Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza 4/25/2017

by Doc's Sports - 4/25/2017

The 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs kick off the four best-of-seven conference semifinal series this week, and in our discussion with Doc's Sports expert handicapper Raphael Esparza we will get his take on the value in the series price betting odds for a few of the matchups.

The former Vegas Sports Informer rose through the ranks to become one of the top sports handicappers in the nation during a long and successful career in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry. At the pinnacle of his career working for some of the top books in town, he held the prestigious position as the Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Grand's Aria until his retirement from the industry back in 2013. These days, he continues to split 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 with one of Doc's most interesting handicappers.

Doc's Sports: One of the top semifinal matchups in the NHL's Western Conference pits the Edmonton Oilers against the Anaheim Ducks in a Pacific Division clash. The Ducks come in as favorites on the series price odds, but do have them coming out on top against Connor McDavid and the potent Oilers?

RE: I would probably lean towards Anaheim in this series given the way it easily got past Calgary in four games since I expected that series to be much closer than it was. I am also a bit tentative to jump on the Oilers' bandwagon just yet given this team's relative lack of experience in the playoffs.

Doc's Sports: The big semifinal matchup in the East pits the defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins against the top-seeded Washington Capitals in a huge Metro Division showdown. Washington has the slight edge on the series price and it is still favored to win this year's Cup when it comes to NHL futures odds. However, would you go with the Penguins in light of both team's performance the past few seasons in the postseason?

RE: Pittsburgh's overall health is still a concern going up against a much tougher opponent in this series. I was ready to write Washington off for another season when it went down 2-1 to Toronto, but the way that the Capitals stormed back to win three straight games gives them quite a bit of momentum heading into this much-anticipated showdown.

Doc's Sports: One of the most intriguing opening-round series in the NBA is between the No. 8 Chicago Bulls and the No. 1 Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference. This best-of-seven tilt is tied at two games apiece heading into Wednesday night's Game 5 in Boston after the road team won the first four games both straight up and against the spread. Do the Celtics prevail over the next few games or can Chicago pull off the series upset?

RE: The fact that the road team has played so well through the first four games makes it hard for me to lay eight points on Boston for Wednesday's Game 5. Until this current trend changes course, I am going to ride Bulls to the series win given that they still have two games left to play on the road if it goes the full seven games.

Doc's Sports : The 2017 NFL Draft gets underway this Thursday night with all 32 picks in the opening round. Are there any special draft props concerning the first-round selections that you might be betting on?

RE: I still believe that the NFL Draft is way too over hyped considering everything else that is going on right now, which makes it very hard for me to focus all that much energy on draft props for this event. One play of interest would be the "over 4.5" on former LSU running back Leonard Fournette draft spot in the first round. I do not see Jacksonville at No. 4 using that high a pick on this position.

Doc's Sports: You have been big on some boxing matches and some MMA fights the past couple of weeks when it comes to a few added betting opportunities outside the realm of all the major sports such as basketball, hockey and baseball. Is there anything coming up this weekend that has made its way onto your betting radar?

RE : One of my next projects is to write a WNBA futures piece for Doc's in light of the 2017 regular season getting underway in mid-May. Not to tip my hand, but I like the Minnesota Lynx and the Los Angeles Sparks as my top two favorites with the Seattle Storm as a possible sleeper team out of the stacked Western Conference.

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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