The Championship is the second biggest UK league for football betting offers, after the Premier League. It is an ideal league for betting on, with plenty of fixtures each week and regular televised matches.
2022 – 2023 Championship Overview
Last season saw Fulham dominate this division but the betting this year suggests it should be a tight race.
Norwich are back in the second tier and are the marginal favourites to win the division at 6/1. That could look like great value come the end of the campaign. they seem to be constant yoyo’s fluctuating by being outclassed in The Premier League but proving too classy for Championship rivals as they did in the 2020/2021 season.
Yes, Norwich, Watford and Burnley should be the main contenders but we will also have to throw last seasons near misses with Huddersfield Sheffield United and Luton Town also in the mix.
It will also be interesting to see if Sunderland can mount a challenge after securing promotion from League 1 last season.
It will be tough for these teams to deny Norwich City but we are here to take a look at what may turn out to be some of the best EFL Championship bets for the 2022-2023 season.
With the way soccer betting has developed over the last few years, it is not just about picking a team based on match performances.
There are tons of data available to football bettors now, that can help you make strong betting decisions and choices that can lead to strong profits from your football betting.
Read on to check out and research some of last season’s EFL Championship stats that can be used to make potential betting profits from this season’s EFL Championship, and if you are a beginner at betting on football then check out our helpful guide – How to bet on football.
The Top Six Contenders
Before we get into the Infogol and other stats in more precise detail, let’s just take a look at the top 6 contenders for this year’s EFL Championship and see where they performed, where they underperformed, and what needs to happen during the current season to be able to come out on top of the tree or finish in one of the promotion spots to secure Premier League football in 2023/2024.
Norwich City City – 6/1
After a wicked run of opening games last season in the Premiership where they were pitted against many of the Big 6, Norwich were always on the back foot and eventually were cast adrift at the bottom of the table and their fate sealed a good few weeks before the season finished.
As a neutral, many fans love the way Norwich plays and they always look to entertain the fans, and dropping back down a level, well, could we see another Fulham-style domination of the EFL Championship?
It is most definitely possible.
2021/2022 EFL Championship Top Scorers
PLAYER | TEAM | GOALS |
---|---|---|
Aleksandar Mitrovic | Fulham | 43 |
Dominic Solanke | Bournemouth | 29 |
Andreas Weimann | Bristol City | 22 |
Ben Diaz | Blackburn Rovers | 22 |
Joel Piroe | Swansea City | 22 |
They have a recognised striker in Teemu Pukki and the Finn is a proven goalscorer at this level and it will be a surprise if he does not grab at least 20 goals this season which will help Norwich’s push to win the title.
Pukki grabbed 11 goals last season so anything over the 20-goal mark in this season’s Championship is going to be a big plus for Norwich City and that is why they are currently the marginal favourites at 6/1 to win the Championship title for the third time in 5 years.
And if you think Pukki will emerge as the top scorer back in The Championship then the odds available are 7/1, with Bet365 offering a standout 8/1. With most bookies going ¼ odds first four places then that looks like a great bet to nothing as you’d expect the Finn to score plenty of goals at this lower level.
Watford – 7/1
Having been relegated from the Premiership last season, Watford has had to trim their squad drastically to accommodate for the loss of revenue and during the transfer window, as we write this with just two weeks to the start of the league, they have transferred out or released a total of 20 players.
On the flip side, they have bought in four signings including one from Barcelona and one from Arsenal.
They have retained a number of key members of last year’s squad and should put in a strong challenge back down at this level.
Rey Manaj who played his football in Serie A last season scored 5 goals from an xG of 7.18 and looks sure to be a good acquisition for Watford.
In terms of assists then Tom Cleverley is going to be an important member of the squad this season and we can expect him to easily outperform his stats from the Premier League last season where he contributed 2 assists from an xA of 2.18.
2021/2022 EFL Championship Top Assists
Below you can see the top contributions in terms of assists from last season
player | team | assists |
---|---|---|
John Swift | Reading | 13 |
Antoine Semenyo | Bristol City | 12 |
Jed Wallace | Millwall | 12 |
Sorba Thomas | Huddersfield Town | 12 |
Chris Willock | Queens Park Rangers | 11 |
It is also important to give a special mention here to Andreas Weimann from Bristol City who sits sixth in the assists category with 10 assists but scored a hefty 22 goals himself last season and is one of the most valuable assets in the EFL Championship.
West Brom – 9/1
West Brom hit the ground running early last season and looked at an early stage as though they might run away with the league. However, it was short-lived and their assault on the Championship wained midway through the season.
They have only made three signings at the time of writing with two of those coming in as free transfers and they have secured the services of Jayson Molumby for Brighton for an undisclosed fee.
Without a doubt, Karlan Grant is going to be vital to West Brom’s chances this season and if the 24-year-old can repeat last season’s stats then The Baggies have a solid chance of reaching the playoffs at least.
Middlesbrough – 10/1
Boro are quietly fancied by a number of pundits this season and manager Chris Wilder will be aiming to improve on last season when they just missed out on a playoff spot.
After taking over, Wilder transitioned Boro from a mid-table side to one that posted a strong run of form in the final third of the season.
