Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza 5/5/2015

by Doc's Sports - 5/5/2015

Both the NBA and NHL playoffs press on in the conference semifinals round while the new MLB regular season enters its second month of games. You can count on Doc's Sports to keep right in the center of all the action as the industry leader in the sports selection business for the past 44 years. You do not get to the top in this game without doing something right, and much of our success can be attributed to a team of expert handicappers that include some of the best of the best in their field.

It is no secret that Raphael Esparza has been a big part of this winning team with a proven record of success at Doc's over the past eight years. Formerly known as the Vegas Sports Informer during an extended career working for some of the biggest sportsbooks in town, he once held the prestigious position of Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Grand's Aria until his retirement from the industry in 2013.

Raphael is still working hard to bring you winners behind a vast network of Las Vegas "insiders" that include some of the town's biggest and most influential personalities in the sports betting game. These professionals know this industry inside and out, and he has used this unique access to create a true "insider's edge" for all of his selections. Savvy bettors that are dialed in to his sports investment service understand the incredible value this edge can provide, and the proof is in his winning record over the years.

While his selection packages include picks for all the major sports, he loves to mix things up by also handicapping sports such as the WNBA, horse racing, boxing, professional tennis and soccer leagues all around the globe. One week it might be pro wrestling and the next it could be prop bet picks in the world of entertainment. If a sportsbook somewhere around the globe posts odds for an event, there is a good chance that Raphael will be handicapping the outcome.

Awhile back, Doc's and Raphael set-up an ongoing weekly Q&A to give readers a deeper look into the Las Vegas betting scene as well as covering some of the hottest trending sports betting topics of the day. When looking for the ultimate sports betting source, we have found that there is no one better than a true "insider" in the undisputed sports gambling capital of the world. The following is this week's conversation.

Doc's Sports: This past Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the highly-touted welterweight fight between Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. went exactly according to script with Mayweather pounding out a unanimous decision at the end of the 12 rounds. How did the books in town fare with this result?

RE: I just posted an article on Doc's website covering the betting results of this fight for the Las Vegas sportsbooks, and the MGM books alone won over $1 million even though this was the favored result. Many of the books both on and off The Strip cleaned up on many of the prop bets surrounding this fight to make it a winning night right across the board.

Doc's Sports: American Pharoah also came through as the favorite with a thrilling victory down the stretch of Saturday's Kentucky Derby. In your expert opinion as someone who handicaps horse racing on a regular basis, is this three-year-old a legitimate threat to end a Triple Crown drought that dates all the way back to 1978?

RE: Given that we have not had a Triple Crown winner since 1978, I really do not think in terms of American Pharoah as a threat to win all three races this year. He should have a great shot at winning the Preakness Stakes given his overall speed coupled with the slightly shorter distance of that race, but any number of things can happen in the longer 1 ½-mile Belmont Stakes to derail this run.

Doc's Sports : The Cleveland Cavaliers are still heavy favorites to win the NBA's Eastern Conference title, but they have lost Kevin Love for the rest of the playoffs, JR Smith for the first two games of their current conference semifinals matchup against Chicago and Game 1 of that best-of-seven series against the Bulls this past Monday night. Are you still betting on the Cavaliers to make their way to the NBA Finals?

RE: I think that Cleveland's bench could be an issue the longer this series goes on, but I am not about to jump ship on this team's chances to win the East based on just one game. That outlook could change if the Bulls can find a way to win Game 2 on the road as well, but right now I would stick with the Cavaliers to advance to the conference finals and go on to beat whichever team they would face in that series as well.

Doc's Sports: Golden State has looked pretty much unstoppable as the top seed in the NBA's Western Conference through its first five playoff games. Regardless of which team makes it into the finals from the East, is there anyway the Warriors do not win a NBA Championship this season?

RE: There is no doubt that Golden State is the team to beat this year in the NBA. If the Warriors can make short work of Memphis in their current series, they would have a huge edge going into the conference finals given the wear and tear that either of their opponents will probably bring into that matchup. As far as the NBA Finals, I would lean towards any team from the West over a team from the East to win it all.

Doc's Sports : The top series in the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs right now is the New York Rangers verses the Washington Capitals in one of two conference semifinal matchups in the East. The Capitals have grinded out a 2-1 series lead, but in a showdown that appears destined to go the distance, which team do you have coming out on top when it is all said and done?

RE: I am not really sure which team survives this battle, but I find myself rooting for Washington simply because of Alex Ovechkin's past disappointments in the postseason. He has been lighting things up so far, and I would love to see him lead his team to the Stanley Cup Finals this year.

Click here to visit Raphael Esparza's Insider's Page at Doc's Sports for more information on his amazingly-profitable sports handicapping picks. Also, get $60 worth of Esparza's member's picks absolutely free - no obligation, no sales people - you don't even have to enter credit card information. You can use this $60 credit for any sport Esparza handicaps. Click here for $60 worth of free picks from Raphael Esparza .

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