Three EFL Championship Season Bets

Posted on September 5, 2019 by SoccerPunter

Three EFL Championship Season Bets to Consider

With the new EFL Championship season underway and a number of shocks on the opening weekend, the division looks arguably more open than ever.

That means there’s betting value to be had by smart punters. Here, we pick out three Championship season bets for you to consider. All prices correct as of the end of the first match day.

Derby County for a top six finish

Although desperate for promotion, Derby have found getting back into the Premier League elusive falling short in the play-offs four times in the last six seasons.

There’s not a club in the Championship more consistent when in comes to top six finishes, however, so to find them odds against at 6/4 in the football betting with 888 is astounding.

Phillip Cocu made a winning start to life with the Rams with a 2-1 away victory at Huddersfield Town. County have survived losing players and changing coaches yet are still there or thereabouts.

Derby have made three top six finishes in the last four campaigns, and now have the enticing prospect of Wayne Rooney arriving at Pride Park as player-coach in January. That is sure to buoy their bid to at least make the play-offs again.

If they, as in recent years, fall short of promotion once more, it doesn’t matter because the recommended bet is the Rams just to finish in the top six. County have more than adequate replacements for departed loan stars Harry Wilson, Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori.

Blackburn Rovers for a top 12 finish

Tony Mowbray has quietly assembled a squad at Blackburn that blends youth and experience. Usually speaking, that’s a recipe for success and – if that tried and tested method does the trick at Ewood Park – Rovers look sure to improve upon last season’s 15th place.

The additions of Bradley Johnson in the engine room and ex-England winger Stewart Downing look very astute both on and off the pitch. These players have earned promotion from this division before and Blackburn also look likely to keep goalscoring midfielder Bradley Dack.

All these names and the young forwards competing with Danny Graham have plenty to offer at Championship level. With only four points to find on last season’s form to break into the top half, Blackburn appeal more than some of the sides that finished in and around them.

Brentford have cashed in on top scorer Neal Maupay, likewise at Swansea City with Ollie McBurnie and Callum Robinson at Preston North End. Yorkshire pair Hull City and Sheffield Wednesday will do well to finish so high in mid-table again, while Nathan Jones is still putting his stamp on Stoke City. An even-money price on Blackburn recording a top 12 finish is thus fair.

Eight of last season’s 10 top goalscorers in the Championship aren’t playing in the division this term. That leaves the betting market wide-open and there’s each-way value in taking the 11/1 about Huddersfield forward Karlan Grant.

Some bookies still refer to him as Karlan Ahearne-Grant, but the Charlton Athletic academy product caught the eye despite the Terriers’ dismal Premier League campaign that saw them relegated and finish rock bottom. He only joined Town in January, which was too late in truth to save the West Yorkshire outfit.

Grant netted four in 13 Premier League games and is already off the mark with a consolation penalty in the 2-1 home defeat by Derby. More goals look sure to come the 21-year-old who was prolific during the first half of last season in League One.

As bookmakers pay a quarter of outright odds for four places, you can get 11/4 for Grant even if he doesn’t grab the Golden Boot but is still high in the goal charts. This looks a sound investment.