We are well into our 44^th year in the sports selection business at Doc's Sports and rolling towards another exciting month of March Madness with a number of betting options for next month's college basketball games. One of the main reasons we have been at the top of our game for so long has been Doc's commitment to building relationships with some of the top expert handicappers in the country. We always believed that diversity is the spice of life when it comes to betting on sports, and our lineup of experts offer something for everyone in their selection packages.

One of Doc's shining stars for well over eight years has been expert handicapper Raphael Esparza. He was previously known as the Vegas Sports Informer during a long tenure with some of the biggest sportsbooks in Las Vegas, and at the pinnacle of his career 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.

Raphael continues to release selections for a wide scope of betting events. He has been able to tap directly into 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 this "insider's edge" is factored into all of his selection packages. Over the years, Raphael has successfully used this edge to help make savvy bettors a small fortune.

While he covers all the major sports, you will also find picks available for 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 has been sitting down for a weekly Q&A for some time now to delve deeper into the Las Vegas betting scene as well as to discuss 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: You know that NFL fans are desperate for news when the talk this time of year focuses on 40 times at the NFL Combines, but if you were the general manager of Tampa Bay, would you go with Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota with the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft?

RE: I would go with Mariota with the first pick in the draft. He has all the tools to succeed at the next level with good arm strength and speed. The off-field issues surrounding Winston would still be a pretty big red flag for me if I was the GM of a team no matter how good he looks on the field.

Doc's Sports: Before last week's NBA trade deadline you told us to expect Oklahoma City to make some moves to deepen their roster. Given the players they added and assuming that Kevin Durant can return to 100 percent before the playoffs, are the Thunder now the team to beat in the Western Conference?

RE: The addition of Enes Kanter and DJ Augustin could turn out to be huge for the Thunder, but they are still going to have to work their way out of that eighth spot to avoid Golden State in the opening round. Fortunately, their upcoming schedule should be favorable to racking up some more wins while Durant has a chance to completely heal his foot.

Doc's Sports: Spring training has gotten underway for all 30 MLB teams. Starting in the American League East, do you have Baltimore repeating as champs or is there another team that you favor to win the division this season?

RE: I went out on a limb last season by picking the Orioles, and it paid off in a big way, but heading into this season I'm circling back to Boston as my pick to win the AL East. The Red Sox did a good job at plugging some pretty big holes this offseason, while Baltimore's losses could point to a step backwards from last season's 96 regular-season wins.

Doc's Sports: Earlier in January you had mentioned that you were watching the progress of American Pharoah as a possible Kentucky Derby favorite for this year's race. Through almost two months of the Derby's prep race schedule are there any other three-year olds that have caught your eye?

RE: I was impressed in International Star's victory in this past weekend's Grade II Risen Star, especially in light of a crowded 12-horse field. The date I have circled on my calendar as far as Kentucky Derby contenders is March 7 with the running of three important prep races, including the Grade II San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

Doc's Sports : This past Monday in your blog, Straight Talk Bet, you posted 5Dimes' futures odds to win each of the five power conferences in college football next season. Were there any numbers on that list that jumped off the page from a value standpoint?

RE: The first thing that stood out in the numbers was the -150 odds on Ohio State to win the Big Ten. I thought the Buckeyes would open as -200 favorites or more. The other was the +550 odds on Arizona to win the Pac-12 as the fourth favorite. The Wildcats have an excellent chance to repeat in the South Division against USC (+450) and UCLA (+450), and the overall gap with Oregon may not be as wide next year.

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.