League 2 Winner Odds: MK Dons head list, Doncaster & Bradford among trailing party

Stockport County secured the biggest points total since 2017/18 to run away with the League 2 title last season, eventually finishing four points ahead of runners-up Wrexham.

Ahead of the beginning of the new campaign, which kicks off on Friday, attention now turns to who will take the crown next May. Below you can find the League 2 winner odds and an analysis of the main contenders to take the title.

League 2 Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main League 2 Odds page on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices.

MK Dons @ 13/2

Milton Keynes Dons are this season's favourites to win League 2 after finishing as 'best of the rest' in 2023/24. Stockport, Wrexham and Mansfield Town secured the automatic promotion places with ease, with the Dons ending up eight points behind the latter in fourth and having to settle for the play-offs.

Disaster struck in the semi-finals, however, as the Dons were beaten 3-0 at Crawley Town before suffering a humiliating 5-1 defeat at home to the same opposition, losing 8-1 on aggregate.

Despite that embarrassment, hopes are high at Stadium MK that they can return to League 1 at the second time of asking, and be crowned champions in the process.

The departure of last season's top scorer Max Dean to Belgian side Gent is sure to hit the Dons hard, but if they club can reinvest the seven-figure they received wisely, there's no reason they can't challenge for top honours this term.

Chesterfield @ 15/2

The success of recently promoted National League sides looks to have inspired Chesterfield's League 2 title odds this season.

Stockport were crowned National League champions in 2022 and subsequently finished fourth in their first season back in the fourth tier before winning the whole thing in the following campaign.

Meanwhile, 2022/23 National League winners Wrexham finished runners-up to Stockport earlier this year, securing promotion to League 1 in the process.

Chesterfield romped to the fifth-tier title last season, finishing on 98 points - 12 clear of second-placed Barnet - and that was achieved despite losing five of their last seven games.

The feel-good factor around the Spireites should help them make the step up, as should the signing of Patrick Madden, who struck 17 times in League 2 last season to help fire Stockport to the title.

Whether all of that will be enough to see them finish top of the pile remains to be seen, however.

Doncaster Rovers @ 8/1

It's no surprise to see Doncaster Rovers so high up in the running for the League 2 title; after sitting in 22nd position in February, head coach Grant McCann inspired a club record-equalling 10-match winning run, which saw them end the season in the play-off positions.

Rovers were unable to keep their unbeaten run in the semi-finals, losing 2-0 at home to Crewe Alexandra after beating them 2-0 away in the first leg and suffering a penalty shoot-out defeat.

Nevertheless, Doncaster should be full of belief heading into the new campaign, and the long-awaited return of former Keepmoat favourite Billy Sharp strengthens McCann's options in attack which already include last season's 20-goal top scorer Joe Ironside.

Gillingham @ 9/1

Gillingham finished 12th in League 2 last season, finishing six points off the play-offs after winning just two of their final 11 games.

A lack of goals proved pivotal - only relegated Forest Green (44) scored fewer than their total of 46 strikes - but only five clubs conceded fewer goals, and three of them finished in the top three to achieve promotion.

The signing of Elliott Nevitt, who scored 16 times in the league for Crewe last season, should alleviate some of the issues they faced in front of goal, so if they can maintain their defensive record, they could be in with a shout of troubling the top teams, although a tilt for the title may be a stretch too far.

Port Vale @ 10/1

The only relegated club to feature in the top six contenders for the League 2 title, Port Vale have been active in the summer transfer market, bringing in George Byers, Ryan Croasdale, Ronan Curtis and Jaydon Stockley, to name a few, as they make a real push for promotion back to League 1.

Darren Moore won just twice in 17 games after taking over at Vale in mid-February, but the ex-West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield Wednesday is seen as an affable figure who can guide the younger players, and he has a promotion on his belt with the latter in League 1 just over a year ago.

The danger, though, is that once the rot sets in at a club, it can be tough to stop, particularly if too many prominent people remain.

Bradford City @ 11/1

Arguably the biggest club in the division, Bradford have suffered five years of frustration in their bid to break out of the fourth tier. They've gotten closer in recent seasons, finishing sixth in 2022/23 and ninth last time out, but the Bantams still can't crack the case.

Bradford ended last season in superb form, though, winning six of their last seven games, and will be hoping to take that confidence with them into the upcoming campaign.

In Andy Cook, the club possesses a striker who has hit 45 goals across the last two League 2 seasons, and if they can get things right behind them, who knows where it could take them.

Football Odds

Offers

Acca Flex: Place a pre-match 5+ leg Football accumulator and get a CASH bonus up to 50% if all of your selections win or your money back as CASH if one leg lets you down.

You can read all our latest Football Betting Tips at our dedicated Betfred Insights content hub.