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


by Docsports.com - 11/27/2018

New Orleans Saints Quarterback Drew Brees

The college football season may be winding down as far as the quantity of games on the betting board , but Doc's Sports Service has earned the reputation as a recognized leader and trusted name in the sports handicapping industry since 1971 with the quality of our picks this time of the year. Combined with an expert team of in-house handicappers, we also have a long-standing working relationship with some of the best expert handicappers in the nation, such as Raphael Esparza .

With an extensive background in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry and the title of Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Resorts' Aria on his resume, he became known as the Vegas Sports Informer up until his retirement from that position in 2013.

Never one to rest on his laurels, Raphael has made quite a name for himself these days as one of the most diverse handicappers in the nation. Whether you are looking for a big unit play on tonight's top matchup in college hoops or the inside scoop on betting props for the 2019 Oscars, his selection packages span one of widest arrays of betting options in the sports betting industry today. Each week, he takes the time to weigh in on some of the hottest betting topics on the board.

Doc's: The top betting options on the board this week are the 10 conference championship matchups in college football's Division IA (FBS). Starting with the conference title games for the Power 5, can you give us one underdog that has the best chance to cover against the spread?

RE: Right now, I like the extra half point in favor of Texas in the Longhorns' rematch against Oklahoma as 7.5-point underdogs. The Sooners should win straight-up, but Texas should be able to keep things close after beating Oklahoma by three points in the first neutral-site matchup this year.

Doc's: We know that you are a big fan of betting games in the five Mid Majors in Division IA football. Which of the conference championships at this level is at the top of the list when it comes to betting on the games?

RE: I have Fresno State in a futures bet to win the Mountain West, so I might have to hedge that play by going with Boise State in Saturday's title game. Memphis at UCF has to be at the top of the list given everything that is on the line for the undefeated Knights after losing their starting quarterback to a horrific knee injury.

Doc's: This week for Doc's, you are starting a free weekly college basketball pick for a Pacific time zone game to highlight the value that can be found betting the other coast. As a lead in to this week's initial play, can you give us one or two West Coast hoops teams that have earned a spot on your early betting radar?

RE: You have to be impressed with Gonzaga taking down Duke last week to move into the No. 1 spot in both national polls. I have also been impressed with Nevada living up to all the preseason hype with a perfect 6-0 start. Each of these teams is positioned for a deep run this season given their depth and experience.

Doc's: The list of true contenders in the NFL have done a good job at separating themselves from a long list of pretenders heading into the month of December. On what side of the fence would you put your hometown Chicago Bears after moving to 8-3 with the win against Detroit on Thanksgiving without Mitch Trubisky under center?

RE: Mitch Trubisky has made things exciting on offense, but what makes the Bears a true contender is a defense that can keep things close against a team like New Orleans or the Los Angeles Rams. This season, Chicago is the team that nobody wants to face in the playoffs.

Doc's: Even with all the action on the board for the major betting sports, you are always looking at other ways to cash a winning ticket. What else are you working on this week?

RE: I recently worked on some prop bet odds for the upcoming Miss Universe Pageant in the realm of pop culture betting. As far as betting events this weekend, I am excited to watch Saturday's heavyweight boxing bout between WBC Champion Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury in a Showtime pay per view event. This could be the first big step towards unifying the heavyweight title down the road. UFC also has a good fight card on tap this Friday with the TUF 28 Finale on FOX Sports 1 from the Palms in Las Vegas.

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 do not even have to enter credit card information. You can use this $60 credit for any sports Esparza handicaps. Click here for $60 worth of free picks from Raphael Esparza.

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