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


by Docsports.com - 7/30/2019

Ka'Deem Carey Calgary Stampeders

The NFL Preseason schedule opens this week with the annual Hall of Fame Game. Doc's Sports Service is also hard at work getting ready for a new season of winning football picks as a recognized leader and trusted name in the sports handicapping industry since 1971. One valued member of our expert team of sports handicappers is Raphael Esparza . He made his way to the top of the list during a long and successful run in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry. That career reached its pinnacle as the Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Resorts' Aria until his retirement in 2013.

Over the past several years, he has remained busy 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 for the upcoming football season to prop bet odds or the next big movie premier, Raphael offers one of the widest arrays of betting options in the sports betting industry. Each and every week, Doc's goes on-on-one with the former Vegas Sports Informer to gain betting insight into some the hottest trending topics.

Doc's: The MLB World Series is still a few months away. However the Little League World Series gets underway in Williamsport on Aug. 15. Looking at the potential field to win this year's competition, do you have one US team and one international team at the top of the list?

RE: The betting futures to win have yet to be released since the actual field has not been finalized. The only futures posted have an international team favored to win at -170 over the top US team. I would have to agree right now, but there are a pair of teams from Texas and Michigan that can make things interesting should they advance.

Doc's: Going back to the Majors, do you have any bold predictions for the last few days leading up to the MLB trade deadline?

RE: I think things are going to remain rather quiet with all the top-tier starters staying put. The lone exception could be Zack Wheeler from the New York Mets to the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox. I would expect quite a bit of movement with some relief pitchers before the deadline.

Doc's: This Saturday's racing card at Saratoga is highlighted by the $1 million Whitney Stakes. It appears to be a small field in this year's race highlighted by Thunder Snow and McKinzie. Do you have any early thoughts on how to bet this race?

RE: I would think that Thunder Snow will open as a morning line favorite in a small field of six or seven entries. This is a veteran racer at five-years old, but I am going to be looking for ways to go against him in a few head-to-head matchups to add some betting value to this race.

Doc's: While you may not have any action on this Thursday's Hall of Fame Game in the NFL, how would you recommend betting this Saturday's big showdown in the CFL's West Division between Edmonton and Calgary?

RE: This is a big West Division rivalry to begin with. Now that each team is 4-2 and chasing 5-1 Winnipeg for the lead, it becomes an even more interesting matchup. I know that Calgary is playing with Nick Arbuckle as a backup quarterback, but getting a point or two at home is reason enough to lean that way.

Doc's: We all know how you feel about betting on the NFL in the preseason when there is so much other action on the board. However, is there anything you are looking at in these early NFL exhibition games?

RE: You might be able to find some value in first half lines a few games into the preseason schedule, but that is about it from a betting standpoint. I like to watch certain teams that are expected to make a move to the top of the standings this season such as the Cleveland Browns. Scouting a team in the preseason should be viewed as a productive handicapping tool for the regular season.

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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