Championship Relegation Odds: Big prices on offer for flailing clubs

The relegation battle in the Championship this season should be extremely exciting. We’ve got the perfect combination for an almighty battle at the bottom as several existing second tier clubs seem to be weakened, while the trio coming up from League 1 all have points to prove. 

Below I’ve taken a look at the Championship Relegation Odds for the 2024/25 season in a bid to find some value. 

Championship Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main Championship Odds page on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices

Oxford to be relegated @ 6/4

Having only picked up 77 points in League 1 last season, finishing fifth and coming up via the play-offs, it’s easy to see why Oxford are favourites to go down. However, they come up with positivity, and have had a decent summer window, despite losing star man Josh Murphy to Portsmouth. 

Jack Currie and Peter Kioso are smart additions, while in Des Buckingham they have a bright prospect, as well as a local lad, in charge. Given the excitement around the club right now, and the fact that Plymouth survived last season, I wouldn’t be jumping on this price. The U’s could surprise a few bigger clubs this season. 

Check out our detailed Oxford United Championship odds preview here.

Plymouth to be relegated @ 9/4

Wayne Rooney’s arrival in the south-west has done little to alleviate the relegation concerns surrounding the Pilgrims as we head into the new campaign. He had a disastrous spell in charge of Birmingham, but credit to the former England captain for jumping straight back into what appears to be another difficult job. 

Plymouth survived on the final day by beating Hull City 1-0, but it came at the end of a difficult season for them. They started reasonably well before losing Steven Schumacher to Stoke City in December, but then sank as Ian Foster mustered just three wins out of 16. Neil Dewsnip just about got them over the line, but it was tough. 

The squad relied heavily on Morgan Whittaker last season, and they don’t appear to have strengthened all that much. If Rooney keeps them up, it will have to go down as a successful campaign. 

Check out our detailed Plymouth Argyle Championship Odds preview here. 

Preston to be relegated @ 7/2

I can see any of the next four teams going down, so I believe this is where the value lies. I have Preston just avoiding the drop, but there is plenty to be concerned about. They enjoyed a baffling start to last season which saw them win six of their first seven, but after that, they were distinctly average. 

Ryan Lowe’s men massively outperformed their xG last term and if they had scored the number of goals that they should have - only Rotherham would have scored fewer. They’ve also lost long-term club captain Alan Browne to Sunderland on a free, and their finances are clearly limiting the club from progression. A slow start could land them in trouble from the first whistle. 

Check out our detailed Preston Championship Odds preview here. 

Football Odds

Blackburn to be relegated @ 7/2

My concern for Blackburn Rovers is far greater than my concern for Preston this season. Last term they went on a wild ride, with Jon Dahl Tomasson, Adam Wharton and Sammie Szmodics all key figures. Now, it looks as though all Szmodics will join the other two in leaving the club, with John Eustace now at the helm at Ewood Park. 

He won the Golden Boot last term but is linked with a move to Ipswich Town, while fellow forward Sam Gallagher has already joined Stoke for £1.5m. Under the Venkys, there is never going to be any great investment, while the replacements are unproven in English football. With financial issues hampering the club, it feels like Blackburn are far closer to a return to League 1 than the Premier League. 

Check out our detailed Blackburn Championship Odds preview here. 

Watford to be relegated @ 7/2

Ah Watford. They’ve got the youngest manager in the division at the helm in the form of Tom Cleverley, and that can go one of two ways. Either he’s a bright young talent that can carry them forward - or he is completely out of his depth at this level. Unfortunately for young Tom, he’s now taking charge of a club that is obviously regressing. 

Key players such as Yaser Asprilla are on their way out, while Imran Louza and Wesley Hoedt could also be at new clubs come September. The Hornets only finished 15th last term, so it wouldn’t take too much of a drop off to find themselves in the bottom three, and it is apparent that their squad is weaker right now. I think they will just about get away with it, but they are certainly relegation candidates. 

Check out our detailed Watford Championship Odds preview here. 

Derby to be relegated @ 4/1 

This is by far the best value on this list. Derby County are coming back into the Championship having finished second to Portsmouth in League 1 last season, and yet they are longer odds than several established second tier teams to go down. 

Paul Warne is in charge having been relegated with Rotherham in each of his last three Championship seasons, and while Derby are certainly in a better place to compete, he is still facing a tough task. The Rams built an older squad to get out of League 1 and although it worked, it leaves them in a tough spot heading into this season. 

Ebou Adams, Jerry Yates and Kayden Jackson are all interesting additions with Championship experience, but will they give Warne the goals he needs to survive this season? One thing is for sure, Pride Park will play a massive part in their survival prospects. 

Check out our detailed Derby County Championship Odds preview here. 

Millwall to be relegated @ 4/1

Neil Harris is back in charge of Millwall and after a decent end to the last season, I’m expecting mid-table from the boys from the Den. There’s a risk that this club lacks a clear playing identity right now, having gone from Joe Edwards back to Harris, two managers with very different styles of play. 

However, Harris can get results to keep a team above the dotted line, even if it isn’t all that pretty. After his move from Notts County, it will be worth keeping an eye on how Macaulay Langstaff fares two levels up, having been one of the hottest properties in the lower tiers over the past couple of years. I think they will have enough to stay up, but Millwall have to make sure they stick with Harris. 

Check out our detailed Millwall Championship Odds preview here. 

Cardiff to be relegated @ 4/1

Can’t see this one happening at all in truth. Erol Bulut is a capable coach and Cardiff have made some decent additions in the form of Calum Chambers and Chris Willock, although I am also slightly concerned about their style of play. Bulut demands hard work, and I’m not sure either of those players fit that brief. 

They finished 12th last term, and although I am expecting a slight drop-off in terms of league position this term, I believe the ten-place collapse needed for relegation is not feasible. 4/1 just feels too short for Cardiff at this moment in time. 

Check out our detailed Cardiff Championship Odds preview here. 

Portsmouth to be relegated @ 5/1

It says something about Portsmouth that there are eight teams below them in the relegation odds. They come up as champions and with John Mousinho have a highly-rated manager, and a decent squad that should be able to compete. The arrival of Murphy is a coup for sure, but they also have reason to be concerned. 

Colby Bishop’s heart issue will keep him out for the first part of the season at the very least, and he was their top scorer last term. Meanwhile, the step up from League 1 is a big one, and Mousinho is still a relatively inexperienced boss. All in all however, they should be okay. 

Check out our detailed Portsmouth Championship Odds preview here.