If they can continue that momentum then they will surely be one of the main hopes for Championship glory.
They have already been busy in the summer window making a couple of key loan signings from Wolves and Manchester City.
Below you can see how busy they have been during this window.
- Liam Roberts – Northampton Town, undisclosed
- Darragh Lenihan – Blackburn Rovers, free
- Kamil Conteh – Watford, free
- Ryan Giles – Wolves, loan
- Zack Steffen – Manchester City, loan
Sheffield United – 12/1
The “Blades” had a very poor start to the season last year but are most definitely one of the teams to keep an eye on this time around.
They managed to get into the playoffs last season but will surely be competing for an automatic spot this time around.
They had only made three signings up until a couple of weeks before the season kick-off but a couple of those were loan signings from Premiership sides plus the signing of Anel Ahmedhodzic from Malmo for an undisclosed fee.
Ahmedhodzic is a central defender and the Bosnian was a strong performer last season with a 90% pass completion rate and a 78% tackle success rate. He looks sure to help The Blades defence and it will be interesting to see how he adapts to the demands of the EFL Championship.
The Blades three signings are:
- Anel Ahmedhodzic – Malmo, undisclosed
- Ciaran Clark – Newcastle, loan
- Tommy Doyle – Manchester City, loan
With the two additional loan signings from Premier League clubs they have a strong squad heading into the new season.
Burnley – 12/1
With Vincent Kompany taking over the reins at Burnley, it will be interesting how the Belgian fares in his first full season in management.
He certainly would have learnt a lot from Pep Guardiola during his time at Manchester City and he is sure to instil a strong work ethic in the Burnley squad.
Kompany has certainly been busy in the transfer market with some big players leaving Burnley in an effort to balance the books after the drop into the EFL Championship.
They have either sold, sent out on loan or released 21 players. However, on the flip side, they have bought in 8 players and we can see a big influence from Belgium and Manchester City where they have secured the transfer of Samuel Bastien from Standard Liege and the free transfer and loan deal for Man City starlets CJ Egan-Riley and Taylor Harwood-Bellis
Below is a full list of the new incoming players for The Clarets.
- Samuel Bastien – Standard Liege, undisclosed
- Josh Cullen – Anderlecht, undisclosed
- Luke McNally – Oxford United, undisclosed
- Scott Twine – MK Dons, undisclosed
- Callum West – Macclesfield Town, compensation
- CJ Egan-Riley – Manchester City, free
- Taylor Harwood-Bellis – Manchester City, loan
- Ian Maatsen – Chelsea, loan
Championship Team Performance Stats
So we talked about how football punters now have the opportunity to use data to bet on football so we have picked out a few key stats from each team that may give you some angles to look at for the forthcoming season.
Check out the stats below which should help you pick out your best EFL Championship bets for the 2022/2023 season.
Birmingham City – The Blues
Although Birmingham finished in 20th position last season it is interesting to look at one stat, and that is that they scored in 30 of their matches last season (65%). They clearly struggled defensively and manager John Eustace would clearly have been working on that area in pre-season.
- Scott Hogan was The Blues top scorer with 10 goals and had an average of 0.85 shots on target per game played last season
- Birmingham’s total average match goals last season was 2.7 per game
- Average team goals scored 1.1
- Average team goals conceded 1.6
- Last season saw Birmingham penalised with 87 yellow cards and 4 red cards
Blackburn Rovers – The Rovers
Blackburn finished in a very solid 8th position last season and manager Jon Dahl Tomasson will certainly be looking to build on what was a very promising campaign. Ben Diaz with 22 goals was certainly one of the stars last season and he’ll be looking to improve on the tally this season. It is interesting to look at one stat, and that is that nearly 50% of Blackburn match goals came in the second half and half of those were in the last 15 minutes of the match.
- Ben Diaz had an average of 1.34 shots on target per game played last season
- Blackburn’s total average match goals last season was 2.4 per game
- Average team goals scored 1.3
- Average team goals conceded 1.1
- Last season saw Blackburn penalised with 123 yellow cards and 5 red cards
Blackpool – The Tangerines
Although Blackpool finished in 16th position last season they were only 10 points behind Middlesbrough who finished in 7th spot. This division was very tight and having signed loanees from Liverpool and Manchester City during the transfer window, they clearly mean business and could be in the shake-up for the playoff spots. They only kept 11 clean sheets last season and this will be an area they need to work on.
- Gary Madine was their top scorer with 9 goals with three other players scoring 8, 8, and 7 goals respectively.
- Blackpool’s total average match goals last season was 2.4 per game
- Average team goals scored 1.2
- Average team goals conceded 1.3
- Last season saw Blackpool penalised with 76 yellow cards and 2 red cards
Bristol City – The Robins
Bristol City finished in 17th position last season and clearly have work to do to improve on that finishing position this time around. they scored a total of 62 goals in the league last season with 34 of them coming from two players, with Andreas Weimann contributing 22. So their problem sticks out like a sore thumb. No problems with scoring and producing goals.
Manager Nigel Pearson clearly has to work on the defence and with only 6 clean sheets last season there is plenty of room for improvement. That could be the key for The Robins to really make a push this coming season.
