Championship predictions: Our free tips to help you choose your bet
Here are our top three predictions for Championship games being played this week…Leeds vs Sheffield United: Both teams to score – No @ 21/20 (2.05)
The international break can’t come and go soon enough as far as Championship fans are concerned because the match that kick starts the next block of games is a meeting between the two favourites for the title as Leeds host Sheffield United. We’re betting at least one side fails to score in the game. Leeds have seen both teams score in just two of their last five matches whilst the Blades’ backline has blunted six attacks in a row with their last goal conceded coming back in August; Sheffield United blanked in that game meaning they’ve not seen both teams score in any of their last seven matches!QPR vs Portsmouth: Draw @ 12/5 (3.40)
From the promotion race, we now look to the other end of the table as QPR host Portsmouth in what is another big game in England’s second tier. Neither QPR or Portsmouth convince that they know how to win a game of football and therefore backing the draw is the obvious pick where betting value is concerned. QPR have drawn three of their last five home games winning none whilst Portsmouth, who are winless all season but with more draws to their name than any other team in the league, have drawn two of their last four away games. Three of their last four league trips to QPR have ended in draws too.Stoke vs Norwich: Over 2.5 goals @ 4/5 (1.80)
We end our Championship betting tips with a total goals wager from the match between Stoke and Norwich. Our money is on the game going over 2.5 goals. Stoke have gone north of that 2.5 marker in three of their last four home matches with a 4.0 goals per game average whilst Norwich have seen three of their last four games break the 2.5 cut off; they’ve also averaged 4.0 goals per game in that period. Three of the last five head to head games have gone north of the 2.5 threshold too.Championship Outright Odds
The Championship season is a month old now and the table is starting to take shape with some of the early pace setters having fallen away as quickly as they rose. On the flip side, those strong sides who made sticky starts are starting to show what they’re truly capable of. Leeds – Leeds have shown lots of their qualities in recent weeks and it’s that potential that sees them rank as favourites to lift the Championship crown come May. They did suffer a bitter blow on Friday night as they gifted Sunderland, who currently top the table, a draw. They’ll know how important those sloppily lost points can be over the course of a season after what happened last season too. Sheffield United– the Blades are the only side unbeaten in the Championship and currently sit second behind the Black Cats on goals scored. They’ve won five of their last six conceding zero goals in that run and that solid backline has to make them serious contenders as we move forwards in the season. Middlesbrough – To be honest, Boro can consider themselves fortunate to rank in the bookies top three where outright league winners are concerned; we don’t see them as a value pick at all as they struggle for consistency down in ninth place. It feels like a lot is being based on the fact they have a squad and manager that, in previous seasons, have proven they’re capable of putting extended runs together. They’ll want to find their groove sooner rather than later though.Relegation Odds
Whilst the Championship can be the gateway to the Promised Land, it is also the league with the potential to chew you up and spit you into the third tier. Here are the teams we think are most in danger at this early stage: Portsmouth – There are 24 clubs in the Championship and 23 of them have recorded at least one win this season. Portsmouth, despite having nine attempts, are still to collect three points. Admittedly, they’ve earned five draws to keep them off the foot of the table but that first win evading their grasp piles pressure. QPR and Cardiff await after the international break; those games are enormous given the current standings. Plymouth –For the first time since before a ball was kicked, Plymouth are not the favourites to be relegated. From what we’ve seen of Wayne Rooney’s side so far, we’d suggest they’re being harshly viewed to rank as second favourites for the drop. The Pilgrims currently sit in a lofty 14th and are closer to the top 10 than the bottom three. Cardiff – We’ve just given Plymouth a pat on the back for their current position. Cardiff are rock bottom right now and host Plymouth next. It is a huge game for both clubs given the relegation narrative around them both. Should the Bluebirds lose, we will really start to fear for them.Top Goalscorer Odds
With some of last season’s best goalscorers having left – or being tipped to leave – the Championship, the 2024-25 golden boot wide open as far as we’re concerned. Here are leading names per bet365:- Josh Maja, West Brom @ 7/2 (4.50)
- Tom Cannon, Stoke @ 10/1 (11.00)
- Josh Sargent, Norwich @ 10/1 (11.00)
- Haji Wright, Coventry @ 12/1 (13.00)
- Joel Piroe, Leeds @ 16/1 (17.00)
Which are the Top Bookies to Place Wagers on the English Championship with?
