Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza 8/4/2015

by Doc's Sports - 8/4/2015

Training camps have opened all across the league in the NFL, and some of the early bets on AFC futures in Las Vegas have been bullish on the Indianapolis Colts to break through this season with a trip to Super Bowl 50. As part of our trip around each division race heading into a new season of NFL action, we will get Doc's Sports expert handicapper Raphael Esparza's thoughts on the Colts as part of this week's discussion.

Formerly known as the Vegas Sports Informer during his rise to the prestigious position of Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Grand's Aria during a long and successful career in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry, he has been on Doc's handicapping team for the past eight years. Raphael retired from the Las Vegas sportsbook industry a few years back, but he continues to use this "insider's edge" in his sports investment business to provide winning selections for one of the widest array of betting events in the handicapping industry. The following is this week's conversation.

Doc's Sports: Last Friday's MLB trade deadline has come and gone, so can you give us one or two teams that helped themselves out the most in their push towards the postseason?

RE: I would have to say Toronto in the American League with the addition of pitcher David Price, who already proved his worth in his first start for the Blue Jays. It's what the New York Mets did not have to give up to add a few more bats that make them my top team in the National League.

Doc's Sports: The Pac-12 has a few solid contenders for a possible run to a National Championship this season according to the NCAA football futures with some of the major sportsbooks in town, but which one of these national powers would be your early pick to win the 2015 conference title?

RE: You can never count out Oregon given the success this program has had in the Pac-12 the past few seasons, but if I had to pick a team right now it would be USC. This program is finally back to full strength, and the Trojans have a proven winner in Cody Kessler at quarterback. I would also add Stanford and UCLA to my group of the top teams in the Pac-12 this year.

Doc's Sports: The Indianapolis Colts have won 11 games in each of Andrew Luck's first three seasons in the NFL as their starting quarterback. While we all know the Colts are heavy favorites to win another AFC South title, can they take the next step this season to the top of their conference?

RE: I have Luck listed as one of my top three quarterbacks in the NFL heading into his fourth season in the league, and it would not surprise me to see the Colts take the next step all the way to the Super Bowl this season. Much of that could also depend on how much of a distraction the whole Tom Brady situation becomes in New England.

Doc's Sports : Everyone knows what a big WNBA fan you are, so what are your thoughts on the top teams leading the way to this season's championship at the halfway point of the regular season?

RE: Right now I see this year's champion coming out of the West in a battle between Minnesota and Phoenix. I am starting to lose some faith in Chicago as one of my top teams in the East given their erratic play through the first half of the season.

Doc's Sports: This is a slow time of the year for many avid sports bettors, but you have gained a reputation for finding value in some betting events that are way off the beaten path. Can you tip us off on one or two upcoming events along these lines that you will be releasing selections for?

RE: The two big events that I will be following in August are the Little League World Series and WWE's SummerSlam. Some betting odds have already been released for this year's SummerSlam on Aug. 23, and in light of the tremendous growth in popularity of this event I would not be surprised to see the sportsbooks raise some of the betting limits for the bouts.

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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