Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza 3/1/2016

by Doc's Sports - 3/1/2016

The first day of March signifies the start of the biggest month of betting when it comes to college hoops. As the top men's teams in the nation close out the regular season this week, we will get an early peek at Doc's Sports expert handicapper Raphael Esparza's top four seeds for the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

Following a long and successful career in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry that culminated with Raphael holding the prestigious position of Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Grand's Aria, the former Vegas Sports Informer has remained as active as ever since his retirement in 2013. Splitting time between Las Vegas and the Big Easy in New Orleans, he continues to run one of the most successful and diverse sports investment services in the sports betting industry today. The following is this week's Q&A with one of Doc's most interesting handicappers.

Doc's Sports: Kansas, Michigan State, Villanova and Virginia currently occupy the top four spots in both major men's college basketball national polls. However, right now would these same four teams be your No. 1 seeds for this season's NCAA Tournament?

RE: I would have to agree that these four teams have been able to create some separation from the rest of the pack, but I also think there is a gap between Kansas as the No. 1 overall seed as compared to the other three after the way the Jayhawks handled Texas on Monday night. Villanova would be next behind a very strong backcourt, followed by Michigan State and Virginia teams that still have a few question marks heading into March.

Doc's Sports: We know that you are a big soccer fan of leagues all over the globe. So how much attention do you pay to the MLS matches now this league is ready to return to action?

RE: MLS is still a long way from being on par with the top European soccer leagues, but it has made some impressive strides over the past few years. I still think the MLS needs to upgrade its overall level of talent to truly captivate bettors that love to wager on soccer, but the league is starting to catch a bit more of my attention than it had in the past.

Doc's Sports : This past Monday marked the official trade deadline in the NHL. Some of the league experts touted the New York Rangers as the team to watch in the Stanley Cup Playoffs given some of the moves they made; most notably the addition of Carolina captain Eric Staal. Do you see the Rangers as a legitimate threat to win the Stanley Cup this year?

RE: Staal is a good addition from a team leadership standpoint, but I do not think he puts the Rangers over the top against the other NHL powers in the East. Winning a Stanley Cup still comes down to goaltending, so I believe that the play of Henrik Lundqvist will determine how far New York goes this season.

Doc's Sports : Super Tuesday is a huge political betting event when it comes to wagering on state primaries and caucuses. Donald Trump is the clear frontrunner on the Republican side of the ticket, but would you bet on him winning the biggest election this year come this November?

RE: In a head-to-head matchup against Hillary Clinton, I do not think Trump has a chance. The Clinton name from the day's Bill was president still carries some weight, and Hillary is in much better position to attract both the minority and female vote in a general election.

Doc's Sports: Continuing with our annual MLB preview of all six division races for the upcoming season, do you have the defending World Series Champion Kansas City Royals winning the American League Central again or is there another team in that race primed to dethrone the champs?

RE : This division race is going to be much more competitive this season as compared to Kansas City cruising to a 12-game victory in 2015. I like what both Chicago and Cleveland have done with their rosters this past offseason to close the gap, so all three teams should remain in the mix for the AL Central title deep into the regular season.

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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