Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza 6/21/2016

by Doc's Sports - 6/21/2016

Doc's Sports expert handicapper Raphael Esparza recently reprised his role as expert oddsmaker in the world of entertainment by collaborating with Bovada to set the betting odds for the next fatality on the popular HBO original series Game of Thrones. In this week's discussion we will get an update on what is coming up next in the field of entertainment along with a few other interesting events on this week's sports betting calendar.

Raphael first made a name for himself as the Vegas Sports Informer during a long and successful career in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry. At one point he held the prestigious position as the Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Grand's Aria until his retirement in 2013. Since then, one of Doc's most interesting handicappers has been splitting his time between Las Vegas and the Big Easy in New Orleans running a successful and diverse sports investment service. The following is this week's Q&A.

Doc's Sports: The Cleveland Cavaliers just pulled off one of the most improbable comebacks in this history of all sports by winning this season's NBA title over the heavily-favored Golden State Warriors. We already know that the party in Cleveland will go on for quite some time. However, back in Las Vegas, who is celebrating more, the sportsbooks or the betting public, with this shocking outcome?

RE: The sportsbooks in town took it on the chin in both the series price odds for the NBA Finals and in Game 7 with quite a bit of money coming in on Cleveland. Sunday was especially rough with a ton of action on the Cavaliers' moneyline odds. The books probably came out ahead on the final futures odds on the NBA season given just how much early money was on Golden State.

Doc's Sports: The United States' national soccer team has been able to advance to the semifinals of Copa America, but they come into Tuesday night's match against Argentina as heavy underdogs. You were not really high on the United States' chances in this tournament before it began, so is there any shot at seeing a major upset in this matchup?

RE: I have been impressed with the US team since they stumbled out of the gate in that loss to Columbia, but they are going to have to play flawless soccer to have any chance to get past Argentina. The key in this game will be getting to halftime with a scoreless tie or in the best case scenario with an actual lead. That is really the only way that the United States will have a shot to pull off the upset.

Doc's Sports : The Euro Cup is the other big soccer tournament going on right now. Spain and France remain the top two favorites with most sportsbooks to win heading into the knockout phase of competition, but which country do you have winning it all?

RE: Spain has impressed me as the most complete team so far, but you can never count out France or even Germany as this tournament continues to advance. Spain is the kind of team that is almost unbeatable if it gets an early lead, so I would have to lean that way as far as my top pick to win it all.

Doc's Sports : The College World Series of baseball is also taking place right now. So far upsets have been the norm with four national seeds already getting beat as of Monday's results. This should make things a wide-open affair in the march to the 2016 title. So, give us a team or two to watch from here on in.

RE: I would have to go with Oklahoma State as my top pick right now given just how good the Cowboys' pitching has been in their early games. Do not go to sleep on Coastal Carolina following its impressive upset over Florida this past Sunday. This team is for real and not just happy to be here.

Doc's Sports: Your "Game of Thrones" piece on Doc's broke last week with betting odds on which character(s) have the best chance to die next. What can we expect from you next as an oddsmaker in terms of weighing in on an upcoming pop culture event in the world of entertainment?

RE : Along with handicapping the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island this Fourth of July, I am also working on some betting odds for which character was killed by a baseball bat in last season's series finale of the Walking Dead. This has been a closely-guarded secret heading into next season's opener, but look for my official odds and picks in the coming weeks on Doc's.

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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