Championship Betting – Best Picks, Odds, Predictions
The English Championship is one of the top second division leagues in all of club soccer. In this league, teams are one good season away from qualifying for the Premier League, where their financial and social status could skyrocket overnight. Because of the importance of the Championship and the quality of the teams sitting just below the Premier League level, Championship betting is a popular form of soccer wagering.
When betting on the Championship, your bankroll and the teams in the league have the same goal: elevation to the next level.
Best Sportsbooks to Bet on Championship
Because of its proximity to the Premier League, there’s a lot of attention paid to Championship betting. Most major bookmakers will offer Championship odds, including the sites on this list. These are considered the best Championship betting sites, as they tend to offer the best selection of betting markets and have some of the best reputations in the online sports betting world.
Championship Previous Season Recap
Last season in the Championship, Norwich City once again made a run back to the Premier League by winning the English second division. A team that’s regularly a Championship betting favorite, whether it be to win the league or to be sent back down to it from the Premier League, Norwich earned a league-best 97 points last season. Their +39 goal difference was the best in the league, as they’ll look to stay in the Premier League after the 2021-2022 season.
Watford joined Norwich in the automatic promotion spots, as Watford finished in second in the Championship on 91 points. Watford is another team that’s been up and down between the Championship and Premier League in recent years. Given their status in the relegation race in the Premier League this season, they could be featured on Championship betting odds again in the 2022-2023 campaign.
The final team to qualify for the Premier League from the Championship was Brentford, who won the promotion playoff to get to the top flight. Brentford was joined by Swansea City, Barnsley and Bournemouth in the playoff, with Brentford running through those teams. Brentford looks like they will earn a second Premier League season at the least, as they’re solidly in the mid-table this season.
On the relegation side of things, Wycombe Wanderers, Rotherham United and Sheffield Wednesday were dropped down to League One, the third tier of English football. The relegation race was incredibly competitive this past season, as the bottom-four teams in the league were separated by just three points. Derby County survived the drop by a single point, in a race that was almost more exciting than the title race in last year’s Championship.
Summer 2021 Transfer Window Recap
With the Championship being a second division league, there aren’t as many high-profile transfers as top-flight competitions. But the transfer market can still have an impact on the outcome of the Championship as well as Championship betting odds each season. This past transfer window was no exception, as a few notable names to fans of Championship football were exchanged.
Perhaps the most notable Championship-specific name to re-enter the league over the summer was Troy Deeney. Deeney, whose stoppage time goal in the 2013 promotion playoff semifinal will be remembered as one of the most iconic in league history, was sent from Premier League Watford to Birmingham City of the Championship. Deeney is past his prime at 33 years old, but his experience securing promotion could make him a valuable leader.
Another player from Championship seasons past that was sent back to the English second division was Danny Drinkwater. Drinkwater was a Championship player before winning the most improbable Premier League title of all-time with Leicester and moving to Chelsea after that. During this past window, Chelsea sent him to Reading, and Drinkwater will look to help them avoid the drop in the 2021-2022 season.
Winter 2022 Transfer Window Recap
In the Championship, the biggest moves tend to be made in the summer transfer window. That’s the part of the year where teams are freshly promoted and relegated, which changes the finances of a team to where Championship teams can get players at a price that is relatively affordable to them. As a result, the winter transfer window is tame by comparison, and this year’s winter transfer window was relatively quiet.
To clarify, the winter transfer window was not quiet in terms of the number of moves that were made by Championship clubs. Instead, the window was quiet in terms of the names that were signed, as there were no major transactions that took place. However, the moves that were made could still impact the promotion race and the relegation battle, both of which are so crucial in this league.
There were a few players who went from Premier League sides down to Championship sides, with Liverpool, Manchester City, and Chelsea sending players they weren’t using to second-tier sides. It’ll be interesting to see if any success stories come out of this winter transfer window in the Championship, especially as teams aim to earn their way back to the top-flight in England.
Who are Favorites to Win Championship this Season?
Two teams have separated themselves in Championship betting markets in the 2021-2022 season. Fulham is the betting favorite, as they’ve got players Premier League enthusiasts may recognize, such as Aleksandar Mitrovic and Steven Sessegnon. At the halfway point of their season, Fulham had the best goal differential in the Championship with a +32 goal difference dwarfing the rest of the league to that point in the campaign.
