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


by Docsports.com - 4/16/2019

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Los Angeles Clippers

The NBA and NHL playoffs move to the top of the list at Doc's Sports Service as a recognized leader and trusted name in the sports handicapping industry since 1971. A highly-valued member of our team of expert sports handicappers is Raphael Esparza , who has a special knack for releasing some high-unit winners for both of those sports. His long and successful career in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry culminated in 2013 as the Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Resorts' Aria.

Once known as the Vegas Sports Informer during his sportsbook days, he continues to run a successful sports investment business from his home base in Las Vegas as well as from the Big Easy in New Orleans. Whether you are looking for a few big unit plays for the NBA Playoffs or some prop bet picks for the new season of "Game of Thrones," Raphael's selection packages run the gambit of possible betting options. As a big plus, Doc's gets the chance to gain some deeper insight into the hottest trending betting topics of the day in a one-on-one weekly discussion with one of the best handicappers in the nation.

Doc's: The NBA playoffs are off to an interesting start with a few big upsets along the way. What are a few of your top observations in light of these early results from a betting standpoint?

RE: The loss of DeMarcus Cousins might actually help Golden State given that the Warriors are still only playing with one ball. San Antonio is in excellent position to win its series against Denver. The Milwaukee Bucks made a huge statement in their opener to add value to their futures odds to win it all. Finally, Toronto is back on the hot seat with another slow start in the postseason.

Doc's: Facing elimination after posting the best NHL regular-season performance in recent memory, is there any chance that the Tampa Bay Lightning avoid falling prey to one of the biggest upsets in NHL postseason history?

RE: It is hard to see Tampa Bay getting swept, but it will not win the next four games. I am also stunned that Calgary is down 2-1 to Colorado, so who knows which eight teams will survive the opening round of these playoffs?

Doc's: Much has been made in the national media about how much Tiger Wood's stunning Masters victory cost the Las Vegas sportsbooks. Can you put things into better perspective of how much this win did cost the books in town?

RE: My conservative estimate would be that the loss reached six figures at each of the bigger books in Las Vegas. This one definitely caught the oddsmakers off guard in what will easily be the biggest loss on a golf futures bet during my career in the sports betting industry.

Doc's: Saturday's Pay Per View boxing card from Madison Square Garden features a bout between Terence Crawford and Amir Khan for Crawford's WBO welterweight title. Do you have any thoughts on how to bet this fight with Crawford set as a prohibitive -1680 favorite at MyBookie online sportsbook ?

RE: This should be Khan's last big pay day in a career past its prime, so I do see him putting up a decent battle on Saturday night. My early lean is towards the "over" with the total rounds set at 9.5.

Doc's: Late last week you posted some betting props on Doc's for possible deaths in Avengers:Endgame ahead of the movie's upcoming premier. Can you give us your top betting pick on the board?

RE: My top play would be Iron Man dying at -200 odds. There is some risk in this pick given the odds, but I do not see Captain America or Thor going down. The possible scenario is Iron Man saving the world to cause his own demise.

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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