Championship Top 2 Finish Odds: Luton big price for automatic promotion

The hunt for the two automatic places in the Championship last season was the best we have ever seen. Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Leeds United all posted 90+ points, and the Whites missed out on promotion altogether as they succumbed to Southampton in the play-offs. 

But the race for the top-two, and the bid to avoid those dreaded play-offs is set to resume in earnest this weekend. Below you can find the Championship Top 2 Finish Odds, as I assess each team's chances.

Championship Odds

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Leeds United @ 11/8

I’ve narrowed this down to six teams I believe will battle it out for the two automatic promotion spots this season. They are also the top-six in the betting market, but there is still plenty of value to be had depending on where you sit on each of the sextuplets.

We’ll begin with Leeds United, favourites to win the league and ready to take their anger out on the rest of the division having failed to get up last term. They were brilliant for the majority of the 2023/24 season, and if they can match their total of 90 points from last term, that should be enough to secure them a top-two spot this time around. 

Daniel Farke remains in charge as he looks to win his third title at this level, although they will be hampered by the departures of Archie Gray and Crysencio Summerville to Premier League clubs - their squad still possesses an awful lot of quality. Ethan Ampadu is set for another impressive season, while Mateo Joseph could be the breakout star. Favourites for a reason in my book. 

Burnley @ 7/2

I’m less convinced by Burnley at this moment in time. They’ve got several talented players on their books, and the majority of the squad that won the league at a canter two years ago remain. However, there is serious work to be done before the transfer window expires, in terms of outgoings. I make it 36 senior players on their books right now, and that leaves Scott Parker in a difficult position. 

It’s difficult to keep talented players on the bench, let alone out of the squad completely, and I feel that could give them a bit of a relegation hangover as we move into the first part of the season. There’s several players that could shine in the Championship, but I’m not sure top-two is on the cards.

Football Odds

Luton @ 5/1

I feel stronger about Luton’s chances than Burnley’s, which must be seen as a positive given the value on offer. 5/1 for Luton to finish in the top two looks like a good bet to me, given they have built a squad that should be able to compete at the top end of the division once again.

Unlike Burnley, they have managed to retain their manager, and I’d rank Rob Edwards’ Premier League performance above Vincent Kompany’s. With Carlton Morris, Alfie Doughty and Marvelous Nakamba all still at the club and seemingly willing to have another crack at the Championship, they are going to be incredibly difficult to beat. There’s not a lot of risks to be taken with Luton, and in my mind they are top-six certainties. 5/1 for them to crack the top-two is worth backing in my eyes.

Middlesbrough @ 11/2

I like Michael Carrick and I like Boro. This season I am expecting another upturn in form after they finished eighth in 2023/24, and Aidan Morris looks like a particularly exciting addition. They’ve also improved their squad depth with the likes of Luke Ayling, while Jonny Howson, Finn Azaz and Dan Barlaser show their strength in the middle of the park.

They also have Emmanuel Latte Lath in their ranks, one of my picks to be the Championship’s Top Goalscorer, and if he can continue the sparkling form he showed at the end of the last campaign, he could fire Boro towards the automatic places. At the moment, I think they will be just a little bit short, but it isn’t out of the question.

Coventry @ 6/1

The Sky Blues are coming into this season perhaps with higher expectations than ever before. A Championship play-off final was followed by an FA Cup semi-final and all the while, the squad was being built for long-term success. The one loan they had last season, Luis Binks, has signed on a permanent basis, and Haji Wright, Ellis Simms and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto have all settled into their new surroundings. 

Throw in Jack Rudoni and Ephron Mason-Clark and you have a seriously exciting attacking unit, which should be able to score goals at will. As a result, Coventry should be serious contenders in the top-six shake-up. They could well get second, at long odds.

Sheff Utd @ 15/2

Sheffield United are arguably the value pick in the Championship market right now. The uncertainty surrounding the club and current lack of squad depth means it is tough to back them to finish in the top-two as things stand - but there is still a month of the transfer window to go. Looking at the players they are bringing in, even on loan deals, they could have a chance to compete at the top end. 

Callum O’Hare, Kieffer Moore and Harrison Burrows are all excellent additions, while defensive reinforcements have arrived in the form of Alfie Gilchrist and Harry Souttar. All of those players are capable at playing at the top end of this division, and they may even still have some Premier League quality players, such as Gustavo Hamer, in their ranks when the window closes. This is a big price for a squad that could look quite different come September. I think they will fall short, but they will be in the top-six in my eyes. 

Offers

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