, including star QB CJ Stroud, a Heisman Trophy nominee last season, along with sophomore RB TreVeyon Henderson, and junior WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba. And for the first time since 1995, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will travel to the Horseshoe, looking to snap a four-game-series losing skein.\n\nPLAY ON: vs. Michigan (11\/26)\n\nSTAT YOU WILL LIKE: The Buckeyes are 24-0 in games versus .900 or fewer opponents under Ryan Day.\n\n<strong>PENN STATE<\/strong> \u2013 FRESHLY MINTED \u2013 8.5 W - *7 \/ 4\n\nMidway through the 2021 college football season, Penn State gave James Franklin a 10-year contract extension with a potential value of $85 million. $70 million of Franklin\u2019s money is guaranteed, though most doubt Franklin earned such a contract. You can count us as one of the doubters. The Lions lost six out of their last eight games in 2021. They actually went backward statistically, both on offense and defense, yet managed to improve both SU and ATS. And that\u2019s a big no-no in our books, as teams meeting these criteria almost always take a step back the following season. So much for that big fat extension.\n\nPASS\n\nSTAT YOU WILL LIKE: Head coach Franklin is 4-18 SU and 5-15-2 ATS away versus greater than .666 opponents.\n\n<strong>RUTGERS<\/strong> \u2013 OPERATION INTELLECT - 4 W - *6 \/ 6\n\nGreg Schiano\u2019s Knights were sitting pretty when they opened the 2021 season on a 3-0 winning note. However, suddenly sitting at 5-5 in mid-November, with a pair of season-ending games ahead, they folded like a cheap card table. But then fate played its card when Texas A&amp;M was forced to back out of the prestigious Gator Bowl due to COVID protocols, and the Knights were accepted as a replacement team with a 5-7 record thanks to its outstanding Academic Progress Rate scores. Sure, they were waxed by Wake Forest, but it didn\u2019t matter \u2013 the season was already a success. With just 12 starters back, they\u2019ll need more than just a studious cast in 2022.\n\nPLAY ON: as a dog vs. Michigan (11\/5)\n\nSTAT YOU WILL LIKE: Greg Schiano is 16-4-1 ATS as a non-conference pick or dog with Rutgers.\n\n<strong>ILLINOIS<\/strong> \u2013 POWER DOWN \u2013 4.5 W - *7 \/ 6\n\nThe Illini returned 17 scholarship seniors on last year\u2019s roster, and it nearly got them to a bowl game, when a 4-3 finish wasn\u2019t enough to overcome a 1-4 start. The bad news this season is the senior throng is now history, and Bret Bielema is now faced with a cast of the fewest returning production in the Big Ten this season. Making matters worse is this year\u2019s Transfer Portal yielded little-to-no support. After finishing with one of the worst offenses in the nation in 2021, new OC Barry Lunney Jr. was brought in from UTSA to jump-start the attack. Former transfer QBs Tommy DeVito and Artur Sitkowski will draw straws for the starting job.\n\nPLAY ON: vs. Iowa (10\/8)\n\nSTAT YOU WILL LIKE: Bret Bielema is 1-9 ATS when coming off a SU underdog win and facing a .700 or fewer opponent.\n\n<strong>IOWA<\/strong> \u2013 PERMANENCE \u2013 7.5 W - *8 \/ 7\n\nDespite suffering its 13th four-plus loss season since 2005, Iowa finished in the AP Poll for the fourth straight season, which is the longest streak under head coach Kirk Ferentz. One of the reasons is Iowa is 22-6 in its last 28 rivalry trophy games (Iowa State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin). Head scratchily, the Hawkeyes somehow improved from 6 wins to 10 last season despite slipping offensively and defensively in overall scoring and yardage on both sides of the ball. Ferentz completed his 23rd season as Iowa\u2019s head football coach in 2021 and is the longest-tenured active head coach in college football. Iowa is the only school in the country to have just two head football coaches since 1979 (Hayden Fry 1979-98). And speaking of continuity, returning QB Spencer Petras had started 17 consecutive games before he was injured last season.\n\nPLAY AGAINST: vs. Iowa State (9\/10)\n\nSTAT YOU WILL LIKE: Iowa underclassmen made 192 team-starts last season, the third most in the FBS.\n\n<strong>MINNESOTA<\/strong> \u2013 EXPERIENCE THE FEELING \u2013 7.5 W - *6 \/ 6\n\nThe Gophers were on the opposite end of the EXPERIENCE THE FEELING poll last season with just under 12% of all their starts made by underclassmen. That figures to serve P.J. Fleck well in 2022, as he welcomes a team deep with returning experience. Among the returnees are all three leading RBs, each of whom went down with season-ending injuries. Meanwhile, offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarocca returns, after stints with West Virginia and Penn State the past two seasons. Ciarocca served as the Gophers' OC in 2019 when Minnesota won 11 games behind an explosive offense that averaged 34 PPG. With QB Tanner Morgan back after tossing for over 3,200 yards and 30 TDs last season, the chemistry couldn\u2019t be better.\n\nPLAY ON: at Illinois (10\/15)\n\nSTAT YOU WILL LIKE: P.J. Fleck is 6-0 ATS away versus .800 or greater opponents.\n\n<strong>NEBRASKA<\/strong> \u2013 CAT \u2018O NINE LIVES \u2013 7.5 W - *7 \/ 5\n\nSo, what happens when your coach who hasn\u2019t had a winning season in his four-year term comes off the worst season in his tenure? The school extends his contract, of course. One likely reason is that all nine of the Cornhusker losses last year were by single-digits. Another is that the team improved its stats on both sides of the ball \u2013 both scoring and statistically \u2013 over 2020\u2019s effort. Yes, Scott Frost is still squarely on the hot seat, and working for less money. But he got a reprieve, and with it he will welcome former Texas QB Casey Thompson with open arms. Get on him early.\nPOINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:\nPLAY ON: at Purdue (10\/15)\nSTAT YOU WILL LIKE: Nebraska will face losing foes in five of its first six games, and winning foes in five of its six final games this season.