1.UNIBET
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£40 in sports bets, money back Match Multi Bet Builder Acca boosts |
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2. SPREADEX
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£40 free bets welcome offer Premium sports betting trading services |
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3. BetUK
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Get £30 in free bets Acca boosts Top football odds |
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4. LADBROKES
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Odds boost Correct Score challenges |
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5. VBET
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Welcome offer: £20 in free bets Unique bundle free bet package |
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6. POKERSTARS
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ACCA boosts Welcome Offer |
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7. BET365
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Best live-streaming portfolio Appealing Design 🔴Promo code: SPORTSMAX |
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8. BETFRED
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£50 in sportsbook bonuses Premium App #PickYourPunt |
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9. GROSVENOR
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Double the odds ACCA boosts |
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10. BOYLESPORTS
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New customers can bet £10 & get £10 Tons of football betting markets |
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11. CORAL
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£20 free bets welcome offer “Build Your Bet” feature for football Top promotions for regulars |
SkyBet – Wager £5 to Get £30 in Free Bets
SkyBet is the first bookie we put on the list because it sponsors the English Championship. The sports news and betting provider offers their customers the best odds on English Championship matches, and you get more than five Price Boosts per game. They are the best at providing content for this tournament, and if you don’t find something you are looking for, you can always request a wager via Twitter. Also, their sky bet sign up offer is one of the bests in the market.Bet365: Top choice for Championship odds
Bet365 is the most well-known bookmaker in the world. They provide customers with one of the largest Sportsbooks ever and their market selections. You can find competitive prices, unique features, and many football-specific functions of the Sportsbook, like the Soccer Bet Builder, which was first introduced to the sports betting scene. Use Bet365 promo codeWilliam Hill – Bet £10 to Get £30 Free Bets
William Hill is an established bookmaker with a long history, not only in the UK. They provide their customers with the best quality odds and attractive promotions. Regularly they offer enhanced odds on many events, and if you don’t find what you are looking for, you can always request odds directly from William Hill via the #YourOdds. Use William Hill promo code.Ladbrokes – Stake £5 and Get £20 in Free Bets
Ladbrokes is one of the leading bookmakers not only in the country but in the world as well specially with their Ladbrokes new customer offer. They operate both an online platform and land-based shops around the UK. You can find markets on many events, especially Football-related, and their array of in-play markets is impressive, as well. They offer cash-out on many events and markets, and their live streaming is high-end with excellent quality.Betfair – Get Up to £100 in Free Bets
Betfair’s Sportsbook is advanced enough, but it is more popular because of the Exchange platform it created. The bookie offers in-play and cash-out on both platforms, and intrigues their customers with exciting promotions, especially when it comes to Football events. They provide a wide array of markets for football events, and their odds are competitive. Betfair new customer offer. Place 5 x £10 or more bets to receive £20 in free bets. Repeat up to 5 times to receive a maximum £100 bonus. Min odds 1/2 (1.5). Exchange bets excluded. Payment restrictions apply. T&Cs apply.Genting Bet – If Your First Bet Loses, Get £10 Free Bet
Genting Bet is a famous bookmaker brand in the UK, and they have many betting shops too. They provide enough markets and sports you could bet on and have an easy-t-navigate website interface. While they don’t offer one of the essential Sportsbook features nowadays – live streaming – they provide competitive odds and standard features like cash-out. You can find English Championship content on their Sportsbook, and get some free wagers if you are lucky.Paddy Power – Get £10 Money Back in Cash
Paddy Power new customer offer is very generous with their customers. They offer the most bonuses for existing customers, from all of the other Sportsbook we mentioned. It might seem like the welcome bonus is small, but you would get so many betting and promotion opportunities after, and it’s all worth it. Some of the most popular markets and Football Specials are offered on the site, alongside Power Prices and Early Payouts. New customers only. Place your FIRST bet on any sportsbook market and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is £20. Only deposits made using Cards or Apple Pay will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply. Paddy’s Rewards Club: Get a £10 free bet when you place 5x bets of £10+. T&Cs apply.Coral – Wager £1, Get £30 in Free Bets
Coral is one of the largest Sportsbooks in the industry. They offer several different markets available, but Football events get the most betting options of all. You can cash-out many of the bets, both pre-game and in-play, and watch the matches live via their streaming platform. You won’t have to pay anything to use the live streaming feature, except having a positive balance. The Coral new customer offer is also a good incentive.888 Sport – Receive Up to £30 Cash if Your First Bet Loses
