Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza 4/14/2015

by Doc's Sports - 4/14/2015

The NBA and the NHL playoffs get underway this week, and Doc's Sports has you covered with selection packages for both of these action-packed runs to a world title. Now in our 44^th year in the sports betting industry, we continue to be at the top of our game behind a team of expert handicappers that include some of the best of the best in the nation.

For the past eight years, Raphael Esparza has been a big part of that winning team as an expert handicapper for Doc's. He honed his skills in the sports betting business during a long and successful career with some of the biggest sportsbooks in Las Vegas. Formally known as the Vegas Sports Informer, 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 has been able to maintain a direct connection to 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 information to create a true "insider's edge" for all of his selections. Savvy bettors understand the value that this kind of information brings to the table, and the proof is in the small fortune that they have made over the years with his sports selection service.

While he continues to offer selection packages for all the major sports, what makes his handicapping service so unique is picks for 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, do not be surprised if he offers picks for it.

Doc's and Raphael have developed an ongoing weekly Q&A that is designed to delve deeper into the Las Vegas betting scene as well as cover 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: The NHL Stanley Cup playoffs get underway this week, and most sportsbooks have the New York Rangers favored to win the Eastern Conference and Chicago as a slight favorite to win the West. If you had to make an early pick for which two teams will meet in this season's NHL Finals, whom would they be?

RE: I would have to agree that New York should come out of the East, but I actually like Anaheim's chances to win the West. The much-anticipated return of Patrick Kane to the Blackhawks' lineup sometime in the opening round has driven the odds down on Chicago, but I think the Ducks are the better overall team and they should have an easier path to the conference finals.

Doc's Sports: Floyd Mayweather Jr. is still a heavy favorite in his much-anticipated bout with Manny Pacquiao on May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Which direction do you see this moneyline headed in town as we get closer to this fight?

RE: Right now Mayweather is a little more than a 2/1 favorite, but that number was closer to 3/1 before this bout was finalized. The betting public wants to see an upset, so I expect the odds to come down even more as we get closer to that May 2 date. Personally, if I can get Mayweather at -180 at fight time, I would jump all over it.

Doc's Sports : This year's Kentucky Derby is shaping up as a three-horse race between Bob Baffert's American Pharoah and Dortmund and Todd Pletcher's Carpe Diem. What is your take on this year's 'Run for the Roses' with the conclusion of the Derby's prep race schedule this past weekend?

RE: I have this year's Kentucky Derby as a two-horse race between American Pharoah and Dortmund. Both have registered dominating victories against stronger fields than Carpe Diem or any other contender in the projected field. Of the two, I am hoping that Dortmund opens as a slight favorite so I can get some better value on American Pharoah's odds as my projected winner.

Doc's Sports: The battle for league MVP in the NBA has been a heated race all season long. It looks like Houston's James Harden and Golden State's Stephen Curry are the leading contenders, but who do you have taking home this award?

RE: My personal pick would be Stephen Curry given his contributions as an all-around player this season. Harden and Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook continue to put up big numbers on a nightly basis, but to me a true MVP is someone that can do it all. I think Curry best fits the mold with his unselfish style of play.

Doc's Sports : The new MLB season is underway, so can you give us a few inside handicapping tips for betting on the games this time of the year?

RE: It's definitely harder to handicap baseball right out of the gate, but one of the biggest things I look for is bounce-back opportunities with good teams coming off a bad loss as heavy favorites. The talent is still there, and this type of ball club tends to avoid too many back-to-back losses early in the season. Right now, I would concentrate my efforts on teams such as Washington, Pittsburgh and Cleveland, who are all better than their early record indicates.

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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