- Ivan Toney had an average of 0.86 shots on target per game played last season
- Bristol City’s total average match goals last season was 3.0 per game
- Average team goals scored 1.3
- Average team goals conceded 1.7
- Last season saw Bristol City penalised with 92 yellow cards and 1 red card
Burnley – The Clarets
Although Burnley were relegated last season, they made the decision to part company with long-term manager Sean Dyche and have placed ex-Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany in charge.
He will certainly bring a strong mentality to the dressing room and they should be a leading player in the race for the EFL Championship this season.
- Maxwel Cornet was a stand-out for Burnley, scoring 9 goals last season and had an average of 1.11 shots on target per game played last season (will surely improve on that this season)
- Burnley’s total average match goals last season was 2.3 per game
- Average team goals scored 0.9
- Average team goals conceded 1.4
- Last season saw Burnley penalised with 68 yellow cards and 2 red cards
Cardiff City – The Bluebirds
Cardiff City were in the running to potentially sign Gareth Bale during the summer but that move did not materialise and after finishing in the 18th spot last season, there is plenty of work to do.
Manager Steve Morison will be well aware of the defensive issues that plagued the side last season. They had a good spread of goalscorers so there is something there to work with.
- Rubin Colwill had an average of 1.55 shots per game played last season
- Cardiff City’s total average match goals last season was 2.6 per game
- Average team goals scored 1.1
- Average team goals conceded 1.5
- Last season saw Cardiff penalised with 111 yellow cards and 3 red cards
Coventry City – The Sky Blues
Coventry finished in mid-table last season and 11 points adrift of the playoffs. It was a solid season from The Sky Blues and they have bought in some solid new squad members with a mix of free transfer and loanees from the bigger clubs in The Premiership.
Although Coventry finished in 12th position last season they had a standout in Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres who registered 17 goals last season from an xG of 18.04.
if they can get even better service to the striker then they could make a real push for a playoff spot.
- Viktor Gyokeres had an average of 3.31 shots per match and 1.46 shots on target per game played last season
- Coventry City’s total average match goals last season was 2.6 per game
- Average team goals scored 1.3
- Average team goals conceded 1.3
- Last season saw Coventry penalised with 91 yellow cards and 4 red cards
Huddersfield Town – The Terriers
It was heartbreak for The Terriers last season as they were beaten in the playoff final and denied a return to The Premiership. That loss will only drive them on this season and they must be one of the fancies to gain an automatic spot this time around.
Club favourite Danny Schofield has recently taken over the reins at Huddersfield and it will be interesting to see if he can guide them back to The Premiership.
- Danny Ward score 14 goals last season and had an average of 1.09 shots on target per game played last season
- Huddersfield Town’s total average match goals last season was 2.3 per game
- Average team goals scored 1.3
- Average team goals conceded 1.0
- Last season saw Huddersfield penalised with 83 yellow cards
Hull City – The Tigers
Although The Tigers finished in 19th position last season they were safe from being relegated a fair bit from the end of the season. The overall stats for Hull are pretty weak with their top scorer netting just four goals, whilst defensively they conceded first in 57% of their games, a clear area for improvement this season.
They have, however, been busy in the transfer market, bringing in nine players including four from overseas. They will definitely have more strength in depth this season but need to improve both in attack and in defence to have any chance of making an impact.
- Oscar Estupinan (new signing) scored 15 goals last season and had 70 shots with 34 of those on target
- Hull City’s total average match goals last season was 2.1 per game
- Average team goals scored 0.9
- Average team goals conceded 1.2
- Last season saw Hull penalised with 81 yellow cards and 3 red cards
What looked like a runaway lead last season in The Championship was eroded late on. They still ran out winners, but Bournemouth chased them all the way and only failed by two points. The key for Fulham will of course be their star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic who scored 43 of Fulham’s 106 goals.
That is a huge percentage from a single player, and it remains to be seen if he can do the same in The Premiership. He is certainly not going to score 43, but if he can register 20 strikes then Fulham might have a chance of staying up.
Luton Town – The Hatters
The Hatters were another team to reach the playoffs last season after a strong run of form near the end of the season.
They are certainly looking to make that right with 10 new additions to The Hatters Squad with Luke Freeman looking an interesting addition in midfield. They have retained their two main goalscorers (Elijah Adebayo and Harry Cornick) who scored 28 goals between them, and both players will be vital to Luton’s Championship title bid this season.
- Raphina had an average of 0.75 shots on target per game played last season
- Luton Town’s total average match goals last season was 2.5 per game
- Average team goals scored 1.3
- Average team goals conceded 1.2
- Last season saw Luton penalised with 106 yellow cards and 2 red cards
Middlesbrough – The Boro
Although Boro finished in the 7th spot last season, they were not really challenging until late on and had too much ground to make up on the main group. It bodes well for the forthcoming season and Chris Wilder will surely be looking for a fast start to this year’s campaign it is interesting to look at one stat, and that is that they scored in 30 of their matches last season (65%). They clearly struggled defensively and manager John Eustace would clearly have been working on that area in pre-season.
