For well over four decades, Doc’s Sports Service has remained one of the leaders in the sports selection industry by providing our loyal customers with a steady stream of winning picks for all the major sports. We just wrapped up an incredible season of college football, with the meat of the bowl season still left on the plate, and we look forward to continued success in the NFL Playoffs. One of the cornerstones to this unparalleled success has been the ability to develop ongoing relationships with some of the best handicappers in the business. Over the past seven years, one of our brightest stars has been Raphael Esparza. He was formally known as the Vegas Sports Informer during a long and illustrious career working behind the counter of some of the biggest sportsbooks in Las Vegas, including the position of Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Grand's Aria. Raphael decided to retire from the sportsbook industry earlier this year, but that does not mean he is not hard at work sourcing inside information from vast network of contacts in Las Vegas. This ‘inside edge’ has served him well in the past, and it continues to be a vital part of his handicapping efforts today. This edge has helped him deliver a winning track record for a wide array of sporting events.

Doc’s Sports has been tapping into this ‘inside edge’  for quite some time now through a series of weekly discussions with Raphael designed to uncover valuable insight into the hottest trending topics in the sports gaming industry today. He continues to prove time and time again that working and living in the undisputed sports gambling capital of the world has helped him become one of the top handicappers in the game.

Doc’s Sports: The playoffs start early for four NFL teams in the final week of the regular season with two divisional title games on Week 17’s slate. In the first showdown, Green Bay needs to beat Chicago for the NFC North crown, but it is still awaiting word on the playing status of Aaron Rodgers. The way the Bears looked last Sunday night in a lopsided loss to Philadelphia, do the Packers still need him to play to win this game?

RE: I would have to agree that the way Chicago’s defense played last week the Packers may be able to stick with Matt Flynn and still get the win. Having Rodgers in the lineup would provide a major boost, but an equally important player could be Eddie Lacy, who is listed as ‘questionable’ with an ankle injury. 

Doc’s Sports: Speaking of Philadelphia, the Eagles may have caught a huge break in Sunday night’s matchup against Dallas for the NFC East title. If Tony Romo remains out of the starting lineup because of his back, do the Cowboys have any chance to win this game with Kyle Orton at quarterback?

RE: I still give the Cowboys a decent shot at winning this game with Orton at the helm. It all depends on which Eagles’ defense shows up. You know that Philly is going to put some points on the board, but right now I would say that if Dallas can hold Nick Foles and Co. to 30 points or less, it is coming out on top this Sunday night.

Doc’s Sports: While the really big college bowl matchups do not start up until New Year’s Day, which bowl game between now and then are you most looking forward to watching?

RE: The game at the top of my list is next Tuesday’s Sun Bowl between UCLA and Virginia Tech. I am really excited to watch Bruins’ quarterback Brett Hundley as he is due for a huge game on a national stage. I am also interested to see just how many points Oregon puts up against Texas in Monday’s Alamo Bowl. You know the Ducks will come into this game with a major chip on their shoulder against a Longhorns’ team that could be in complete disarray without Mack Brown as their coach.

Doc’s Sports: Christmas Day and the NBA have gone hand in hand over the years with a holiday offering of big matchups. Have any of the five games on this Wednesday’s slate caught your interest?

RE: Injuries have decimated many of the teams that are playing this Wednesday, much to the chagrin of the NBA, which hand-picked these matchups when making up the schedule. The one quality showdown still on the board is the Los Angeles Clippers on the road against Golden State. This will easily be the most entertaining game of the day between two teams that know how to put points on the board.

Doc’s Sports: The college basketball season takes a bit of a break this week, but can you give us one or two ‘under-the-radar’ teams to watch once conference play starts?

RE: If you are looking for a few teams way under the radar but on the rise, I would go with Harvard in the Ivy League and Hawaii out of the Big West. The Crimson have just one loss against 10 wins so far, and the Rainbow Warriors are 6-1 in their last seven games and coming off a solid victory over St. Mary’s as an underdog in the Diamond Head Classic.

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. Follow him on Twitter @VSIDocsports