Coca-Cola Championship Betting Season 2008/9
With only a couple of day’s left until the Championship starts in earnest we’re taking a look at the teams who could be worth backing to win the Championship, or make the promotion and play-off places.
Unlike the Premiership which is dominated by four teams the Championship title race is always quite open and a close run affair between a lot of clubs and this season it looks as if the title race will be closer than ever. With most bookmakers offering a quarter of the odds to finish in the top three (some the top four) there looks to be a few decent each way bets that are worth considering.
The teams relegated from the Premier League last season were Birmingham, Derby and Reading and they are all near the top of the betting market to go straight back up.
Birmingham are 6/1 (VCbet) to win the title and they must have a great chance of doing just that. Birmingham still have the look of a Premiership class squad and we expect them to go very close in the title race.
Reading finished last season extremely poorly and they will need a good start if they are to be seen as real challengers. At 9/1 (Skybet) they might be worth backing each/way as they look capable of finish top three or four if they can get off to a good start.
Derby were the whipping boys of the Premiership last season and they will be a lot more competitive at this level. They have made a lot of changes in personnel however and seem to be in the process of rebuilding. We think they are a bit too short a price at 10/1 (Ladbrokes) to win the title but could make the play-offs.
There has been a lot of investment at QPR recently and they are as short as 13/2 (Partybets) to win the Championship. They don’t look great value to us, considering we don’t know how the team is going to gel and we think there are far better options available elsewhere.
Sheffield United are also near the head of the market at 12/1 (Paddypower) but that looks far too short a price for us for a team who only finished ninth last season.
Crystal Palace, Bristol City, Watford and Wolves all finished close to the top last season and we expect a big showing from Wolves and Crystal Palace once again. We’re discounting Bristol City and Watford as possible winner of the title although we reckon Bristol City could be worth considering at 8/1 ( Bet365) to get promotion.
Watford were poor towards the end of last season and we think mid table looks likely this season. Crystal Palace were beaten in the play-offs after coming with a great late run and they have to be considered at 14/1 (Skybet). We expect a big season from Wolves and think they should be backed each/way at 14/1 (VCbet) as a top three or four finish looks possible.
It would be no surprise to us to see promoted Nottingham Forest and Doncaster do well and at 33/1 (Betfair) and 66/1 (Paddypower) respectively are our each/way dark horse bets.
Cardiff only finished in 12th position last year, but their run to the FA Cup Final seemed to affect their league performance and we expect a far better showing from them this season. At 25/1 (Skybet) we think they have solid each/way claims.
We’re going to go for Birmingham to win the title and think Wolves and Cardiff could be the teams who fill the other promotion places.