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


by Doc's Sports - 3/27/2018

David Collette Utah Utes

The 2018 men's college basketball NCAA Tournament is down to Saturday's Final Four followed by next Monday's national title game in San Antonio. The top two seeds on the right side of the bracket successfully navigated their way through their respective regions for a head-to-head showdown in one semifinal matchup, but there is strong No. 3 seed taking on a surprising No. 11 seed on the left side of the page.

Also this week as a warm up for Saturday's betting action are the final two rounds of the NIT on Tuesday and Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. Throw in the early start to the new MLB season this Thursday, and it should be a busy week for Doc's Sports expert handicapper Raphael Esparza.

Capping off a long and successful career in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry as the Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Grand's Aria until his retirement in 2013, Raphael also established himself as one of the best sports handicappers in the nation. He continues to run 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: You have been touting the Big East's Villanova Wildcats as the team to beat in this year's NCAA Tournament from the start as the top seed in the East Region. They will now face Kansas in the Final Four as the No. 1 seed out of the Midwest Region as five-point favorites with most books in town. We know you like the Wildcats straight-up, but are they covering the spread this Saturday night?

RE: It is highly doubtful that Villanova will shoot as poorly as it did in its Elite Eight victory against Texas Tech, and the Wildcats still won that game by 12 points. Give credit to Kansas for what it has achieved in this tournament, but I do not see the Jayhawks keeping this game closer than the current five-point spread.

Doc's Sports: The betting public's heart is rooting for the Cinderella Loyola-Chicago Ramblers as five-point underdogs in Saturday's other Final Four matchup against the Big Ten's Michigan Wolverines. As a Chicago native, we are sure that you are pulling for the Ramblers as well, but as a bettor are you willing to go against the red-hot Wolverines?

RE: There is something about this Loyola-Chicago team that makes me very leery about betting against the Ramblers plus the five points. It is Easter this Sunday, and having Sister Jean in its corner gives Loyola the divine edge. To quote a line from one of my favorite Chicago-based movies, "The Blues Brothers," "We are on a mission from God."

Doc's Sports: Last week we talked about Louisville's value in the NIT semifinals given its past experience playing at MSG, but the Cardinals never made it that far. Looking at the four teams that are left in this tournament, which one do you have winning the NIT title game this Thursday night?

RE: I would have to lean towards the better basketball conference in the first semifinal matchup with Utah winning from the Pac-12 against Conference USA's Western Kentucky. I also like Penn State keeping its run going from the Big Ten against the SEC's Mississippi State Bulldogs. In a head-to-head matchup between Utah and Penn State in Thursday's NIT Championship, I would give the slight edge to the Nittany Lions.

Doc's Sports : Major League Baseball decided to move its Opening Day schedule to the end of March as opposed to its traditional start on the first Monday in April. With all 30 teams in action this Thursday, which betting storyline would be at the top of your list?

RE: The St. Louis Cardinals on the road against the New York Mets is an interesting matchup in the National League. However, the game at the top of my list would be Seattle hosting Cleveland as a probable home underdog. The Mariners are one of my sleeper teams this season. With Felix Hernandez on the mound and outfielder Ichiro Suzuki hopefully in the lineup, I like Seattle's chances to get the win at home on Opening Day.

Doc's Sports: Given the wide array of events that are a part of your diverse handicapping efforts, is there anything else this week that has made its way onto your betting radar?

RE : You have a few great boxing matches on Saturday's ESPN2 fight card along with the Florida Derby at Gulfstream. I have already turned my attention to WrestleMania 34 on Sunday, April 8 right here in New Orleans. Look for my complete preview and top betting picks sometime next week on Doc's.

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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