- Jamie Vardy had an average of 1.22 shots on target per game played last season
- Middlesbrough’s total average match goals last season was 2.4 per game
- Average team goals scored 1.3
- Average team goals conceded 1.1
- Last season saw Middlesbrough penalised with 109 yellow cards and 3 red cards
Millwall – The Lions
Millwall made a strong run at the Championship play-off spots late in the season but just fell short, finishing a very respectable ninth just 6 points outside the top six.
They have secured a couple of strong loan signings from Leeds and have paid £1.7 million for Zian Flemming from Fortuna Sittard. The attacking midfielder had a very productive season with 12 goals and 4 assists for his previous club and looks a shrewd purchase by Gary Rowett.
- Benik Afobe scored 12 for The Lions last season and had an average of 1.05 shots on target per game played last season
- Millwall’s total average match goals last season was 2.1 per game
- Average team goals scored 1.2
- Average team goals conceded 0.9
- Last season saw Millwall penalised with 88 yellow cards
Norwich City – The Canaries
Although Norwich finished bottom of the Premier League last season, they are favourites for The Championship and rightly so. They have won the Championship the last two times they have dropped from the main league and not many will bet against them doing the same again this time round.
They have had to trim their squad and have moved on 18 players and bought in just two. Isaac Hayden from Newcastle United on a loan deal and Gabriel Sara from Sao Paulo for an undisclosed transfer fee. It will be interesting to see how the Brazilian adapts to life in The Championship.
- Teemu Pukki scored 26 goals the last time he played in The Championship.
- Norwich City’s total average match goals last season was 2.8 per game
- Average team goals scored 0.6
- Average team goals conceded 2.2
- Last season saw Norwich City penalised with 57 yellow cards and 1 red card
Preston North End – The Lilywhites
Preston were a very solid side last season and proved quite tough to beat. They finished in the 13th spot and could well take a step forward this season. they only lost 14 of their games last season which tells us that they are a defensively sound outfit.
Plenty of draws were mixed in and it is in the final third where they need to improve their attacking output. Emil Riis Jakobsen was outstanding last season contributing 16 goals but the next highest scorer only added 7 to their overall tally.
Daniel Johnson contributed 7 from midfield so it is clear they need to get another out-and-out striker on board.
The young Liverpool winger Ben Woodburn has been bought in on loan and this should help Preston in their quest to improve on last season’s finishing position.
- Emil Riis Jakobsen contributed 16 goals (xG 12.83) and a further 5 assists (xA 3.81) last season.
- Preston’s total average match goals last season was 2.3 per game
- Average team goals scored 1.1
- Average team goals conceded 1.2
- Last season saw Preston penalised with 100 yellow cards and 5 red cards
Queens Park Rangers – The R’s
QPR was another team that performed well and were in the mix for the play-offs but could not find the consistency to challenge late on. They only won two of their last seven matches last season, drawing one and losing the other four.
Michael Beale certainly did a good job at The R’s and it has certainly been a long time since they were in the top flight of English football.
Their three opening games are against Blackburn, Middlesbrough and newly promoted Sunderland, a tough opening set of fixtures.
Tyler Roberts looks like an interesting acquisition and as he will get more playing time here than at Leeds, he is sure to make an impact at this lower level.
- Bruno Guimaraes had an average of 0.98 shots on target per game played last season
- QPR’s total average match goals last season was 2.6 per game
- Average team goals scored 1.3
- Average team goals conceded 1.3
- Last season saw Queens Park Rangers penalised with 92 yellow cards and 3 red cards
Reading – The Royals
The Royals were one of the teams that ended up battling in a relegation dogfight and were lucky to survive considering the points deduction that Derby County had to contend with.
They would have been fancied to do well last season but it just did not happen. Ex-Manchester United midfielder Paul Ince took over in February and he will have his work cut out again to secure survival for The Royals.
Ince has bought in 7 new recruits including his son Tom who has joined on a free transfer from Stoke City. They seem to have bought in some quality for this level, and could potentially surprise a few people having cleared out 28 other squad members.
- Lucas Joao was their top scorer last season with 10 goals and Tom Ince scored 5 whilst with Stoke.
- Reading’s total average match goals last season was 3.1 per game
- Average team goals scored 1.2
- Average team goals conceded 1.9
- Last season saw Reading penalised with 80 yellow cards and 1 red card
Rotherham United – The Miller’s
Rotherham secured automatic promotion to The Championship after finishing runners-up and just two points behind Wigan.
That was a great season for The Millers and it will be interesting to see how manager Paul Warne approaches this totally different level.
They have not lost too many of last season’s squad and have also made six new additions so there is plenty of familiar faces that will be taking on the challenge at this higher level.
- Tom Eaves scored 5 goals last season for Hull and should feature strongly for Rotherham this season.
- Rotherham’s total average match goals last season was 2.3 per game
- Average team goals scored 1.0
- Average team goals conceded 1.3
- Last season saw Rotherham penalised with 90 yellow cards and 5 red cards
Sheffield United – The Blades
Sheffield United were strongly fancied for an automatic promotion spot last season but a poor start cost them. They were very strong in the second half of the campaign and won four of their last 5 games. Unfortunately, that run could not get an automatic spot and they were beaten in the playoffs.
