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


by Docsports.com - 9/3/2019

Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Marquez Callaway

Doc's Sports Service is back for another football season with a large offering of weekly and monthly selection packages. Leading the charge is expert handicapper Raphael Esparza . His initial claim to fame as he worked his way to the top of the list was a prestigious stint as the Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Resorts' Aria. This was the highlight of a long and successful career in the Las Vegas Sportsbook industry.

These days, 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 NFL matchups to insider betting tips for a wild assortment of props in the realm of pop culture, he offers one of the most interesting arrays of betting options in industry. Doc's gets the unique opportunity to pick his brain on a weekly basis covering the hottest trending topics in the world of sports.

Doc's: There were no big surprises in Week 1 of the college football season, but can you give us a few general betting takeaways from the action on the field?

RE: I was rather unimpressed with the SEC as a whole. Given this conference's status as the deepest of the majors, Tennessee and Missouri should not be losing their season openers straight-up. I was also surprised with Florida State's loss at home to Boise State. As one of the better teams in a much weaker ACC, the Seminoles should not be starting their season with a bad nonconference loss.

Doc's: The Big 12's Texas Longhorns face a big test this Saturday with the SEC's LSU Tigers coming to Austin as 4.5-point road favorites. Can the Longhorns live up to some early hype and win this game straight up?

RE: I liked Texas at + 4.5 points, and we are starting to see some +5 and +5.5 spreads here and there. Once again, I see the SEC as overhyped coming into a new season. I also see the Longhorns primed to make a statement that they should once again be considered a national power as opposed to a good Big 12 team.

Doc's: One of the more heavily bet NFL games in Week 1 should be the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road against the New England Patriots on Sunday night. Do you go with the defending champs as six-point home favorites in their season opener?

RE: New England has become notorious for slow starts and strong finishes. Pittsburgh actually needs this game much more than the Patriots to put all that team turmoil from last season in the rear view mirror. This is another great chance to jump all over a live dog.

Doc's: When it comes to the first week of NFL games in the regular season, do you have any general betting tips to pass on as an expert handicapper?

RE: Go slow out of the gate. It is a long season, so there is no reason to bet the Thursday night game along with both games on Monday night just because you are looking for some prime time action. Pick and choose your spots while looking for value, and keep the units lower until you get a better feel for all 32 teams.

Doc's: Football takes center stage with bettors this time of the year, but is there anything else on this weekend's slate that may offer some value in the betting odds?

RE: I am also excited for UFC 242 on Saturday afternoon from Abu Dhabi on Pay Per View. The main event pits Khabib Nurmagomedov as a heavy -430 favorite against Dustin Poirier as a +340 underdog. The top value pick is the next best fight on the board between Edson Barboza as a -160 favorite against Paul Felder at +130. Felder is jus one of few valued underdogs on this card.

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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