Weekly Sports Betting and Handicapping News Articles

Case of the Mondays: Nationals Fail to Capitalize on Rare Opening
by Ricky Dimon - 8/17/2015

The Washington Nationals' 2015 campaign may be coming to an end sooner rather than later if they are not careful as the stretch run of Major League Baseball's regular season approaches. On the pigskin, meanwhile, it remains to be seen if the New York Jets can even make it to the regular 16-game slate. Their training camp, of course, has been highlighted by Geno Smith's teammate-induced broken jaw.

This Week in Sports Betting, A-Z
by Ricky Dimon - 8/12/2015

A. Arsenal. The 2015-16 Premier League campaign is off to a rough start for the Gunners. Playing at home in the friendly confines of Emirates Stadium, Arsenal (which finished third on the EPL table last season) lost to West Ham (12th last season) 2-0. BookMaker has Arsenal at +461 to win the league title; Manchester City is a +183 favorite.

Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza
by Doc's Sports - 8/11/2015

Doc's Sports: Last week you made a point of identifying the Toronto Blue Jays as one of the big winners at the recent MLB trade deadline for some of the moves they made. Following a recent three-game sweep of New York, do they now have what it takes to top the Yankees for the AL East crown?

Sports Betting Futures Odds: Spieth Favored to Win Third Major
by Ricky Dimon - 8/11/2015

As football season looms large on the horizon, the golf year-at least in its most important form-is winding down. The furious summer stretch is concluding with the last major of 2015 this week at Whistling Straits. Rory McIlroy is back from injury, but that does not change the fact that Jordan Spieth is an overwhelming favorite at the PGA Championship.

Case of the Mondays: Yankees' grip on AL East slipping
by Ricky Dimon - 8/10/2015

The New York Yankees and embattled slugger Alex Rodriguez have pleasantly surprised in 2015-at least if you are a fan of the Bronx bombers-but they may be losing a little bit of luster at the most inopportune of times. On Aug. 1 the Toronto Blue Jays were in third place in the American League East and six games back. Now they are in second, just 1.5 games south of New York. Get ready for a fun last two months of the season!

Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza
by Doc's Sports - 8/4/2015

Training camps have opened all across the league in the NFL, and some of the early bets on AFC futures in Las Vegas have been bullish on the Indianapolis Colts to break through this season with a trip to Super Bowl 50. As part of our trip around each division race heading into a new season of NFL action, we will get Doc's Sports expert handicapper Raphael Esparza's thoughts on the Colts as part of this week's discussion.

Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza
by Doc's Sports - 7/28/2015

American Pharoah captured the attention of the entire horse racing world earlier this year in his dramatic run to an elusive Triple Crown title. He is expected to return to the track this upcoming Saturday, and in this week's discussion with Doc's Sports expert handicapper Raphael Esparza, we will get his opinion on what to expect.

Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza
by Doc's Sports - 7/21/2015

Doc's Sports: Major League Baseball probably makes up the majority of the action for quite a few sports bettors this time of year, so along with handicapping the individual games, do you ever get involved with selections for the series price betting odds that sportbooks also release each week?

Sports Betting Futures Odds: Spieth Favored at British With McIlroy Out
by Ricky Dimon - 7/15/2015

Golf's third major of the season begins on Thursday at St. Andrew's, and it will come and go without world No. 1 Rory McIlroy, who is on the shelf due to injury. That could leave the door open for Jordan Spieth, who prevailed at both the Masters and the U.S. Open. Spieth is looking to match Serena Williams with the first three legs of the Grand Slam in their respective sports.

Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza
by Doc's Sports - 7/14/2015

Doc's Sports: The St. Louis Cardinals have clearly been the most dominant team in the National League, but Pittsburgh remains right on their heels in the NL Central with Washington and Los Angeles, respectively, leading the way in the other two divisions. Right now, which team do you have winning the pennant in this league?