Only three signings in the transfer window at the time of writing and it will be interesting if The Blades can kick on this season.
- Billy Sharp was the top scorer with 14 goals and he’ll need more back this season. He had an average of 0.98 shots on target per game played last season
- Sheffield United’s total average match goals last season was 2.4 per game
- Average team goals scored 1.4
- Average team goals conceded 1.0
- Last season saw Sheffield United penalised with 94 yellow cards and 2 red cards
Stoke City – The Potters
Stoke were one of the teams that finished in mid-table in 14th place on 64 points. Not a million miles away from the playoffs but just not able to mount a serious challenge.
They have been one of the busiest Championship teams in the transfer window with 10 new squad members and a mix of proven performers and some youngsters from the bigger clubs coming in on loan.
The investment in the squad augurs well for this season and they should be one of the teams fighting for a playoff spot without being good enough to get automatic promotion.
- Jacob Brown was a stand-out performer for The Potters last season with 13 goals.
- Stoke City’s total average match goals last season was 2.4 per game
- Average team goals scored 1.2
- Average team goals conceded 1.1
- Last season saw Stoke penalised with 100 yellow cards and 6 red cards
Sunderland – The Black Cats
Still renowned as one of the biggest clubs in English football, Sunderland has been going through a transition for a few years now and they are likely to build on last season and secure their place in The Championship at least.
Will they be good enough to mount a serious challenge? Two of their first three games are at home which is a plus point, however, they face Coventry, Bristol City and QPR, a trick opening set of games.
Alex Neil did a great job last season and they have bought in some exciting players including the £10 million purchase of Jack Clark from Tottenham. The Black Cats supporters will surely be supporting their team with plenty of noise.
- Sunderland’s total average match goals last season was (NO DATA AVAILABLE) per game
- Average team goals scored – (NO DATA AVAILABLE)
- Average team goals conceded – (NO DATA AVAILABLE)
- Last season saw Sunderland penalised with (NO DATA AVAILABLE) yellow cards
Swansea City – The Swans
Swansea have not been able to push on since they were relegated from The Premier League in 2018 and after finishing in the 15th spot in last season’s Championship they will need to take a big step forward if they are to get competitive this season.
They have bought in six players in the window and it will be interesting if any of these can make an impact to help The Swans in their challenge to secure top-flight football once again.
They have certainly focused on defenders in the window and that looks a smart move as they have the players up front that can hurt teams, Joel Piroe who contributed 22 goals last season.
- Joel Piroe had an average of 2.75 shots per match with 1.31 on target per game played last season
- Swansea City’s total average match goals last season was 2.7 per game
- Average team goals scored 1.3
- Average team goals conceded 1.5
- Last season saw Swansea penalised with 93 yellow cards and 4 red cards
Watford – The Hornets
Although Watford were relegated and had some big losses to the top 6 in The Premiership, a lot of their games against lower-level and mid-table teams were often close. That bodes well for this season in The Championship and they will prove a tough team to break down.
they scored in more than half of their games last season so they clearly have the players in attack to damage defences and we should see that this season at this lower level. As we have seen with Norwich City the last few years, the difference in class between The Premiership and Championship is widening.
Teams coming up need to invest, whilst teams coming down get a parachute payment to help with the transition and lost revenue.
From a transfer perspective, they have done some good business with Rey Manaj coming in from Barcelona.
They have a very large squad and have managed to keep some of their top players from last season. We can expect The Hornets to have a strong season.
- Dennis Bonaventure had an average of 0.90 shots on target per game played last season from an average of 2.08 shots per match (sure to improve this season)
- Watford’s total average match goals last season was 2.9 per game
- Average team goals scored 0.9
- Average team goals conceded 2.0
- Last season saw Watford penalised with 63 yellow cards and 3 red cards
West Bromwich Albion – The Baggies
The Baggies were strongly fancied to win The Championship last season and they got off to a blistering start but the wheels came off mid-season before a strong rally late on when they won 3 of their last 5 matches as well as one draw.
It must have been disappointing for the West Brom supporters and it won’t be easy this season. they ended up in tenth spot and that has to go down as a failure.
Steve Bruce came in and he will surely make some adjustments coming into the new season.
They have only bought in a few new squad members, but overall the quality is high for Bruce to work with and he will surely get them challenging for the play spots as a minimum.
- Karlan Ahearne-Grant scored 18 times from midfield last season with an average of 2.88 shots per game played during last season
- West Brom’s total average match goals last season was 2.1 per game
- Average team goals scored 1.1
- Average team goals conceded 1.0
- Last season saw West Brom penalised with 87 yellow cards and 6 red cards
Wigan Athletic – The Latics
Wigan were crowned Champions of League One last season but will be in for a much tougher ride this time around with the teams already here having plenty of quality.
They amassed 92 points last season scoring 82 goals in the process. It won’t be the strikers but the defensive unit that will need to show improvement at this higher level.
They have therefore bought in a centre-back with Ryan Nyambe joining from Blackburn Rovers. His 84% tackle success rate from last season would be great if he can produce the same level of performance this time around.
