FST’s outright predictions season continues with our next EFL edition as we look into the prospects in the Championship next term.
The three relegated sides will all be looking to bounce back at the first attempt and there are plenty of other teams who will feel they are legitimate contenders to go up. We’ve focused on the outright and promotion markets here, and will be back with top scorer, relegation and specials bets over the next few days.
All bets below are priced up with bet365, where new customers can claim up to £30 in free bets to use on this season’s outright tips.
Championship 2023/24 winner odds
- Leicester 4/1
- Southampton 7/1
- Leeds 7/1
- Middlesbrough 10/1
- Norwich 16/1
- Watford 16/1
- Ipswich 16/1
- West Brom 20/1
- Stoke 20/1
- Sunderland 20/1
- Coventry 20/1
Championship outright predictions & tips
Leicester to win the Championship at 4/1
The three sides who dropped out of the Premier League in May head the Championship betting going into the new season and they make a pretty formidable trio.
Leicester, Leeds and Southampton had their issues last season, but neither side resembles a disaster zone and history backs up their chances.
The last three winners of the Championship – Norwich, Fulham and Burnley – all achieved the feat 12 months after dropping out of the top flight.
Leicester may well be best equipped of the trio with Enzo Maresca, part of Pep Guardiola’s title-winning coaching team at Manchester City, now at the head of affairs.
Superstars James Maddison and Harvey Barnes have gone and a few others may be heading for pastures new before the transfer window closes, but the Foxes are still able to attract players of the calibre of Conor Coady and Harry Winks.
And they join a strong group of proven stars, a group Maresca will add to with the millions he has at his disposal.
And what are the chances that 36-year-old Jamie Vardy can have one last hurrah of a campaign at a level where even at his age he can still flourish?
Leeds are arguably behind the eight-ball after takeover delays, although Daniel Farke knows how to triumph in tier two. Ethan Ampadu joins a raft of youngsters at Elland Road, but confidence at the club doesn’t feel particularly high and a number of their better players have understandably left the building.
Saints are happy enough with Russell Martin as their manager because he will get them playing some decent football, although they need toughening up on the evidence of last season.
Leicester are favourites and rightly so but they are going to have to fend off a glut of established rivals other than just Leeds and Southampton.
Watford, Norwich and West Brom look likely to put up better fights than they did last season, but there are also question marks over those three sides.
Middlesbrough should be slick under Michael Carrick but are priced to have a good run.
Sunderlamd to be promoted at 13/2
The noticeable thing about the Championship in recent times is the number of unheralded sides getting into the playoffs. Luton and Coventry both managed it last season against the odds, the Hatters for a second successive season. Barnsley somehow managed it in 2020-21 and their feats are all the more remarkable given the ex-Premier League pedigree which punctuates the second tier these days.
It also means there is scope for an outsider to do what Luton have done.
And given that Sunderland managed it in 2022-23, why shouldn’t Tony Mowbray’s men have another run at promotion?
Ross Stewart, ridiculously prolific over the last two terms when fit, is on course for a return from his latest setback to offer potency at the top end.
It has been a quiet summer in the transfer market but the Black Cats will be stronger if they can keep hold of Patrick Roberts, Jack Clarke, Dan Neil and one or two others, because they are likely to get better as a unit.
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