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If you follow Spanish soccer, you will know that these are interesting times for La Liga and the various cup competitions.

With no Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo in the league for the first time since 2004-05, other teams have risen up to take their chance to win a piece of silverware in 2022, something that was a very tough proposition over the last decade-plus.

Take the Copa del Rey, for example: Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Real Madrid are all out of the cup, with the first two teams bounced long ago in the quarterfinals.

Right now, there are just four teams left in the competition, and that number will be cut to two after Wednesday, March 2 and Thursday, March 3.

So who are the teams left, and which team(s) should bettors be focusing on right now to get the best value for their buck?

Real Betis has a 2-1 lead over Rayo Vallecano after the first leg Feb. 9, while Valencia and Athletic Club are even at 1-1 heading to Bilbao for the second leg.

Since Betis has the lead in its tie, and is heading home, it has the best odds currently with bookmakers at +105 to win the Copa del Rey for the first time since 2005, and for just the third time in club history. If Vallecano can overcome the 2-1 deficit, it would play for the first time in the final: you can get steep odds on that title right now, at +1200.

Valencia (2019) is one of two teams outside the big three (Real Sociedad 2020) to win this cup in the last decade, and has a good shot to get to its 18th final. Athletic, though, has been to 39 finals (including the last two), and has the home edge for leg two. Valencia is +275 to win the cup, while Athletic is +325.

If you go by the La Liga table to help figure out which team has been the best in 2021-22, the money has to fall on Betis. Right now, Betis is in third place, occupying a UEFA Champions League spot ahead of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. Athletic sits in eighth, Rayo Vallecano 11th, and Valencia 12th.

So which team should you back?

“I really, really, like this Betis side,” a BritishGambler spokesperson said. “You have Juanmi, Borja, and Willian José scoring goals, and Nabil Fekir pulling the strings and putting balls on

plates for the attackers. I really hope the team can stay together in Spain, because they will be amazing to watch in the UEFA Champions League if they qualify.

“The odds are pretty short at +105, but that is still plus-money. There is no way you are going to get Betis at those odds in a final against either Valencia or Athletic, so if you think they are going to win, jump on them now.

“I have already done so. I think they will get it done in the second leg and win the final.”

Prediction:

I can’t argue with the logic. Take Real Betis now before the odds drop.

If you or anyone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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