the championship is packed to the rafters with teams who are capable of battling all the way to the premier league, but with only three promotion places up for grabs it’s a highly competitive division, though not at all lacking in quality. here we bring you our predictions and betting tips for the next round of second tier action along with live betting odds comparison to ensure you get the best odds on every bet you place.
brentford v fulham
brentford versus fulham is one of two matches that start our weekend of football early on friday night. three big wins on the bounce (against derby, nottingham forest and away at millwall) have propelled mark warburton’s brentford into the playoff positions, but fulham are themselves unbeaten in six so this will be a real battle. with both sides wanting to avoid defeat in order to maintain their good runs, we think a draw is the way to go here at nice betting odds of 5/2 with ladbrokes.
cardiff city v reading
it wasn’t too long ago that both these sides were plying their trade in the top flight, but with cardiff in 12th position and reading two places below, neither has shown signs of being able to get back up there any time soon. with similarly poor evels of consistency, we can’t see either side taking this one by the scruff of the neck, so instead of backing a winner we’ll plump for under 2.5 goals at betting odds of 19/20 with bet365 in what we predict will be a hard-fought but scrappy affair.
huddersfield v sheffield wednesday
this yorkshire derby is another mid-table clash between sides who are realistically more concerned about avoiding relegation than pushing for the playoffs. wednesday haven’t won in the league since 20th september, while huddersfield’s recent seven-game unbeaten run was halted with back to back defeats earlier in the month. chris powell’s men, however, are favourites with the bookies and we predict they will live up to that tag and triumph here. backing the home side to be winning at half time and full time looks a good option at top betting odds of 29/10 with ladbrokes.
blackburn v leeds united
another pair whose history is more impressive than their current situation face one another at ewood park on saturday. both clubs have had more than their fair share of off-the-field controversy (not to mention managers) in recent times, but both sets of fans will be hoping for a period of stability. rovers are further along that path – and higher up the table – than their opponents and we predict gary bowyer’s men will add to their seven-game unbeaten run with victory here. backing the home win looks solid value at betting odds of 3/4 with boylesports, while backing jordan rhodes in the first scorer market often pays dividends.
blackpool v bolton
bolton have really turned their fortunes around since former celtic boss neil lennon was appointed as manager, winning four of the six matches played under his guidance. blackpool, meanwhile, are rock bottom of the championship after losing five of their last six. recent form tells us that backing bolton to win this one at best betting odds of 7/5 with stan james makes good sense, and given blackpool have the worst attack in the division, backing the visitors to win to nil also appeals at 16/5 with coral.
bournemouth v ipswich
second host fourth in what is one of the biggest games in the championship this weekend and we predict a close game between two good footballing sides. the home side start as big favourites, at betting odds of just 10/11 with ladbrokes, whilst the tractor boys are out at 7/2 with coral. the cherries have the championship’s most potent attack and so our betting tip here is both teams to score and bournemouth to win at big odds of 29/10 with bwin.
charlton v millwall
this south london derby could be feisty with the home side looking to push for promotion and the visitors aiming to move away from the relegation zone. charlton should win and we predict they will do so with relative ease so backing them to triumph 2-0 looks a solid bet at nice odds of 14/1 with betvictor.
norwich v brighton
norwich have slipped a little after a fast start and have won just one of their last eight, whilst brighton are down in 20th position but have four points from their last two and are solid at the back. we predict a tight game here and the draw offers good value at betting odds of 13/5 with bet365.
rotherham v birmingham
an early season relegation six-pointer as strugglers rotherham host second-from-bottom birmingham. on paper this should be a home win and the odds reflect this, with the south yorkshire side priced at 13/10 but birmingham are much-improved of late and look huge value at odds of 12/5 with sky bet.
watford v derby
another championship cracker as fifth host first and table-toppers derby will seek to maintain their fine away form. it will be tough though, playing against a side unbeaten at home in the division and boasting the best home record. the bookies can’t separate the sides and neither can we, which makes the draw look a decent bet at 5/2 but we have a sneaky feeling the visitors will show their class and get a big win; our prediction is that derby take the points, available at odds of 17/10 with coral.
wigan v middlesbrough
wigan are right down in 22nd in the table and need three points here against the championship’s third-placed side. the latics have drawn five of eight at home and with boro drawing five of their last 10 in all competitions the prediction here is for yet another stalemate at nice betting odds of 23/10 with bet365.
wolves v nottingham forest
wolves are doing fantastically well at present, up in ninth, two points and two places above forest. the home side are 5/4 here but that looks a shade short against a team who travel well and who won their last championship clash. the draw appeals but we think forest can get a huge win and odds of 13/5 with sky bet look more than fair.