888 Sport is one of the primary English Championship markets and odds providers. The bookmaker has a unique online platform with breathtaking design and cool features. You can use the cash-out or live streaming features on multiple events, and the in-play markets available are enough to satisfy all customers. And if you register with the 888sport sign up offer, you get a chance on the welcome bonus also.Betfred – Wager £10 on Any Match and Get £40 Free Bets
Betfred is an established brand in the UK and offers a great Betfred promo code, and they have many betting shops in the country as well. They provide the punters with an easy-to-navigate platform, and a fantastic mobile app to use. When it comes to features, they provide all the usual ones, like streaming, cash-out, #PickYourPunt, and more. They offer multiple platforms to play on and many bonuses for existing customers. Compared to other bookies on our list, they don’t have the number of markets or sports like others, but their quality is unmatched. New UK & NI customers only. 18+. Sign up using promo code ‘SPORTS60’. Deposit & place first sports bet at a minimum of £10 in one bet transaction at evens (2.0) +. £40 paid in free bets within 48 hours of bet settlement, expires 7-days after issue. E-Wallet & Prepaid Card restrictions apply. Your first bet must be settled within 60 days of bet placement. SMS validation may be required. Game restrictions apply. Maximum 30 Free Spins on selected games. Free Spins expire after 7 days And if you are wondering where else can you utilise the bets from these bookmakers then read our article on football betting tips today. It provides information on the best tips for football betting, updated daily.Different Bets Placed on the English Championship
There are three main markets for the English Championship. Read more about them below.To Be Promoted
In this type of outright market, which is the most common one for this Championship, you place a bet on the team you think would get promoted to the Premier League. Considering that more than one team gets promoted to the top league almost every year, you should have better chances of winning this type of wager. But anything could happen in Football, and nothing is defined at the end.Not to Be Promoted
With this type of wager, you have even more chances, because you are wagering on teams that won’t get promoted. This means that you have higher chances of winning, considering there are over twenty teams, and all of them, except a few, would win this type of wager. Of course, the odds here would be significantly lowered, so you might not get the best prices, which is understandable.Relegation
This type of market is also prevalent among punters. It’s the opposite of the first market we explained. You wager on the team that would get demoted to a lower league once the English Championship ends. The odds that you get for this type of market are similar to those you get for the promotion of League One teams, but they can also be prices for teams who performed badly during the Championship.Top Goalscorer during the English Championship
The name of the market speaks for itself. You are wagering who would be the player to score the most goals during the English Championship. It’s an outright market with a lot of popularity among punters.English Championship Special Markets
Special markets are a fan-favorite category, and some bookies offer them even for English Championship. Unfortunately, most bookies don’t, so you would have to request them directly from the bookmaker. You can use the #PickYourPunt feature via Twitter and request the odds from Betfred. If they accept, they will tweet you back, and you can place your bet immediately.The Top Prevalent Wagers Placed on the English Championship
English Championship matches are like any other football match. Bookies offer all the regular types of markets, such as:- Match result – you bet on “home,” “away,” or “draw” result, and you necessarily predict who would win of the two available options.
- Both teams to score – you pick from “yes” and “no” bets whether you think both teams would score in the match or not.
- Double chance – with this type of bet, you combine two of your options, thus increasing your chances of winning.
- Over/under – here you wager whether the total score of the match would be over or under a certain amount of goals.
- Draw no bet – this bet removes the chance of a draw, and even if the match ends in one, you won’t lose anything no matter which team you wagered on.
- Handicaps – these bets give one team a virtual advantage, and for your bet to win, one team has to beat their rivals and overcome the advantage. Thee bets are quite popular when two unmatched teams are playing against each other.
- Outrights – in outright bets, you don’t choose the winner of a specific match, but the winner of the entire competition.
English Championship Offers and Promotions
Many bookmakers provide regular Football promotions to their customers and even offer related to a specific competition. The best way to benefit is to register to the bookmaker platform and receive their welcome offer. We’ve given you a list of the best bookies, so pick the welcome bonus you like most, and create an account. Other promotions you can benefit from as an existing customer, are different types of bonuses, like:- Free wagers – you might be required to place a qualifying wager on a specific event or deposit a certain amount to your account to receive the promised free bets.
- Cash prizes – you can win cash amounts like free bets, either by depositing or betting a certain amount on a random or specific fixture.
- Enhanced prices – also called “odds boost,” “price boost,” etc. These types of promotions are given on specific matches, and they increase the odds of certain outcomes. That way, if you bet and win with the odds boost promotion, you will get a higher payout than without the promotion.
- Deposit bonuses – these types of bonuses are also called deposit matches, and they work by giving you a certain percent of your deposit as a bonus. Usually, these are for new customers, but sometimes they are offered to existing punters as well.
- Free-to-play games – some bookmakers offer daily free games where you are either asked trivia questions or have to spin a wheel. Playing these games, you have the chance to win other bonuses, like free bets, cash prizes, etc.