Second to Fulham in the Championship betting odds to win the league is Bournemouth. Bournemouth is another club with recent Premier League experience, entering 2022 with the lead in the Championship table after the first half of the season. Their leading goal scorer, Dominic Solanke, has experience with Chelsea and Liverpool in his career and will look to fire his current club into the Premier League to oppose them in the near future.
After Fulham and Bournemouth, there aren’t any teams deemed to be serious competitors to win the Championship.
The Championship betting odds for this season has every other team in the league as distant underdogs, as the rest of the league appears set to fight it out for the second spot and the promotion playoff spots in order to secure promotion
Who is in Danger of Relegation?
The relegation battle in the Championship is just as important as the race to get promoted to the Premier League. While a bump up to the Premier League can be a huge financial boost, a drop down to League One can be devastating to a team looking to make the climb to the top flight. This season, there’s a pair of relegation front runners, with a few teams just ahead of them that could wind up in the drop zone.
Championship betting odds pertaining to relegation would have to favor Derby County to head to League One after this season. They haven’t been all that good on the pitch, and massive point deductions have all but guaranteed their relegation at the end of this campaign. Derby was hit with two separate point deductions pertaining to their financials totaling 21 points for going into administration and for financial irregularities.
Beyond Derby’s situation, Barnsley is another team that could find themselves in League One next season according to Championship betting odds. Barnsley is the lowest scoring team in the Championship through the first half of the season, and they will need to start scoring goals if they’re going to have a chance of avoiding a trip to the third tier in England.
The rest of the relegation battle is harder to define, as several teams could go down at the end of the year. Peterborough United, Reading, Cardiff and Hull City are all at the top of the list of candidates for the third relegation spot. But a run of positive form for those teams combined with a slide from teams above them could shake things up in a hurry.
Outright Predictions for Championship 2021/22
When it comes to outright Championship betting predictions, there might not be a better option than Bournemouth. While Fulham is the favorite to win the league, Bournemouth is right there with them in the table and is available at a better price at most sportsbooks. For those interested in value betting, the Cherries may be the best choice on the board.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with backing the Championship betting favorites in Fulham either. They’ve got the player most likely to end the season with the highest goal tally in Mitrovic and have tons of experience making it back to the top flight after being sent to the Championship. The Premier League is better with clubs like Fulham in it, and they aren’t a bad bet to get back there in 2022.
Players to Keep an Eye on in the Championship this Season
The number one player to keep an eye on in the Championship is the player responsible for putting Fulham at the top of this year’s outright Championship betting odds. Aleksandar Mitrovic has a cannon for a leg and could very well end this season with 40 goals to help Fulham get back to the Premier League. While the Championship isn’t known for star power, a player like Mitrovic certainly fits that description.
Ben Diaz is another player worth watching throughout the course of this season in the Championship.
His team, Blackburn Rovers, is in the race to earn promotion this season thanks in large part to what Diaz has done all season long. He could contend for a 40-goal season of his own, which is very impressive given that he is just 22 years old and yet to play for any top-flight sides, though that’ll undoubtedly change soon.
How do we Provide our Expert Picks for Championship?
We use a number of strategies and principles to formulate our Championship betting picks throughout each season. The most important component to our success is the in-depth knowledge that our Championship handicappers have of each team in the league. The players and teams in this league aren’t mainstream acts, for the most part, which means going the extra mile to learn about everyone competing in the Championship can pay off in a big way.
Along with doing our research on the players and teams involved in Championship betting, we also take a close look at the statistics that each team produces during each match. As any soccer bettor knows, final scores can be misleading, as teams can outplay their opponent and still lose. By looking at metrics like expected goals and those related to possession and shot quality, we can pass information onto you that’s more actionable and potentially more profitable.
In the Championship, the schedule is a little different than that of the Premier League. There are more games in the league campaign, without all of the European tournaments like the Champions League and Europa League to worry about. There are still spots where fatigue and squad rotation can play a role, though, and we’re always looking for spots where these things hold betting significance.
