Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza 10/25/2016

by Doc's Sports - 10/25/2016

History will be made in this year's MLB World Series regardless of whether Chicago Cubs or the Cleveland Indians win given the combined 175 years that have passed since either team has won a world title. Long-time suffering Cubs' fan Raphael Esparza also happens to be one of Doc's Sports top expert handicappers, and in this week's discussion we will get his take on how he sees this series playing out.

Raphael honed his craft as one of the nation's top sports handicappers during a long and successful career in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry. At one point in this career, he was referred to as the Vegas Sports Informer while holding the prestigious position as the Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Grand's Aria until his retirement in 2013. These days he stays busy running a successful and diverse sports investment service from his home base in Las Vegas as well as the Big Easy in New Orleans. The following is this week's Q&A with one of Doc's most interesting handicappers.

Doc's Sports: With NFL underdogs dominating the first several weeks of the NFL season against the spread, the Las Vegas sportsbooks have been cleaning up at the betting window. Looking back at the results of last week's NFL games, were the books able to expand their gains in the final tally?

RE: The results were somewhat mixed with one or two Las Vegas sportsbooks reporting a small gain, but with so much money bet on New England up and down The Strip I would have to guess that last week should go down as a slight win for the betting public.

Doc's Sports: One of the big games on this Sunday's NFL Week 8 slate is a NFC East battle between the 5-1 Dallas Cowboys and the 4-2 Philadelphia Eagles. Each team has had some early success on offense behind a rookie quarterback, so which one do you see getting the best of things this Sunday night in Dallas; the Cowboys' Dak Prescott or the Eagles' Carson Wentz?

RE: Prescott has the definite edge in this matchup given the Cowboys' ability to run the ball behind their other rookie phenom Ezekiel Elliott. The bigger matchup in this game could be up front behind a Dallas offensive line that should win the battle of the trenches.

Doc's Sports : The College Football Playoff landscape received a big makeover last Saturday with Penn State's stunning upset of then-No. 2 Ohio State in the Big Ten. Michigan has taken the Buckeyes' spot in the latest national polls, but how serious of a threat is No. 7 Nebraska in the conference championship picture with its perfect 7-0 start heading into this Saturday's big matchup against No. 11 Wisconsin?

RE: I am not sold on Nebraska as a legitimate power in the Big Ten based on a very weak schedule over its first seven games. If the Cornhuskers do go on the road this weekend and beat Wisconsin, then we might have something to talk about. However, I do not see that happening against a Badgers' defense that is poised to come up big in this Saturday night.

Doc's Sports : The World Series gets underway this Tuesday night with Game 1 of a best-of-seven clash. Chicago has been listed as a heavy favorite when it comes to the series price odds for this matchup. Even though you are a huge Cubs' fan, is there any value in a play on Cleveland as a heavy series underdog from a betting standpoint?

RE: The Cubs are the better team on paper, but there is still a ton of value in Cleveland's series price given how much money has already been bet on Chicago going all the way back to the beginning of the season. There are quite a few books both in Las Vegas and offshore that are gearing up for a big loss if Chicago goes on to win, so that has been driving these numbers higher than expected.

Doc's Sports: Also in action on Tuesday night are the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors in their NBA season opener. Both teams are heavy home favorites with Cleveland hosting the New York Knicks and Golden State taking on West rival San Antonio, but which team has the best chance to cover?

RE : A fast start out of the gate will probably mean more to Golden State given all the hype surrounding this team and against a depleted Spurs' lineup I would not be surprised to see this game turn into a complete blowout. I know that the Knicks have a way of playing Cleveland tough, which could keep things closer than expected.

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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