Championship Club by Club Betting Preview - Part 2

Leicester City

With long-time talisman Jamie Vardy gone, zero spending in the summer transfer window and a possible points deduction looming, it’s hard to be confident about Leicester City making an immediate return to the Premier League. That said, the back-from-injury Abdu Fatawu and emerging talent Jeremy Monga do provide cause for optimism, and the squad remains littered with quality.

However, further questions arrive in the dugout, where Marti Cifuentes steps in to replace the dismissed Ruud van Nistelrooy. 18th and 15th-place finishes in two seasons at QPR suggest he still has a bit to learn about this division. With so many questions, the outright markets look risky, but a small each-way play on Leicester’s teen sensation in the top-scorer markets may provide an interest.

• Recommended Bet - Jeremy Monga Top Scorer each way @ 100/1 with bet365

Middlesbrough

4th in 2022/23, 8th in 2023/24, and 10th in 2024/25, performance under Michael Carrick was trending in the wrong direction. Despite that, it still came as a slight surprise to see Carrick receive his marching orders when the season ended.

Ex-Luton boss Rob Edwards is the man tasked with leading the Riverside club to the promised land. While the wheels came off in spectacular fashion at Luton last term, Edwards earned a place in Hatter’s folklore when guiding Luton to the Premier League in 2022/23. Hopes hinge on hanging onto key midfielder Hayden Hackney and quickly getting his philosophy across to the squad. Promotion may be a step too far, but the Smoggies look a decent value play to pip Sheffield United and Hull City in the race to be the top Northern Club.

• Recommended Bet - Middlesbrough Top Northern Club @ 5/2 with bet365

Millwall

2024/25 was a season of change for Millwall with a new Director of Football and manager in the shape of ex-Norwich City, Preston, Sunderland, and Stoke City boss Alex Neil. Promoted to the Premier League with Norwich and to the Championship with Sunderland, Neil has a solid track record of getting the job done.

Fans should be encouraged by an eighth-place finish last season, with the Lions only missing out on the playoffs by two points. Zian Fleming has departed for Burnley, but the club broke their transfer record to sign Josh Coburn on a permanent basis. Add in exciting talents Femi Azeez and Raees Bangura-Williams, and Millwall are well placed to make a top 6 push.

• Recommended Bet - Millwall to finish in the top 6 @ 9/2 with PricedUp

Norwich City

With the Johannes Hoff Thorup era coming to an unsuccessful conclusion, Norwich turn to Liam Manning, who led Bristol City to the playoffs last season. A more pragmatic approach and an overhauled squad await the Carrow Road faithful in 2025/26.

Having struck 18 times in the Championship last term, Borja Sainz will be a big miss following his departure to Porto. Josh Sargent remains for now but seems to be linked with a move away on a daily basis. Having slumped to 13th last season, a top-half finish is more realistic than promotion – but odds of 1/2 make limited appeal. Take a chance instead on promising young forward Mathias Kvistgaarden hitting the ground running in the top-scorer markets.

• Recommended Bet - Mathias Kvistgaarden top Championship Goalscorer each way @ 40/1 with bet365

Oxford United

Gary Rowett stepped in to save the day last season and maintain Oxford’s Championship status with a couple of games to spare. Survival will once again be the main aim in the coming campaign.

A lack of goals proved the main stumbling block in 2024/25, with Mark Harris and Greg Leigh sharing top scorer honours with six goals apiece. Thus far in the transfer window, nothing has been done to rectify that issue. Another season of struggle awaits.

• Recommended Bet - Oxford United to be Relegated @ 13/5 with bet365

Portsmouth

Following a sticky start, which saw the club fail to win any of their first ten games, Portsmouth ultimately pulled clear of the relegation zone to finish in a respectable 16th. All-action Aussie forward Adrian Segecic and returning local lad John Swift are solid summer signings, but fans would have hoped for a little more support for popular boss John Mousinho. That said, they have one of the league's most consistent wide men in Josh Murphy, a solid engine room, and Fratton Park remains a fortress. If they can improve slightly on their away form, they might just do enough to sneak a top-half finish.

• Recommended Bet - Portsmouth to finish in the top half @ 9/4 with bet365

Preston North End

Preston North End's extended stay in the Championship almost ended last season, with The Lilywhites finishing down in 20th. Preston should never have found themselves in such trouble, having looked comfortable for much of the campaign. However, that late-season drop-off is a concern, and summer signings, including experienced forward Michael Smith, may not be enough to arrest the slide. At odds of 9/2, Paul Heckingbottom’s men look slightly overpriced in the relegation market.

• Recommended Bet - Preston North End to be Relegated @ 9/2 with BetMGM

Queens Park Rangers

QPR didn’t cover themselves in glory by placing Marti Cifuentes on gardening leave for speaking to West Brom, with later reports revealing he wasn’t even on the Baggies managerial shortlist. However, in Julien Stephan, they have one of the league's most intriguing managerial appointments. Renowned for his fast starts at new clubs, he led Rennes to their first trophy in almost 50 years during his time in Ligue 1.

The R’s have also impressed with their early transfer business. Wide man Kwame Poku, centre-back Amadou Mbengue, and forward Rumarn Burrell were all clear standout performers in League One last season and look capable of making their presence felt at this level. With a big potential upside if things click early, QPR are our standout selection in the handicap market.

• Recommended Bet - QPR to Win Championship Handicap Market (+34 points) @ 18/1 with bet365

Championship Club by Club Betting Preview - Part 1