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Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza


by Doc's Sports - 10/3/2017

Kris Bryant Chicago Cubs

Doc's Sports expert handicapper Raphael Esparza has been known to tackle some off-the-wall betting props over the course of his illustrious career, but his latest predictions for the next entries into the National Toy Hall of Fame may be breaking new ground even for him. Along with covering betting action in the NFL, college football, MLB Playoffs and the start of a new season of hockey in the NHL, we will be sure to get his take on his top-valued toy at longer odds to take home this year's honors.

Raphael was a fixture in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry for a number of years while he continued to hone his craft as one of the best sports handicappers in the nation. Once known in Las Vegas betting circles as the Vegas Sports Informer, at the peak of his career he held the prestigious position as the Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Grand's Aria. He decided to retire from the sportsbook industry in 2013 to spend more time running a successful and diverse sports investment service from his home base in Las Vegas as well as from 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: New England bounced back with a big win on the road against New Orleans following its first loss at home this season to Kansas City. Would you go with the Patriots as 5.5-point road favorites this Thursday night against Tampa Bay coming off that stunning loss to Carolina at home last Sunday?

RE: Playing on the road right now could be the best thing for New England. It gives the team a chance to get away from the home-town media and all the other distractions swirling around its unexpected 2-2 start. I am not completely sold on the Patriots covering the 5.5 points on the road, but I would still lean towards the "over" on the total line even though it is sitting at a hefty number (56).

Doc's Sports: Big Ten football is near and dear to Doc's. And in light of the fact that there are currently four teams ranked in the Top 10 of both national polls, which one would be your top pick as the best of the bunch?

RE: Penn State would be my clear choice as the team to beat in the Big Ten right now. The Lions have the best player in college football in Saquon Barkley, and their defense has looked extremely solid through the first few games.

Doc's Sports: Heading into the MLB postseason, the Chicago Cubs started to look like the team that won it all last year in the final few weeks of the regular season. They will now face the Washington Nationals in the best-of-five NLDS starting this Friday in the first step towards defending their world title. We know that you would love to see your home-town Cubs win this first series, but from a betting standpoint will Chicago get it done?

RE: Pitching still wins playoff series, especially when they are a best-of-five affair. Even with question marks surrounding the Nationals' Max Scherzer, I still think that Washington has the overall edge against the Cubs on the mound. Chicago's starting rotation has been far too inconsistent as compared to where it was this time last season.

Doc's Sports : A new season of hockey in the NHL gets underway this week. Do you have any inside tips on how to bet these early-season games?

RE: One of the first things that I look for in these early-season NHL games is the play of the goalie. Some will come out on fire and some could have used a longer preseason to fine tune their game. I am also focusing my attention on the teams that are drawing the most attention as favored Stanley Cup contenders such as Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference and Edmonton and San Jose in the West.

Doc's Sports: Your latest pop culture betting piece for Doc's deals with the odds for which classic toys will earn a place in the National Toy Hall of Fame this year. Of the three toys with longer odds that highlighted your list as legitimate contenders (UNO +170, Play Food +200 and Clue +450) , which one would be your 'best bet' pick?

RE : Of the three mentioned above, I would have to go with UNO as my top pick. It has been seven years since Playing Cards made it into the Hall, so it could be time to add another card game or a game in general to the list. On an average, three new toys have been added each of the past few years, giving UNO a solid chance to make it in at plus money.

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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