Doc's Sports is celebrating our 44^th year in the sports selection industry, and we continue to be a leader in our field with winning selection packages for all the major sports. This Sunday's Super Bowl will close out another successful run through the NFL, and we plan to continue churning out winners in both college hoops and the NBA. One of the primary reasons for Doc's continued success in such a competitive environment has been the ability to surround ourselves with some of the top expert handicappers in the business.

One of those shining stars heading into his ninth year with Doc's has been Raphael Esparza. Formally known as the Vegas Sports Informer during his long tenure behind the counter in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry, he worked his way up through the ranks to the prestigious position of Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Grand's Aria until his retirement in 2013.

Raphael now spends the majority of his time working with a vast network of some of the biggest and most influential sports insiders in Las Vegas today. These professionals know the sports betting industry inside and out, and he has gained a reputation for using this "insider's edge" in all of his selections to help make savvy bettors a small fortune over the past several years.

As an expert handicapper, Raphael's service releases selection packages for all the major sports, but he also spends his time uncovering betting opportunities for sports such as the WNBA, horse racing, boxing, professional tennis and soccer leagues all around the globe. He has even expanded his offerings by releasing a number of winning picks for professional wrestling, high school football and even the world of entertainment, so it is safe to say that if Las Vegas posts odds for it, he will handicap it.

Doc's and Raphael continue to delve deeper into the Las Vegas betting scene through an ongoing weekly Q&A that discusses 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: While we are all tired of Deflate-gate being the primary topic of discussion heading into this Sunday's Super Bowl, do you think this whole mess will have any kind of impact on the outcome of the game?

RE: I believe that the NFL will do everything in its power to put this whole incident on the back-burner for the rest of this week leading up the game. As far as its impact on the game itself, I would be highly shocked if this distraction carried over into New England's performance on the field. I still like the Patriots' offense going up against Seattle's defense in this matchup.

Doc's Sports: Last week we talked about some of your past prop bet picks for the Super Bowl. Can you give us a sneak peek into what you top prop pick for Sunday's game might be?

RE: Since I have been releasing picks in the world of entertainment lately, I think I am going to lean towards a prop of that nature for my Super Bowl Prop of the Game. One that really caught my eye was the "over/under" on how many times will NBC show Tom Brady's wife Gisele Bundchen during the broadcast. I am also looking at a prop involving the Dow Jones Industrial Average the day after the game.

Doc's Sports: Action in the NHL should really start to heat up following this past weekend's All-Star break. Which two teams do you have right now facing off against one another in the NHL Finals later this year for Lord Stanley's Cup?

RE: The biggest surprise this season in the NHL has been the play of the New York Islanders, and I think this team is the real deal in the East. I also like how Nashville has been holding up in the West, but if I had to make a pick right now, I would go with the Islanders facing the Anaheim Ducks in this season's NHL Finals.

Doc's Sports : The NBA regular season has also reached the halfway point of its 82-game schedule, and in your blog, Straight Bet Talk, you recently posted Week 13 power rankings for all 30 teams as released by Bankerz Bets. It is pretty obvious that Golden State and Atlanta have been red-hot both on the court and at the betting window, but are there any other NBA teams out there that would be a strong play to go with right now?

RE: Keep an eye on the Cleveland Cavaliers. Some recent roster moves have really helped this team from a defensive standpoint and LeBron James is starting to find that championship form in the Cavs' current six-game winning streak both straight up and against the spread.

Doc's Sports: We all know that you are a huge boxing and MMA fan, so do you have any thoughts about this Saturday's UFC 183 main event bout between Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz at the MGM Grand Garden Arena? It appears that most books in town have Silva listed as a heavy favorite.

RE: I am off to a fast start this year in my UFC picks with a 5-0 record that has returned more than $3,400 to $100 bettors, but I am taking a wait-and-see approach with this bout. Right now Silva is a -450 favorite, and if that number continues to climb I would almost have to go with Diaz. There are still quite a few question marks surrounding Silva's physical and mental health coming off a horrific leg injury in his last fight over a year ago.

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.