Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza 8/9/2016

by Doc's Sports - 8/9/2016

The first round of games in this year's NFL Preseason schedule get underway this week, and, as part of our tour around the league, we will try and find out if Doc's Sports expert handicapper Raphael Esparza is going with the favorites in the 2016 division title race for both the AFC and NFC North.

Previously known as the Vegas Sports Informer during a long and successful career in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry, Raphael built his reputation as one of the top handicappers in the nation. He also held the prestigious position of Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Grand's Aria until his retirement from the sportsbook industry in 2013. These days, he can still be found in Las Vegas as well as the Big Easy in New Orleans running a successful and diverse sports investment service. The following is this week's Q&A with one of Doc's most interesting handicappers.

Doc's Sports: The 2016 Summer Olympics have been going on for almost a week. What would be one or two of your top takeaways from the early action when it comes to betting on the Summer Games?

RE: Right off the bat, I am happy that the majority of the attention is on the action itself and not all the issues with the venue for the Summer Games. That being said, it appears that the pressure of hosting this competition might be having an adverse effect on some of the Brazilian athletes, especially when it comes to the men's soccer team and the men's beach volleyball team.

Doc's Sports: Looking at the upcoming Olympic schedule, can you give us one or two handicapping tips as far as betting on the action over the next few days?

RE: Right now I would think about going against the favorites in men's basketball with the exception of the US. The games have been much closer than expected, and some of the better teams in the competition have not impressed me so far. I would also go with Michael Phelps in any future medal events as he appears to be at the top of his game right now.

Doc's Sports : The Pittsburgh Steelers are favored to win the AFC North this season, with Cincinnati listed as a close second favorite with most of the sportsbooks in Las Vegas as well as offshore. How do you see things playing out this year in what always been a tight division race over the past several seasons?

RE: I am leaning hard towards Cincinnati in this division. The Bengals have a great balance of talent between their offense and their defense, and I just cannot help but think that this is the year that it finally comes together for this team.

Doc's Sports : Green Bay failed to come through as a prohibitive favorite to win the NFC North last season with a stunning second-half collapse following a 6-0 start. Would you bet on the Packers this time around as heavy favorites to win this division?

RE: Everything that I am hearing or reading out of Green Bay is that this team has recommitted itself towards getting back to the Super Bowl. A big part of that quest is winning the NFC North and getting that all-important first-round bye in the playoffs. The return of a healthy Jordy Nelson is huge, and I think Aaron Rodgers is poised for another MVP-caliber season.

Doc's Sports: You have been covering the CFL regular season this year along with a free weekly pick for Doc's. What is your take on Edmonton's unexpected 2-4 start after going 14-4 last season on its way to winning the 2015 Grey Cup?

RE : I have some real concerns about Edmonton's ability to turn things around. There is something missing on this defense, and the Eskimos have been constantly shooting themselves in the foot with costly penalties and mistakes. The offseason change with the coaching staff could be to blame for such a poor start, and I do not see things getting much better in the short term.

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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