The month of April closes out college hoops for the season, but Doc's Sports is just getting started with its winning picks for basketball with the start of the NBA Playoffs later this month. We have been at the top of the sports betting game for 44 years, and one of the keys to our success has been a team of expert handicappers that include some of the best of the best in the industry.

Over the past eight years, Raphael Esparza has remained at the top of his game as an expert handicapper for Doc's. He cut his teeth in the sports betting business during a long and successful career with some of the biggest sportsbooks in Las Vegas. At the pinnacle of his career, the former Vegas Sports Informer 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 keys to his success has been the ability to make the most of a direct connection to 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 used this information to create a true "insider's edge" for all of his selections. Savvy bettors understand the value that Raphael brings to the table, and the proof is in the small fortune they have pocketed over the years with his picks.

While he continues to offer selection packages for all the major sports, what makes his handicapping service so unique is picks for sports 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. It is safe to say that if a sportsbook posts odds for it, he will handicap it.

Doc's and Raphael have been sitting down for an ongoing weekly Q&A to delve deeper into the Las Vegas betting scene as well as cover some of the hottest trending sports betting topics of the day. 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: Last week you told us that the Las Vegas sportsbooks cleaned up through the first few rounds of this season's men's NCAA Tournament with a huge take on that first Thursday of action. How did the books fare through the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight Rounds?

RE: It was definitely a reversal of fortunes for the sportsbooks in those two rounds, especially when Duke covered against Utah, which resulted in a major loss across the board. The books held their own on Saturday with quite a bit of money coming in on Kentucky, and Sunday's action was fairly light with quite a few bettors leaving town.

Doc's Sports: The stage is set for two classic showdowns in this year's Final Four, so which two teams do you have advancing to next Monday's Championship Game?

RE: I know that the media and probably the betting public is pulling for a Kentucky verses Duke showdown in the finals, and I am pretty sure that is what we are going to see. Wisconsin has an outside chance of keeping things close against the Wildcats, but I think the stage will be too big for Michigan State to pull off an upset against Duke.

Doc's Sports : Kentucky has captured the attention of the betting public in college basketball this season, but jumping ahead to next month's Kentucky Derby, can you give a few horses that should draw some serious attention when it comes to betting on this event?

RE: I am still going with American Pharoah as my top horse after his dominating run in the Rebel Stakes, but I would have to add International Star to my short list after his stunning victory in last Saturday's Louisiana Derby. I was also impressed with Materiality's victory in the Florida Derby as a horse that I had in the mix but not winning the race.

Doc's Sports: Wrapping up our trip around this upcoming season's MLB division races, we are left with the highly-intriguing NL West. The Los Angeles Dodgers are heavy favorites to repeat with most sportsbooks, but which team do you have winning the division title this season?

RE: As is the case with Washington in the NL East, this division is the Dodgers to lose. They have the complete package in both their starting rotation and their lineup, so it is hard to see them failing to repeat as NL West champs. I do like San Diego's chances to stay in the race and possibly compete for a wild-card spot, but I see San Francisco taking a step backwards with a big loss in run production from a season ago.

Doc's Sports : Recently on your blog, Straight Talk Bet, you posted futures odds for the 2015 Arena League Football season. While we all know how much bettors love to wager on football, how much action does this league actually generate and do you offer picks for the games?

RE: Years ago I was big into Arena League Football both as a fan and as a handicapper, especially when the games were available on ESPN. It has fallen off in popularity in recent years and thus the betting interest is not really there. It will be a 'watch-and-see season' for me this year with the CBS Sports Network in the mix, and if the league keeps moving in the right direction I could have it back on my radar in 2016.

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.