- Wigan’s total average match goals last season was 2.5 per game
- Average team goals scored 1.2
- Average team goals conceded 1.2
- Last season saw Wigan penalised with 85 yellow cards and 6 red cards
2021/2022 EFL Championship Final Standings
Last season saw Fulham run away with things early and they were guaranteed promotion a good few weeks before the end of the season, and although they dropped points late they were still crowned champions with Bournemouth chasing them hard in second and Nottingham Forest winning the playoffs to secure their place back at the top table of English Football.
It will be interesting if Norwich can once again secure Premiership football for the third time in a row having done so twice the last two times they have been in The Championship.
POSITION | TEAM | PLAYED | GOALS SCORED | POINTS |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Fulham | 46 | 63 | 90 |
2 | Bournemouth | 46 | 35 | 88 |
3 | Huddersfield Town | 46 | 17 | 82 |
4 | Nottingham Forest | 46 | 33 | 80 |
5 | Sheffield United | 46 | 18 | 75 |
6 | Luton Town | 46 | 8 | 75 |
7 | Middlesbrough | 46 | 9 | 70 |
8 | Blackburn Rovers | 46 | 9 | 69 |
9 | Millwall | 46 | 8 | 69 |
10 | West Bromwich Albion | 46 | 7 | 67 |
11 | Queens Park Rangers | 46 | 1 | 66 |
12 | Coventry City | 46 | 1 | 64 |
13 | Preston North End | 46 | -4 | 64 |
14 | Stoke City | 46 | 5 | 62 |
15 | Swansea City | 46 | -10 | 61 |
16 | Blackpool | 46 | -4 | 60 |
17 | Bristol City | 46 | -15 | 55 |
18 | Cardiff City | 46 | -18 | 53 |
19 | Hull City | 46 | -13 | 51 |
20 | Birmingham City | 46 | -25 | 47 |
21 | Reading * | 46 | -33 | 41 |
22 | Peterborough United | 46 | -44 | 37 |
23 | Derby County * | 46 | -8 | 34 |
24 | Barnsley | 46 | -40 | 30 |
Championship Player Performance Stats
So we’ve looked at some key stats for the teams, now it’s time to take a look at the key players from each team and some of the stats from last season that may give you some angles to look at during the 2022/2023 EFL Championship season.
Birmingham City
So which three players will be key for Birmingham during the coming season and what do the stats and data tell us about where these players will have the most influence?
Scott Hogan
How will Hogan fare after 10 goals last season? See his core stats below.
- 47 total shots with 22 on target (roughly 47% success rate)
- 309 passes with a 72% success rate
- 10 goals scored from an expected xG of 11.53
Troy Deeney
How will Deeney fare after a 7 goal return last season? See his core stats below.
- Produced a 7-goal return from 29 shots last season.
- 420 passes with a 63% success rate and 266 completed passes
- 3 assists from an expected xA of 2.59
Mark Roberts
How will Roberts fare in the card stats after seven yellows last season? See his core stats below.
- 84 tackles were made with 65 of those being successful which is a 77% success rate.
- 20 fouls were committed with 7 of those resulting in yellow cards.
- Pass completion of just 57% from 1280 attempted and 735 completed but contributed 2 goals and 2 assists.
Blackburn Rovers
So which three players will be key for Blackburn during the coming season and what do the stats and data tell us about where these players will have the most influence?
Ben Diaz
How will Diaz fare after a sparkling return of 22 goals last season? See his core stats below.
- 22 goals from an expected xG of 20.26 show us we can expect him to hit double figures during the new season.
- 3 assists from an xA of 2.45 is adequate for the time he spent on the pitch and it is a metric we can expect to see improve the most in 2022/2023
- 47 shots on target from 102 attempts showing he gets into danger areas.
Sam Gallagher
How will Gallagher match up after 9 goals last season? See his core stats below.
- 9 goals from an xG of 7.48 and 26 shots on target and we’d expect Gallagher to beat that total this season.
- 574 passes attempted with 283 completed and just a 49% success rate
- 47 fouls made and 7 yellow cards. Surely a player you need to have on your bookings betting radar.
Daniel Ayala
How will Danny Ayala contribute further after 2 goals last season? See his core stats below.
- 18 tackles made with 16 successful from his limited game time last season. An 89% success rate.
- 532 passes with 399 completed for a 75% average. Definitely an area of his game that is strong.
- 2 goals scored from an expected xG of 0.50 is a solid return from a central defender and we could see that tally increase during the new season and could reach the 15-goal mark playing alongside Coutinho.
Blackpool
So which core three players will be instrumental for The Tangerines in their challenge to provide Premiership football after this season?
Even before the season has begun, they are the favourites to face the drop with their pre-season odds at 4/6. Are they in your portfolio as one of the best EFL Championship bets for relegation?
Gary Madine
How will Madine improve his return after 9 goal haul last season? See his core stats below.
- 47 fouls made with 5 yellow cards.
- 9 goals from an expected xG of 10.87.
- 62% pass completion ratio which can be improved upon and an area to work on for the Englishman.
Shane Lavery
How will Lavery get on this coming season after a solid 8-goal return last season? See his core stats below.
