Doc's Sports and winning picks for football have gone hand-in-hand for over four decades, and in our 43^rd year in the sports selection business we are at the top of game again this season. One of the biggest reasons for this unprecedented level of success has been the ability to surround ourselves with some of the top expert handicappers in the business. Over the past eight years, Raphael Esparza has established himself as one of our top all-pros on this winning team.

The former Vegas Sports Informer honed his expert handicapping skills during a long and illustrious career behind the counter of some of the biggest sportsbooks in Las Vegas. This included an extended stint in the prestigious position of Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Grand's Aria until his retirement from the Las Vegas sportsbook industry in August of 2013.

Raphael's full-time job these days in both his home base in Las Vegas and more recently in frequent trips to New Orleans is to develop and expand an already vast network of relationships with some of the biggest and most influential insiders in the sports betting industry today. These professionals know the gaming world inside and out, and he has been able to incorporate this "inside edge" into all the selections he releases.

Speaking of selections, his packages run the gambit from every major sports league to expanded picks for such things as the WNBA, horse racing, boxing, professional tennis and soccer leagues all around the globe. Recently, he has gone as far as to offer picks for professional wrestling, high school football and even political elections.

Awhile back, Doc's decided to sit down with Raphael for a weekly Q&A to gain direct access into the Las Vegas betting scene as well as his expert insight for some of the hottest trending topics in the sports betting industry today. We have found that there is no better source than someone that is a true "insider" in the undisputed sports gambling capital of the world. The following is this week's conversation.

Doc's Sports: The battle for one of the top four spots in the newly formed College Football Playoff Rankings rages on, and a key game on this week's slate takes us to our home conference; the Big Ten. Michigan State has been opened by most books as a three-point home favorite for Saturday's showdown against Ohio State. How do you see this matchup turning out?

RE: To me, this is the biggest game on this Saturday's slate with so much on the line for not just Michigan State but for the Big Ten's chances to get a team in this year's playoffs. I am leaning towards the Spartans in this one, but they are going to need a big effort from their defense to slow Ohio State down, especially on the ground.

Doc's Sports : In your blog, Straight Bet Talk, you provided your readers with a quick recap of Week 9 in the NFL in terms of how the Las Vegas books posted their third-biggest take of the season after three of four double-digit favorites failed to cover the spread. Given your past experience in this industry, how does Las Vegas's overall take in the first half of the NFL season rank with years past?

RE: The simple fact that the Las Vegas books have been in the black in seven of the first nine weeks has made this a very good year so far. However, some of my inside sources have openly stated that the "wise guys" are keeping it from being a record-setting take. If you would go back over the past decade or so, the take in the first half of this NFL season would definitely be in the top five. If the inconsistency of the favorites in the NFC continues, things should get even better as the season wears on.

Doc's Sports: Last week you gave us a list of your top four college football teams heading into November. Now that all 32 NFL teams have wrapped up the first half of their schedule, can you give us your top four teams in the pros?

RE : Despite last week's loss in New England, I would still have the Denver Broncos at the top of my list. By his own admission, Peyton Manning played poorly and that does not happen all that often. The Patriots would be a solid second on the list followed by Arizona only because the Cardinals are 7-1. My fourth team would be Indianapolis based on the steady play of Andrew Luck. I am especially impressed with his ability to take a hit and still make plays.

Doc's Sports : Both the 49ers and the Saints struggled to a 4-4 straight up start in the first half of the NFL season, so which one of these preseason Super Bowl contenders gets off to a fast start in the second half when they battle it out this Sunday in New Orleans?

RE: They may both have the same record through the first eight games, but these two teams are headed in opposite directions. The apparent turmoil in the 49ers' locker room is starting to affect their play on the field and they will be hard pressed to correct things in one of the toughest places in the NFL to get a win.

Doc's Sports: A new season in the NBA got underway last week. Can you give us a few handicapping tips when it comes to betting basketball games in the early part of the schedule?

RE: The first thing you want to do is look for opportunities to go against bad teams. It usually takes a few weeks to correct some of these early flaws, and sometimes they never get fixed. You also want to keep riding teams that are exceeding expectations such as the Miami Heat. This is still a very good team, and the Heat have shown they still know how to win in its first few games. Finally, play close attention to any significant injuries as these will have a greater impact in the early games as teams will oftentimes struggle to play around the loss of a key player in its starting lineup.

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 . Also be sure to follow him on Twitter @VSIDocsports.