Fans of Spanish soccer rejoice! LaLiga kicks off its 2022-23 season Friday, Aug. 12, meaning we're less than two weeks away from European football resuming in full.
For those of us who enjoy the occasional sports bet, that also means now is the perfect time to place your futures bet. While Barcelona and Real Madrid are once again favorites to take home silverware (despite Barcelona’s financial struggles) these LaLiga bets can cash in regardless of where the Spanish giants finish.
Guide To LaLiga Bets, Underdog Betting Strategy
Fans looking for good odds will want to stay away from a straight futures bet — La Liga is notoriously dominated by Barcelona and the Madrid sides — but there’s a trick to making money on LaLiga bets.
DraftKings offers a futures pick called “winner without Barcelona and Real Madrid” which features much more favorable odds, plus the fun of picking an underdog team to root for. This bet essentially removes Barça and Real from consideration. Should they take up the top two spots, you're essentially betting on who'll finish third. Of course, if your underdog manages to top Barcelona and Real Madrid in the standings, you would still cash in.
Betting Odds For Winner Without Barcelona And Real Madrid
Atlético Madrid -110
Sevilla +350
Villarreal +700
Real Sociedad +900
Real Betis +1600
To guarantee success at this betting strategy, I would pair a “safe” bet on Atletico Madrid at -110 with a riskier one on any of Sevilla, Real Sociedad or Real Betis.
Sevilla finished one point off Atlético last season and boasts a midfield of Ivan Rakitić, Joan Jordán, Thomas Delaney, Papu Gómez, Fernando and Óliver Torres.
Real Sociedad only conceded nine goals at home last campaign and looked like they would complete a top four finish before an injury to leading goalscorer Miguel Oyarzabal. Oyarzabal’s return and the development of Alexander Isak, in addition to the defense remaining intact, means that Sociedad are once again top-four dark horses.
My personal pick is Real Betis at +1600. Los Verdiblancos won the Copa del Rey and went on a Europa League run last season while managing a fifth-place finish. Manuel Pellegrini and company could certainly run it back, and I like them to finish third should Atlético or Sevilla falter.
One of the stars of LaLiga and a crucial cog of @RealBetis_en's recent success! @NabilFekir guarantees goals, assists, and excitement ⭐#LaLiga20Teams20Days pic.twitter.com/i2xUNcPJ9Q
— Premier Sports (@PremierSportsTV) August 4, 2022
At +700 I would shy away from Villarreal. Manager Unai Emery specializes in European tournaments, and Villareal are coming off of a Cinderella Champions League campaign. This is LaLiga, however, where Villareal has finished seventh two years running and hasn't invested in squad depth. +700 does not reflect any real value here.
All odds are current on DraftKings as of August 4, 2022.