- 8 goals from an xG of 6.98 with the 8 goals coming from just 19 shots on target.
- 63% pass completion rate with 185 from 295 passes reaching a teammate.
- 30 fouls made with 3 yellow cards.
Owen Dale
How will Dale add value after just a limited amount of games last season? See his core stats below.
- 8 total shots with 4 on target (50% success rate) from just 7 appearances and sure to see more game time this season.
- Contributed 1 assist from an xA of 0.57 and 2 goals from an xG of 0.57 (Impressive stats based on playing time)
- 15 successful tackles from 21 attempted
Bristol City
So which three players will be key for Bristol City during the coming season?
Andreas Weimann
How will Weimann improve on last year’s stellar season? See his core stats below.
- 10 assists from an xA of just 8.41 show his huge value to the team.
- With 39 shots on target from 83 attempts. it’s clear he is a lethal marksman.
- 22 goals scored from an expected xG of 13.55 is an excellent stat
Chris Martin
How many goals will Martin and Weimann contribute this season after 34 last season? See his core stats below.
- His no-nonsense physical approach saw him make 49 fouls last season picking up 5 yellow cards.
- His on-target shot ratio is 39.8% with 33 on target from 83 attempts.
- 12 goals scored from an expected xG of 13.88 is a strong return for a mid-table team.
Robert Atkinson
Can Atkinson produce an even better goal tally this season? See his core stats below.
- 74 tackles attempted with 63 (85% success rate) completed.
- 1185 passes with an excellent 73% success rate
- 2 goals from 18 attempts last season is a great return for a central defender from just 5 on target.
Burnley
So which three players will be key for The Clarets during the coming season and what do the stats and data tell us about where these players will have the most influence?
Maxwell Cornet
How will Cornet fare after 9 goals last season? See his core stats below.
- 47 total shots with 22 on target (roughly 47% success rate)
- 275 completed passes with a solid 71% success rate backing up his smart link play with midfield.
- 9 goals were scored from an expected xG of 6.52
Ashley Barnes
How will Barnes improve his goal tally after last season? See his core stats below.
- 16 total shots with 6 on target (roughly 37.5% success rate)
- The robust nature of his game saw him pick up 4 yellow cards from 21 fouls.
- 1 goal scored from an expected xG of 1.93. limited playing time last season.
Josh Brownhill
How will Brownhill improve his disciplinary record after 10 yellow cards last season? See his core stats below.
- 10 yellow cards from 39 fouls is an area of the game he needs improvement in this season.
- 1149 passes with an excellent 78% success rate
- 2 goals scored from an expected xG of 1.33
Cardiff City
So which three players will be key for Cardiff City during the coming season and what do the stats and data tell us about where these players will have the most influence?
Rubin Colwill
How will Colwill add to Cardiff’s push after just a single assist last season? See his core stats below.
- 1 assist from an xA of 2.39
- 539 passes with a solid 79% success rate
- 5 goals scored from an expected xG of 2.59
Isaak Davies
How will Davies fare after limited playing time last season? See his core stats below.
- 20 total shots with 11 on target (55% success rate when hitting the target)
- 171 passes with a 73% success rate show his passing skills need some work.
- 2 goals scored from an expected xG of 2.54 (Had limited game time last season)
Mark McGuinness
How will McGuinness get on in the goal department after 3 last season? See his core stats below.
- 9 yellow cards from 44 fouls and 63 attempted tackles
- 1140 passes with a solid 73% success rate
- 3 goals scored from an expected xG of 1.98
Coventry City
So which three players will be key for The Sky Blues during the coming 2022/2023 season and what does the data tell us about which players will have the most influence?
Viktor Gyokeres
How will Gyokeres improve on an exceptional 17 goals and 5 assists last season? See his core stats below.
- His goal attempt input is impressive with 136 total shots and 60 on target. 3.31 average shots per match.
- 5 assists from an xA of 6.56 show he is able to not only score, but link up the play as a hold-up target.
- 17 goals scored from an expected xG of 18.04
Matt Godden
How many goals will the G Factor (Gyokeres and Godden) score after 29 last season? See his core stats below.
- 2 assists from an xA of 2.16
- 56 shots with over 50% (30) of those on target
- 12 goals scored from an expected xG of 9.36 (A very good backup for Gyokeres)
Michael Rose
How will the defender fare after a solid spell last season? See his core stats below.
- 2 assists from an expected xA of 1.53
- 14 fouls and just 1 yellow card picked up in 29 games last season.
- 2 goals scored from an expected xG of 1.79 and 2 assists
Huddersfield Town
So which three players will Huddersfield be relying on throughout next season with Richarlison looking likely to leave in the transfer window?
Danny Ward
How will Ward fare after 14 goals last season? See his core stats below.
- 3 assists from an expected xA of 1.69
- 83 shots with 37 of those on target.
- 14 goals scored from an expected xG of 11.80
Jordan Rhodes
How will Rhodes improve after a decent goal and assist contribution last season? See his core stats below.
- 3 assists from an expected xA of 2.39
- 224 passes with a 65% success rate (an area to improve)
- 4 goals were scored from an expected xG of 4.05. Not a bad return considering games played
Rarmani Edmonds-Green
Can Edmonds-Green improve his pass distribution after solid numbers last season? See his core stats below.
