Emily Giambalvo
@emilygiam.bsky.social
Washington Post sports + data reporter
The preseason college football rankings were really, really wrong
See how each team over or underperformed the average regular season winning percentage for teams that have earned the same preseason ranking.
story w/ @jessedougherty.bsky.social: wapo.st/3XCOM7U
See how each team over or underperformed the average regular season winning percentage for teams that have earned the same preseason ranking.
story w/ @jessedougherty.bsky.social: wapo.st/3XCOM7U
December 5, 2025 at 1:20 AM
The preseason college football rankings were really, really wrong
See how each team over or underperformed the average regular season winning percentage for teams that have earned the same preseason ranking.
story w/ @jessedougherty.bsky.social: wapo.st/3XCOM7U
See how each team over or underperformed the average regular season winning percentage for teams that have earned the same preseason ranking.
story w/ @jessedougherty.bsky.social: wapo.st/3XCOM7U
This season, many teams ranked further down the preseason poll had better regular season records than the average among past teams that earned the same ranking.
For only the second time, the No. 16-25 teams had a better combined record than the No. 1-15 teams.
wapo.st/3XCOM7U
For only the second time, the No. 16-25 teams had a better combined record than the No. 1-15 teams.
wapo.st/3XCOM7U
December 4, 2025 at 4:05 PM
This season, many teams ranked further down the preseason poll had better regular season records than the average among past teams that earned the same ranking.
For only the second time, the No. 16-25 teams had a better combined record than the No. 1-15 teams.
wapo.st/3XCOM7U
For only the second time, the No. 16-25 teams had a better combined record than the No. 1-15 teams.
wapo.st/3XCOM7U
The U.S. women's gymnastics program won just two medals at world championships this week — their fewest since 2001. What happened?
Analysis of the state of the U.S. program: wapo.st/3JuJl7s
Analysis of the state of the U.S. program: wapo.st/3JuJl7s
October 25, 2025 at 3:12 PM
The U.S. women's gymnastics program won just two medals at world championships this week — their fewest since 2001. What happened?
Analysis of the state of the U.S. program: wapo.st/3JuJl7s
Analysis of the state of the U.S. program: wapo.st/3JuJl7s
October is the most popular month for weddings. And it's the heart of college football season.
Last year, we analyzed wedding data to see if it actually made a difference: It kind of does! In major CFB markets, especially the SEC, bye weeks were more popular wedding dates than game-day Saturdays.
Last year, we analyzed wedding data to see if it actually made a difference: It kind of does! In major CFB markets, especially the SEC, bye weeks were more popular wedding dates than game-day Saturdays.
October 15, 2025 at 2:53 PM
October is the most popular month for weddings. And it's the heart of college football season.
Last year, we analyzed wedding data to see if it actually made a difference: It kind of does! In major CFB markets, especially the SEC, bye weeks were more popular wedding dates than game-day Saturdays.
Last year, we analyzed wedding data to see if it actually made a difference: It kind of does! In major CFB markets, especially the SEC, bye weeks were more popular wedding dates than game-day Saturdays.
Sportsbooks generate far more revenue per dollar wagered on parlays than straight bets.
And yet the popularity of parlays is soaring.
Sportsbooks heavily promote these bets — and many people probably never bother to do the math to understand why they're such a bad deal.
Story: bit.ly/47hUFwJ
And yet the popularity of parlays is soaring.
Sportsbooks heavily promote these bets — and many people probably never bother to do the math to understand why they're such a bad deal.
Story: bit.ly/47hUFwJ
October 10, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Sportsbooks generate far more revenue per dollar wagered on parlays than straight bets.
And yet the popularity of parlays is soaring.
Sportsbooks heavily promote these bets — and many people probably never bother to do the math to understand why they're such a bad deal.
Story: bit.ly/47hUFwJ
And yet the popularity of parlays is soaring.
Sportsbooks heavily promote these bets — and many people probably never bother to do the math to understand why they're such a bad deal.
Story: bit.ly/47hUFwJ
We simulated what your bank account would look like if you kept betting parlays. Here we consider a five-leg parlay with -110 odds per leg. And we assume you're no better than random chance. (You probably aren't.)
You might get lucky every so often, but breaking even in the long run is very hard.
You might get lucky every so often, but breaking even in the long run is very hard.
October 9, 2025 at 3:21 PM
We simulated what your bank account would look like if you kept betting parlays. Here we consider a five-leg parlay with -110 odds per leg. And we assume you're no better than random chance. (You probably aren't.)
