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


by Doc's Sports - 6/12/2018

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The NBA and NHL Finals are in the books, but there is plenty of upcoming betting action at Doc's Sports this week to get the summer season started with a bang. We will be checking in with expert handicapper Raphael Esparza to get his thoughts on the 2018 US Open and the opening round of games in the 2018 World Cup along with some other hot trending betting topics in the news right now.

Once known in betting circles as the Vegas Sports Informer during his days working in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry, Raphael has worked his way to the top of the list when it comes to the best sports handicappers in the nation. During the height of his sportsbook career, he held the prestigious position as the Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Grand's Aria until retiring in 2013. He continues to split his time between his home base in 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: We know that one of your favorite ways to bet on golf is using the odds for head-to-head matchups. With this year's US Open getting underway this Thursday, can you give one head-to-head matchup that would be at the top of your list?

RE: My first thought was to go with Dustin Johnson against Rory McIlroy or possibly Ricky Fowler, but the actual betting odds do not add all that much value to either play. I could be looking to go against Tiger Woods in some single-round head-to-head matchups over the weekend if he makes the cut. His form in the third round in recent tournaments could open the door to some value in the odds for any player he is pitted against.

Doc's Sports: The first round of matches in the 2018 World Cup also start on Thursday and run through the weekend. Can you give one match that has caught your early interest from a betting standpoint?

RE: Friday's Spain vs. Portugal match should be a good one to watch. I am really interested in how England looks in its first few matches in light of some of the changes to the roster. This could be a sleeper team if it advances out of its group. First up would be Tunisia on Monday as a heavy favorite.

Doc's Sports: You will once again be covering the CFL for Doc's with a weekly free pick. This week's regular-season season opener that has US bettors' attention is Saturday's Hamilton Tiger-Cats' road game against the Calgary Stampeders. Johnny Manziel is not expected to start at quarterback for Hamilton, but do you think that he will have any impact on the outcome of this game?

RE: If this game was being played in Hamilton, I would bet the farm Manziel gets into the game. I still think he will make an appearance on Saturday in a goal-line situation or possibly in a long conversion attempt for a first down, but it is hard to say what kind of impact he would have on the actual outcome.

Doc's Sports : The big story this NBA offseason is which team LeBron James will play for next season. The current prop bet odds favor the Los Angeles Lakers, but where do you think he will be playing in the 2018/2019 season?

RE: His past decisions focused mainly on winning NBA titles, but I think that his family will dictate where King James decides to go next. Dywane Wade's recent comments helped fuel speculation the Los Angeles Lakers were high in the mix, but he could just as easily stay in Cleveland. My top long shot would be San Antonio with LeBron intrigued with the opportunity to play for Gregg Popovich.

Doc's Sports: You have gained a reputation for covering a wide array of betting events, including props that spill over into the world of pop culture, entertainment and politics. Is there anything unusual on this week's betting radar that has piqued your interest?

RE : The College World Series starts up on Saturday, and one of the matchups at the top of my list is Florida against Texas Tech. I think that Washington squaring off against Mississippi State should also be fun to watch. Sunday's betting action is highlighted by Ronda Rousey's appearance in WWE's Money in the Bank in Chicago.

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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