Best Sportsbooks that Cover Championship Games
With so many sportsbooks offering Championship betting odds, it can be hard to decide which ones you want to use. Fortunately, we can help by recommending some of the best betting sites for this league. These Championship betting sites are among the best available, as you can count on them to deliver plenty of betting markets, making things easier than an uncontested header in the box.
Caesars Sportsbook
Caesars Sportsbook is at the top of the list of Championship betting sites, thanks in large part to their company’s history across the pond. Caesars is a William Hill property, which has been operating in England for over a century in different forms. That means that they’re used to offering Championship betting in addition to the more high-profile leagues in soccer.
Betway
Another Championship betting site worth utilizing is Betway for a similar reason. Betway is a site that started in Europe as well, and they’ve been sponsors of English football teams over the years. Their close relationship with the sport has given them insight into what those around the game want in a sportsbook, making them worth a look during each season in the Championship.
Sportsbook Promo Codes and Best Bonuses for Championship
The best bonuses for Championship betting purposes start with Caesars Sportsbook. There, you can place your first bet and receive free bets in the amount of that bet, up to $1,001. Then, if your first bet is a winner, you get your stake and profits back in addition to that free bet amount.
Another quality Championship betting promo comes from BetRivers, who offers a 100% deposit bonus that can be used on the Championship. There, you can deposit for the first time and get a dollar-for-dollar match worth up to $250. If you deposit $250 into your account the first time, your bankroll at the site will start at $500 before you start placing your bets.
All You Need to Know about Championship Betting
There’s a lot to think about when doing your Championship betting each match day. But without an understanding of how betting on soccer works, you won’t get to the finer points of betting on this league, or any other.
Below, we’ve included some tips on how to read Championship odds and what the most popular types of Championship picks are. And if it’s still not clear after that, you may want to bring on a substitute.
Championship Odds and Betting Lines
The first step in successful Championship betting is to understand how the odds work. Sports betting odds show numbers that begin with either a plus sign or a minus sign. Plus priced odds signify the amount you will make if you put $100 on that betting market, while odds that begin with a minus sign signify the amount you need to wager to win $100 on that bet.
It’s important to remember that you are not obligated to bet $100 on any bet or to bet to win that amount. You can bet more or less than that amount, with the potential payout for those bets adjusting proportionally in each of those cases. That allows you to bet within your budget without having to change the things that you want to bet on in the Championship or elsewhere.
Compare Odds for Championship
The smartest strategy you can employ during your Championship betting is to compare betting odds between sportsbooks. Doing so allows you to find the best price for each bet you want to make. That’ll make you as profitable as you possibly can be when wagering on the Championship or on any other sports league.
For example, let’s say you’re doing some Championship betting and one team is a -150 favorite to win an upcoming match at one sportsbook. At another sportsbook, that same team is at -125 odds to win that same contest. At -150, you would have to bet $150 to win $100, while a $125 bet is required to win $100 at -125 odds.
In our example above, it would make no sense to lay -150 odds instead of -125 odds. Both bets would yield the same amount of profit, but you’d have to risk $25 more to win $100 at -150 odds than you would at -125. Without comparing odds from one sportsbook to the next, you’d be stuck risking more money and cutting into your profits.
Think about odds comparisons like you’re comparing prices for goods like electronics or home improvement supplies. If a product costs less at one store than it does at another, your bank account will have more money in it if you shop around for the lowest price. If you do the same while doing your Championship betting, your bankroll will be healthier in the long run.
We’ve got a built in odds comparison tool you can take advantage of as well. All you have to do is log into any sportsbook accounts you may have, connect to the tool, and find the best betting value with just a few clicks.
How do we Generate our Championship Odds?
Our Championship betting odds are sourced from a variety of sportsbooks around the United States betting landscape. By comparing betting odds from multiple sportsbooks, we’re able to recommend the most profitable bets to you from sportsbooks that’re paying out the most for them. This also eliminates the need for you to shop around for the best odds on the Championship picks we recommend, especially if you pair up with our odds comparison tool.
Moneyline Championship Odds
Moneyline betting is very popular in soccer, as the goal of the moneyline market is to simply predict which side is going to win each soccer game. Championship betting is no exception here, as you can predict the outcome of each match on the moneyline. In this market, you’re given three options to bet on: either team to win their match, or for that match to end in a draw.