You might get lucky every so often, but breaking even in the long run is very hard.
You might get lucky every so often, but breaking even in the long run is very hard.
The sportsbooks’ advantage is obvious in the data: Operators bring in far more revenue for every dollar wagered on these bets than they do straight bets. Parlays account for about one-third of the total amount wagered, but they generate roughly two-thirds of the sportsbooks’ revenue.
October 9, 2025 at 2:57 PM
The sportsbooks’ advantage is obvious in the data: Operators bring in far more revenue for every dollar wagered on these bets than they do straight bets. Parlays account for about one-third of the total amount wagered, but they generate roughly two-thirds of the sportsbooks’ revenue.
And now Claire Pease, who won the U.S. Classic, is also out with an ankle injury.
September 27, 2025 at 9:42 PM
And now Claire Pease, who won the U.S. Classic, is also out with an ankle injury.
U.S. national all-around champion and 2024 Olympian Hezly Rivera will not compete at the world championships selection event due to an ankle injury, she said on Instagram.
September 26, 2025 at 9:55 PM
U.S. national all-around champion and 2024 Olympian Hezly Rivera will not compete at the world championships selection event due to an ankle injury, she said on Instagram.
In the women's NCAA tournament, nearly 40 percent of rotation players had previously played at another Division I school.
But South Carolina and UConn — the teams playing for a national title today — were outliers with just one transfer among their top eight players in minutes.
bit.ly/4llk4uv
But South Carolina and UConn — the teams playing for a national title today — were outliers with just one transfer among their top eight players in minutes.
bit.ly/4llk4uv
April 6, 2025 at 3:33 PM
In the women's NCAA tournament, nearly 40 percent of rotation players had previously played at another Division I school.
But South Carolina and UConn — the teams playing for a national title today — were outliers with just one transfer among their top eight players in minutes.
bit.ly/4llk4uv
But South Carolina and UConn — the teams playing for a national title today — were outliers with just one transfer among their top eight players in minutes.
bit.ly/4llk4uv
This year's men's Final Four has rotation players who arrived at their schools via Baylor, Belmont, Iona, Oklahoma, FAU, Morehead State, Georgia Tech, FIU, Tulane, Duquesne, San Diego State, Washington State, Louisiana, Texas Tech, Purdue & Chattanooga
bit.ly/4iTO4Ml
bit.ly/4iTO4Ml
April 5, 2025 at 3:14 PM
This year's men's Final Four has rotation players who arrived at their schools via Baylor, Belmont, Iona, Oklahoma, FAU, Morehead State, Georgia Tech, FIU, Tulane, Duquesne, San Diego State, Washington State, Louisiana, Texas Tech, Purdue & Chattanooga
bit.ly/4iTO4Ml
bit.ly/4iTO4Ml
Memphis, which begins NCAA tournament play today, has a rotation that has previously played at 15 other Division I schools.
See how every other team compares:
wapo.st/4inyskh
See how every other team compares:
wapo.st/4inyskh
March 21, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Memphis, which begins NCAA tournament play today, has a rotation that has previously played at 15 other Division I schools.
See how every other team compares:
wapo.st/4inyskh
See how every other team compares:
wapo.st/4inyskh
Welcome to M̶a̶r̶c̶h̶ Transfer Madness, where 53 percent (!!!) of men's rotation players have logged minutes at another Division I school.
Fifty-three percent!
wapo.st/41By62h
Fifty-three percent!
wapo.st/41By62h
March 20, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Welcome to M̶a̶r̶c̶h̶ Transfer Madness, where 53 percent (!!!) of men's rotation players have logged minutes at another Division I school.
Fifty-three percent!
wapo.st/41By62h
Fifty-three percent!
wapo.st/41By62h
Kentucky's rotation entered the season with close to 18,000 combined minutes: ALL at Not Kentucky.
A great example of how the new transfer landscape has totally changed how new coaches can operate.
A great example of how the new transfer landscape has totally changed how new coaches can operate.
March 20, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Kentucky's rotation entered the season with close to 18,000 combined minutes: ALL at Not Kentucky.
A great example of how the new transfer landscape has totally changed how new coaches can operate.
A great example of how the new transfer landscape has totally changed how new coaches can operate.
There are only two teams in the men's tournament that *don't* have a rotation player who has previously logged minutes at another D-I school: Purdue and Marquette.
You can check out the Transfer DNA of every tournament team:
wapo.st/41By62h
You can check out the Transfer DNA of every tournament team:
wapo.st/41By62h
March 20, 2025 at 1:08 PM
There are only two teams in the men's tournament that *don't* have a rotation player who has previously logged minutes at another D-I school: Purdue and Marquette.
