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


by Doc's Sports - 1/9/2018

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Case Keenum

The NFL Playoffs move the Divisional Round this weekend after the four underdogs swept last weekend's Wild Card Round against the spread. In this week's discussion with Doc's Sports expert handicapper Raphael Esparza, we will get his take on what to expect in this next round of NFL Playoff games from a betting standpoint.

Once known in betting circles as the Vegas Sports Informer during a long and successful career in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry, Raphael became one of the best sports handicappers in the nation while also rising through the ranks to hold the prestigious position as the Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Grand's Aria. After retiring from that position in 2013, he now focuses all his energy on 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: Before we get into last week's betting action in the NFL, how did the Las Vegas sportsbooks fare with the result of Monday night's thrilling College Football Playoff Championship Game that ended with Alabama winning by three points in overtime against Georgia to force a 'push' at a number of online betting outlets?

RE: Georgia was able to cover with most of the sportsbooks in town with the closing line at 3.5 points. This, in turn, created a nice gain considering that most of the money was on Alabama. The total going "over" actually favored the books with quite a bit of money bet the other way.

Doc's Sports: The underdogs ruled the day in the Wild Card Round of the NFL playoffs at 4-0 ATS, and the total stayed "under" in three of the four games. Did these results add up to a big gain for the Las Vegas books after they really took it on the chin over the latter half of the NFL regular season?

RE: It was a nice weekend for just about all the books in town when it came to the NFL. The overall handle is still not as big for the Wild Card Round as it is for a full schedule of regular-season games, but they won big on the Falcons upset against the Los Angeles Rams as well as on the under in that game. Buffalo covering against Jacksonville was another big winner for the books.

Doc's Sports: As far as this weekend's NFL games in the Divisional Round, are there any underdogs that you would go with ATS or possibly even straight up?

RE: Atlanta still must win on the road in Philadelphia, which is always a tough thing to do, and Jacksonville's defense can keep the Jaguars in the game with anyone they play. If I had to go with one underdog SU, it would have to be the New Orleans Saints. Drew Brees alone always gives you a chance to win, and the added dimension of a running game makes the Saints a very tough out this time of the year.

Doc's Sports : The last few weeks we covered the Pac-12 and the Big 12 as far as your top college basketball team in each conference. You already tipped us off to Texas Tech as a legitimate contender with the likes of West Virginia, Oklahoma and Kansas in the Big 12, so this week can you give us your team to watch in the ACC along with Duke, Virginia and North Carolina as the top teams in that conference?

RE: Both Syracuse and Virginia Tech are off to a slow start in ACC play at 1-2, but each of these teams can make some noise as the season wears on. The Orange with their zone defense and the Hokies with their ability to score points.

Doc's Sports: Last week you released your betting picks for some Golden Globe props in an article for Doc's . Did you learn anything from the results on Sunday night for this award show that might have an impact on your early pop culture handicapping efforts for this year's Oscars in early March?

RE : One movie that could do quite well in this year's Oscars is "Lady Bird". I can almost guarantee that Greta Gerwig does get nominated in the Best Director category for that movie after getting passed over in the Golden Globes. I am also high on both Margot Robbie for Best Actress and Allison Janney for Best Supporting Actress for the Oscars in light of their performance in the movie "I, Tonya".

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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