As an example of a Championship moneyline market, let’s say that Bournemouth and Fulham are set to play a match. Bournemouth is a -120 favorite, Fulham is a +250 underdog, and the match is at +175 to end in a draw. In this example, it would take a $120 bet to win $100 on Bournemouth, a $100 bet to win $250 on Fulham, and a $100 bet to win $175 on the draw.
Championship Over/Under Odds
In over/under betting, your job is to predict how much scoring will take place during a championship matchup. Sportsbooks will post a number of goals for the entire match. Your job is then to pick whether the combined score for both teams will go over or under that amount.
For example, in the Bournemouth/Fulham match we referenced in our moneyline example, bookmakers may set the over/under at three goals. You would then place a bet on whether the combined score from both teams will be over or under three goals. If the teams combined for two or fewer goals, the under would win, while four or more goals would yield an over and three goals exactly would see all bets voided.
How does the Championship Work?
The English Championship consists of 24 teams, making the league larger than the 20-team leagues like the Premier League and Serie A. Each team plays home and away games against the other 23 teams in the competition, with each club playing 46 matches during the campaign. The top two teams and the winner of the promotion playoff are then promoted to the Premier League, while the bottom three teams are sent down to League One.
Teams and Venues
Every year, 24 teams take the field in the Championship, looking to earn their way into the biggest league in the world in the Premier League. Here’s a look at this year’s 24 Championship squads, in addition to the grounds they call home each year.
| Team | Home Venue |
|---|---|
| Barnsley | Oakwell |
| Birmingham City | St. Andrew’s |
| Blackburn Rovers | Ewood Park |
| Bournemouth | Dean Court |
| Brentford | Brentford Community Stadium |
| Bristol City | Ashton Gate |
| Cardiff City | Cardiff City Stadium |
| Coventry City | St. Andrew’s |
| Derby County | Pride Park Stadium |
| Huddersfield Town | Kirklees Stadium |
| Luton Town | Kenilworth Road |
| Middlesbrough | Riverside Stadium |
| Millwall | The Den |
| Norwich City | Carrow Road |
| Nottingham Forest | City Ground |
| Preston North End | Deepdale |
| Queens Park Rangers | Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium |
| Reading | Madejski Stadium |
| Rotherham United | New York Stadium |
| Sheffield Wednesday | Hillsborough Stadium |
| Stoke City | Bet365 Stadium |
| Swansea City | Liberty Stadium |
| Watford | Vicarage Road |
| Wycombe Wanderers | Adams Park |
Championship Trophy
The trophy for the Championship winners has quite a bit of history. It’s the trophy that was given to the English First Division champions prior to the formation of the Premier League in 1992. There’s a second trophy up for grabs each year in the Championship as well, as teams can win a trophy for finishing in the first spot in the league or by winning the promotion playoff.
COVID-19 Status
The Championship season and Championship betting could be impacted by COVID-19, as matches and portions of the season could be postponed due to the virus. For now, there aren’t plans to hold games back, but it’s something to think about as things continue to change in the world. Even if games aren’t postponed and fans are kept out of venues, that could change the complexion of matches as well.
Interesting Facts about Championship
The Championship was founded in 2004, though it existed as the Second Division from the late 1800s to the late 1900s, and as the First Division from 1992-2004 after the start of the Premier League. Due to the relatively new nature of the league and its status as a stepping stone rather than a top-flight league, no team has won the Championship more than twice entering the 2021-2022 season.
The Championship is the biggest league in the world that isn’t a top division league from a monetary perspective. It is also a Top 10 soccer league in the world in terms of attendance, which is impressive given that it’s a second-tier league.
Championship Conclusion
The English Championship is one of the more interesting club soccer leagues in the world. It’s beloved in England despite the quality not being on par with the Premier League.
The loyalty to each of the teams competing is truly impressive, as fans do not stop showing up once their team is demoted from the top-flight. That devotion creates an atmosphere at these matches that feels different than watching two big-money clubs go at it. You feel the buzz of energy as soon as you walk into the building, and the feeling sticks around long after the match is over.
Speaking of energy and big money, betting on the Championship offers the potential to make plenty of dough. Using our picks and the strategies listed above, you can turn a profit in this league and become a top-flight sports bettor while betting on the English second-tier.