You can check out the Transfer DNA of every tournament team:
wapo.st/41By62h
You can check out the Transfer DNA of every tournament team:
wapo.st/41By62h
We all know transfers rule college basketball … but to what extent? And how different is today vs. the past?
We quantified it by analyzing the careers of rotation players on every men’s & women’s NCAA tournament team since 2010. That’s 10,000 players!
Check it out (gift link): wapo.st/41By62h
We quantified it by analyzing the careers of rotation players on every men’s & women’s NCAA tournament team since 2010. That’s 10,000 players!
Check it out (gift link): wapo.st/41By62h
March 20, 2025 at 1:04 PM
We all know transfers rule college basketball … but to what extent? And how different is today vs. the past?
We quantified it by analyzing the careers of rotation players on every men’s & women’s NCAA tournament team since 2010. That’s 10,000 players!
Check it out (gift link): wapo.st/41By62h
We quantified it by analyzing the careers of rotation players on every men’s & women’s NCAA tournament team since 2010. That’s 10,000 players!
Check it out (gift link): wapo.st/41By62h
If the Commanders beat the Eagles, they will have the worst previous-season winning percentage of any team to ever advance to the Super Bowl.
In 58 editions of the Super Bowl, just 12 percent of participating teams have had a losing record the previous season.
In 58 editions of the Super Bowl, just 12 percent of participating teams have had a losing record the previous season.
January 26, 2025 at 3:44 PM
If the Commanders beat the Eagles, they will have the worst previous-season winning percentage of any team to ever advance to the Super Bowl.
In 58 editions of the Super Bowl, just 12 percent of participating teams have had a losing record the previous season.
In 58 editions of the Super Bowl, just 12 percent of participating teams have had a losing record the previous season.
And the data made it really stark how much the value of QB contracts has exploded in recent years.
January 22, 2025 at 1:57 PM
And the data made it really stark how much the value of QB contracts has exploded in recent years.
Simone Biles is in Athens today. Why? The gymnastics team hired her former coach to take over the once incredible but lately struggling program.
Georgia's home meet tonight is "Olympics night."
Story from earlier this year on Biles's coach deciding to take the leap to the NCAA: wapo.st/4hmPaiS
Georgia's home meet tonight is "Olympics night."
Story from earlier this year on Biles's coach deciding to take the leap to the NCAA: wapo.st/4hmPaiS
January 17, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Simone Biles is in Athens today. Why? The gymnastics team hired her former coach to take over the once incredible but lately struggling program.
Georgia's home meet tonight is "Olympics night."
Story from earlier this year on Biles's coach deciding to take the leap to the NCAA: wapo.st/4hmPaiS
Georgia's home meet tonight is "Olympics night."
Story from earlier this year on Biles's coach deciding to take the leap to the NCAA: wapo.st/4hmPaiS
And this year, Wieber + Arkansas have Joscelyn Roberson, the breakout star of 2023 in U.S. elite gymnastics who, despite an injury, was an alternate for the Paris Olympic team.
Also, a great excuse to re-post this wholesome part of a 2023 story:
bit.ly/4fS5yqc
Also, a great excuse to re-post this wholesome part of a 2023 story:
bit.ly/4fS5yqc
January 10, 2025 at 5:48 PM
And this year, Wieber + Arkansas have Joscelyn Roberson, the breakout star of 2023 in U.S. elite gymnastics who, despite an injury, was an alternate for the Paris Olympic team.
Also, a great excuse to re-post this wholesome part of a 2023 story:
bit.ly/4fS5yqc
Also, a great excuse to re-post this wholesome part of a 2023 story:
bit.ly/4fS5yqc
And then when I tested it — opponent recent winning percentage vs. market's wedding frequency (relative to the national mark) — it was one big giant blob of ~ no correlation ~
December 17, 2024 at 8:11 PM
And then when I tested it — opponent recent winning percentage vs. market's wedding frequency (relative to the national mark) — it was one big giant blob of ~ no correlation ~
You can check to see where your team landed in terms of wedding frequency in the region on idle Saturdays vs. away-game dates vs. home-game dates
t.co/UOLClPVD2t
t.co/UOLClPVD2t
December 17, 2024 at 4:21 PM
You can check to see where your team landed in terms of wedding frequency in the region on idle Saturdays vs. away-game dates vs. home-game dates
t.co/UOLClPVD2t
t.co/UOLClPVD2t