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

by Doc's Sports - 5/26/2015

Jose Altuve Houston Astros

Both the NBA and NHL playoffs continue to press on towards this season's championship series, and as an avid sports bettor you can continue to count on Doc's Sports to provide the winning picks for the games just like we have done for the past 44 years as a leader in the sports selection industry. One of the biggest keys to our success has been the commitment to surrounding ourselves with a team of expert handicappers that include some of the "best of the best" in their field.

One of the shining stars on that team as an expert handicapper for Doc's over the past eight years has been Raphael Esparza. Originally known as the Vegas Sports Informer, he cut his teeth in this business during a long and successful career working for some of the biggest sportsbooks in town. At the pinnacle of his career in the Las Vegas sports betting business he held the prestigious position of Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Grand's Aria until his retirement from the industry in 2013.

One of the biggest benefits of this experience has been Raphael's ability to build a vast network of Las Vegas "insiders" that include some of the town's biggest and most influential personalities in the sports betting game. These professionals know this industry inside and out, and he has done an excellent job of incorporating this "insider's edge" into all the selections he decides to release.

Savvy bettors have been able to make a small fortune over the years behind his winning record for a number of major sports. However, what makes Raphael's service stand out in a very crowded industry is his willingness to handicap a wide array of betting events that include things such as the WNBA, horse racing, boxing, professional tennis and soccer leagues all around the globe. One week it might be pro wrestling and the next it could be prop bet picks in the world of entertainment. If a sportsbook somewhere around the globe posts odds for an event, there is a good chance that he will be predicting the outcome.

Doc's Sports and Raphael developed an ongoing weekly Q&A that is designed to give readers a deeper look into the Las Vegas betting scene as well as cover some of the hottest trending sports betting topics of the day. When looking for the ultimate sports betting source, we have found that there is no one better than a true "insider" in the undisputed sports gambling capital of the world. The following is this week's conversation.

Doc's Sports: Is Tuesday night the top-seeded Atlanta Hawks' 'swan song' in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals, or do they have anything left in the tank to avoid the sweep at the hands of LeBron James and Cleveland?

RE: The Hawks could easily have one or even two victories in this series, so I am not quite ready to hand the Eastern Conference title to LeBron and Co. The Cavaliers will still win the series, but think Atlanta can continue to make them work for it starting with a win in Game 4.

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?

RE: One of the things to watch for Game 5 is whether or not Dwight Howard draws a suspension for elbowing Andrew Bogut, but even if he does play I do not see Golden State losing at home. After Stephen Curry came away from a scary fall without a serious injury, he should be ready to go off on Wednesday night to seal the deal.

Doc's Sports : Turning to the conference finals in the NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs, both Tampa Bay in the East and Anaheim in the West have 3-2 series leads in those best-of-seven affairs. Do you see the New York Rangers and the Chicago Blackhawks each forcing a Game 7 with wins in Game 6?

RE: The Lightning appear to have Rangers' goalie Henrik Lundqvist's number in this series, so this one probably ends in six with New York playing on the road. Chicago, on the other hand, has a good shot at forcing a Game 7 with the next game on its home ice. My concern for the Blackhawks is the wear and tear they have endured in this series at the hands of the faster and more aggressive Ducks.

Doc's Sports: The first quarter of the MLB regular season is in the books, and the surprising Kansas City Royals and the Houston Astros have provided two of the best returns so far on a moneyline bet. Would you keep going with both of these teams when wagering on their games, or is it time to change your betting strategy?

RE: Kansas City tasted success last season, and it continues to play as a team to grind out wins. One thing I have noticed about the Royals' dugout is that the players are always up on their feet and into the game, which makes me bullish on their chances to stay hot on the moneyline bet. Houston is the bigger surprise, but with Los Angeles and Seattle starting to play better as the season wears on, I would be more apt to go against the youthful Astros as they could have trouble holding up.

Doc's Sports : Horse racing fans have not witnessed a Triple Crown winner since 1978 when Affirmed was the last three-year-old thoroughbred to win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. American Pharoah has basically been listed as an even-money favorite with most of the books in town to end this drought after winning the first two jewels of this crown. Which way are you leaning with this Triple Crown prop bet?

RE: As a handicapper, my job is to find the value for my clients in a horse with longer odds that can beat the favorite to maximize the return. As a horse racing fan, I would still place a $10 bet across the board on American Pharoah with the hopes of having a piece of sports memorabilia by never cashing in the ticket if he does make history by winning this race.

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 don't even have to enter credit card information. You can use this $60 credit for any sport Esparza handicaps. Click here for $60 worth of free picks from Raphael Esparza .

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