\n\n<strong>NORTHWESTERN<\/strong> \u2013 THORNS AND ROSES - 4 W - *9 \/ 5\n\nThings were so bad for the Northwestern offense last season they finished with the third-worst Red Zone offense \u2013 behind UMass! Six signal callers have taken snaps for the Wildcats since Clayton Thorson graduated in 2019. In those three years, they\u2019ve combined to throw for just 3,532 yards and 19 TDs. The hope is that homegrown 3* prospect Jack Lausch, a former Notre Dame commit with an outfielder\u2019s arm, can calm the QB woes. He\u2019ll need to beat out last year\u2019s starter, Ryan Hlinski. Either way, it won\u2019t be a bed of roses for the Wildcats, not with a schedule from late September to mid-November laced with 8 consecutive foes that played in bowl games last season.\n\nPLAY ON: at Iowa (10\/29)\n\nSTAT YOU WILL LIKE: Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald is 9-1 ATS as a dog with revenge versus .500 or fewer opponents.\n\n<strong>PURDUE<\/strong> \u2013 BALANCING ACT \u2013 7.5 W - *7 \/ 8\n\nThe Boilermakers bounced back from a 2-win effort in a shortened 2020 campaign with 9-wins for the first time since 2003. It was only their second winning effort in ten years, and it concluded with an impressive 48-45 overtime win over Tennessee in the Music City Bowl as a 7.5-point underdog behind a short-handed, and banged-up team. After tossing for 534 yards and 5 TDs in the bowl victory, QB Aidan O\u2019Connell returns in 2022, but his main target, David Bell, is off to the NFL. Jeff Brohm knows his team will need to develop a ground game (three straight seasons 85 RPG or less) if they wish to become a viable threat.\n\nPLAY ON: at Minnesota (10\/1)\n\nSTAT YOU WILL LIKE: Jeff Brohm is 20-6 ATS as a dog of 4 or more points, including 10-0 ATS off a loss.\n\n<strong>WISCONSIN<\/strong> \u2013 STEADFAST AND FANCY-FREE \u2013 8.5 W - *5 \/ 3\n\nAfter a 1-3 start, which concluded with a blowout home loss to Michigan, the Badgers went 8-1 in their final nine games to finish 9-4 with a bowl win over Arizona State. Although they didn\u2019t win the Big Ten West again, they did create a solid foundation for the 2022 season. For openers, they capped the campaign with the top-rated overall defense in the FBS, one that allowed a season-best 4.1 Yards Per Play. While RB Braelon Allen is one of the top backs in the land, QB Graham Mertz has been inconsistent. Perhaps new OC Bobby Engram, who reunites with Paul Chryst from their days at Pitt, will turn him back around.\n\nPLAY AGAINST: at Nebraska (11\/19)\n\nSTAT YOU WILL LIKE: The Badgers surrendered 1.8 points per game in the first quarter last season, tied for the lowest in the FBS with Georgia.\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">Meet the Experts: Marc Lawrence<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Lawrence Prezman sits down with Marc Lawrence to discuss his career in the sports betting business. Marc has been a professional handicapper for over 40 years, and is celebrating the 30th anniversary of his Playbook preseason guide in 2022.<\/p>\n[embedyt] https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=MHIEahzBsV0[\/embedyt]\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>**************************************************<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Meet the Author<\/span><\/h4>\nA contrarian by nature, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportsmemo.com\/profile\/marc-lawrence\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Marc Lawrence<\/a> loves ferreting out lives dogs that stand a good chance of winning the game. His \u201cWoody Hayes\u201d approach to handicapping is simple: Hayes\u2019 contention was that when you pass the ball three things can happen, and two of them are bad. In the same vein, when you bet on a favorite three things can happen and two of them are bad. Hence, when you bet on a live dog three things can happen and two of them are good. Marc is a 45-year veteran of the sports betting industry, having won more documented top-10 handicapping achievement awards than anyone in the nation - including winning the Stardust Football Invitational in 2005.\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Looking for more free sports picks and sports betting tips?<\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n \t<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Latest Betting Odds and Public Action<\/strong><strong>: <\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/wt.buzz\/odds\" data-schema-attribute=\"\">Vegas lines<\/a> updated in real time, including who the public is betting on. <\/span><\/li>\n \t<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Last Minute Handicapping Advice<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">: Check out our extensive library of <\/span><a style=\"font-size: 12pt;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/sports-betting-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">handicapping tips<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> and advice from professional Vegas handicappers (we also recommend taking the time to look over our <\/span><a style=\"font-size: 12pt;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/videos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sports betting tips video library<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">)<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Want an expert opinion?<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> Check out the latest <\/span><a style=\"font-size: 12pt;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/free-sports-picks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Free Sports Picks<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> and <\/span><a style=\"font-size: 12pt;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/picks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Best Bets<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> from our team of expert sports handicappers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>Make sure to bookmark all the above!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9140"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9140\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27917,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9140\/revisions\/27917"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2026"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}