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


by Docsports.com - 8/27/2019

Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers

A full slate of college football games are on the betting board this weekend, and Doc's Sports Service is ready to kick off the new season as one of the top handicapping services in the nation. Raphael Esparza is a key part of the team at Doc's. He worked his way to the top of list of expert handicappers during a long and successful run in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry. That career culminated in 2013 with him holding the prestigious position as Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Resorts' Aria.

For the past six years, Esparza has shifted all of his energy to running a successful sports investment business from his home base in Las Vegas as well as from the Big Easy in New Orleans. From big-unit plays on this week's top matchups to prop bet picks for the next big movie premier, his selection packages offer one of the widest ranges of betting options in the sports betting industry. Doc's gets the chance to gain his insight into some the hottest trending betting topics each week in the world of sports.

Doc's: A pair of underdogs got the new college football season off to fast start for anyone taking the points. Looking at this week's full selection of games, can you give us a few more solid underdogs to wager on?

RE: Right off the bat on Thursday night, I think that BYU (+5.5) has a great chance to cover at home against Utah in a matchup of teams that are very familiar with one another. There is quite a bit of action on the Pac-12's Oregon Ducks as 3.5-point road underdogs for Saturday's opener against Auburn. There is some belief that the Tigers could be a bit overrated because they are a SEC team.

Doc's: Looking ahead to next week's season openers in the NFL, which games are at the top of the list in your early handicapping efforts?

RE: I like Green Bay as a three-point road dog against a Chicago Bears' team that is not going to sneak up on anyone this season. I also like Houston on the road as a touchdown underdog against New Orleans. The Texans are now the team to beat in the AFC South, and the Saints have stumbled out of the gate in the past.

Doc's: With more and more states offering legal sports betting this football season, what kind of impact will this have on the online sportsbooks that have been catering to the US market for the past several years?

RE: Availability and competitive betting lines are still two major plusses for offshore books. Until online mobile betting gets a stronger foothold in legal betting states, the existing online books still have the competitive edge. Big bettors are always looking for the best betting lines, and it will be tough for any in-state book to match what the big commercial online books have to offer.

Doc's: Turning to MLB betting, the Houston Astros are -140 favorites to win the AL Pennant this season. The New York Yankees (+200) and the Minnesota Twins (+750) are next on the list. So, what kind of betting value do each of these teams offer for this MLB futures bet?

RE: The Astros' pitching is going to be tough to beat in a best-of-seven series, but there is still some solid value in both New York and Minnesota. My lean would be towards the Yankees as the best value given the overall consistency in their lineup.

Doc's: Football may be back on the board, but we also know that there has to be a few other betting options on your betting radar. What else has caught your attention for the upcoming Labor Day weekend?

RE: Other than a full schedule college football and a few interesting MLB series, Labor Day weekend slows down a bit for sports such as UFC, boxing and golf. I did just post some betting odds for this season's "Dancing With The Stars" competition. Along with overall odds to win, I added a few head-to-head matchups to the mix. For example: Lamar Odom is a -280 favorite to be eliminated before Ray Lewis (+220).

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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