Case of the Mondays: Cardinals, Braves Limping into the All-Star Break
by Ricky Dimon - 7/13/2015

The dog days of summer are upon us, with the NBA over and football still a ways away from beginning. Even baseball is on break right now, and the all-star festivities could not have come at a better time for some forlorn teams. The National League Central-leading Cardinals stumbled to a three-game losing streak at the end of the season's proverbial first half, while the Atlanta Braves have dropped five in a row.

Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza
by Doc's Sports - 6/16/2015

Doc's Sports: Now that the Chicago Blackhawks took home this year's NHL Stanley Cup title with a thrilling win as favorites in Game 6 of their showdown in the NHL Finals against Tampa Bay, do you have the Golden State Warriors wrapping things up in the NBA Finals in six games as favorites for Tuesday night's contest against Cleveland?

Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza
by Doc's Sports - 6/9/2015

Doc's Sports: This season's NBA Finals are tied at a game apiece heading into tonight's Game 3 in Cleveland. Last week we talked about which team's superstar would have the better series, and so far on paper the Cavaliers' LeBron James has gotten the best of it against Golden State's Stephen Curry. Given the overall injury situation with his team, does King James have what it takes to lead Cleveland all the way a NBA title?

Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza
by Doc's Sports - 6/2/2015

Doc's Sports: Golden State is a heavy series favorite to win this year's NBA title, and it comes into Thursday's Game 1 against Cleveland as a six-point home favorite with many of the books in Las Vegas. Where has the early money for both the series bet and the series opener gone in town leading up Thursday night's opener?

This Week in Sports Betting, A-Z
by Ricky Dimon - 5/27/2015

A. Adrian Peterson. The running back's hometown of Palestine, Texas, is having an Adrian Peterson Day on June 3. Word is that Peterson will attend it; but he is definitely not attending Minnesota Vikings' OTAs. No word on if New Rochelle, New York, is hosting a Ray Rice Day.

Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza
by Doc's Sports - 5/26/2015

Doc's Sports: Over in the West, the Houston Rockets have now won their last four games when facing elimination going back to the conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Clippers. Do they have any more tricks up their sleeve to get past Golden State on the road in Wednesday's Game 5 to keep that best-of-seven series alive?

Case of the Mondays: NBA Finals matchup is imminent
by Ricky Dimon - 5/25/2015

It seems like the Los Angeles Clippers are-or were-the only NBA team that could make for a competitive series. With L.A. now gone, the two conference finals are turning into borderline blowouts. The Atlanta Hawks at least made things interesting against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3, but Atlanta still trails 3-0. On the West Coast the story is a similar one, with the Golden State Warriors one game away from the NBA Finals at the expense of the Houston Rockets.

This Week in Sports Betting, A-Z
by Ricky Dimon - 5/21/2015

A. American Pharoah. Trainer Bob Baffert is the master of coming up one jewel short of the Triple Crown. His horses won the first two legs in 1997 (Silver Charm), 1998 (Real Quiet), and 2002 (War Emblen). Thirteen years later Baffert is at it again with American Pharoah. Will this time be different? There is reason for optimism, as Phaoroah dominated last weekend's Preakness Stakes by seven lengths. Bovada Sportsbook has him at even money to win the Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown.

Sports Betting Futures Odds: Warriors Still Favored as Four Remain
by Ricky Dimon - 5/19/2015

And then there were four. Although the quartet is not necessarily what everyone expected and many of the four took circuitous routes to get there, the top two seeds in both the Eastern Conference and Western Conference have advanced. The NBA title is coming down to the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, and Houston Rockets.

This Week in Sports Betting, A-Z
by Ricky Dimon - 5/15/2015

A. Anaheim Ducks. Ducks have not looked this good since Emilio Estevez graced the big screen as Gordon Bombay. Anaheim is 8-1 through two playoff series, and its only loss came in overtime (in Game 3 of the conference semifinals against the Calgary Flames). The west finals begin on Sunday against the Chicago Blackhawks. 5Dimes Sportsbook has the Ducks as -135 home favorites in Game 1.