- 15 fouls made with just 1 yellow card
- 835 passes with 632 completed for a 76% success rate
- 2 goals scored from an expected xG of 1.18
Hull City
So which three players will Hull City be relying on this season and what do the stats and data tell us about where these players will have the most influence?
Ryan Longman
How will Longman improve after 4 goals last season? See his core stats below.
- 26 total shots with 8 on target (roughly 31% success rate)
- 22 fouls and 2 yellow cards
- 4 goals scored from an expected xG of 2.55
Mallik Wilkes
Will Wilkes improve on his 3 goal return from last season? See his core stats below.
- 35 total shots with close to 25% of those hitting the target. (Definitely, an area to work on)
- 188 completed passes with an excellent 74% success rate
- 3 goals scored from an expected xG of 3.96
Jacob Greaves
How will Greaves create defensive stability after fine performances last season? See his core stats below.
- 101 tackles attempted with 84 of those successful
- 2265 passes with an impressive 79% pass completion success rate
- 31 fouls made with 8 yellow cards
Luton Town
So which three players will be key for Luton, especially as they have lost Kalvin Phillips and it seems Raphina may well leave during the summer? They have made three signings already so it will be interesting to see what those new additions can bring to the club.
Elijah Adebayo
How will Adebayo fare after his 16-goal return last season? See his core stats below.
- 78 total shots with 32 on target (roughly 40% success rate)
- 4 assists from an xA of 4.55
- 16 goals scored from an expected xG of 16.31
Harry Cornick
How will Cornick fare after a great xG return last season? See his core stats below.
- 4 assists from an expected xA of 6.32 (A good contribution)
- 29 fouls made with 3 yellow cards
- 12 goals scored from an expected xG of 9.48 (strong performance)
Sonny Bradley
How important will Bradley be after a strong performance last season? See his core stats below.
- 31 tackles were attempted with an 84% success rate of winning the challenge.
- 1003 passes with a 78% success rate
- 3 goals scored from an expected xG of 1.55
Middlesbrough
So which three players will be key for Boro during the coming season and what do the stats and data tell us about where these players will have the most influence?
Darragh Lenihan
How will Lenihan improve his xG after 3 goals last season? See his core stats below.
- 39 total shots with 6 on target (50% success rate on goals to shots on target)
- Just the 1 assists from an xA of 2.88
- 3 goals scored from an expected xG of 4.52
Duncan Whatmore
How can we expect Whatmore to develop after a strong goals and assists return last season? See his core stats below.
- 3 assists from an expected xA of 3.63
- 41 shots with 19 on target. Just under 50% success rate on this stat
- 7 goals were scored from an expected xG of 5.67
Paddy McNair
How will McNair improve on his excepetional goal return for a defender last season? See his core stats below.
- 35 total shots with 12 on target (roughly 40% goals to shots on target success rate)
- 3 assists from an expected xA of just 3.42which is a phenomenal stat for a defender.
- 5 goals scored from an expected xG of 5.14 (Exceptional stats for a central defender)
Millwall
So which three players will be key for Millwall during the coming season and what do the stats and data tell us about where these players will have the most influence?
Benik Afobe
Can Afobe improve his 12-goal tally after last season? See his core stats below.
- 3 assists from an expected xA of 2.04
- 615 passes with a decent 68% success rate
- 12 goals scored from an expected xG of 12.25
Tom Bradshaw
How will Bradshaw fare after 9 goals last season? See his core stats below.
- 1 assist from an expected xA of 0.92 (not a great return and needs improving)
- 13 tackles attempted of which 10 were successful
- 9 goals were scored from an expected xG of 7.20
Murray Wallace
How can Wallace improve his goal and assist output after a 4 & 1 record last season? See his core stats below.
- 1 assist from an expected xA of 1.25
- 44 fouls made with 7 yellow cards.
- 4 goals scored from an expected xG of 4.18 (a good contribution to the team)
Norwich City
So which three players will be key for The Canaries in their quest to regain Premiership football?
Teemu Pukki
How many goals will Pukki score after an excellent return of 11 in last years Premiership campaign? See his core stats below.
- 3 assists from an expected xA of 4.35
- 544 passes with an excellent 76% success rate
- 11 goals scored from an expected xG of 11.24 which outlines his importance to Norwich (Scored 26 in their previous Championship campaign)
Josh Sargent
How will Sargent fare after a solid campaign last season? See his core stats below.
- 51 tackles were attempted with 26 of those successful.
- Where Sargent excels is his passing having a 75% completion rate from 420 attempted passes
- 2 goals scored from an expected xG of 2.48 (Premiership Stats)
Onel Hernandez
How will Hernandez improve after a solid contribution last season? See his core stats below.
- 51 total shots with 17 on target (or a 33% success rate)
- 3 assists from an xA of 3.96
- 4 goals scored from an expected xG of 4.88
Preston North End
So which three players will be key for Preston during the coming season and what do the stats and data tell us about where these players will have the most influence?
Emil Riis Jakobsen
How will Riis-Jakobsen improve on his 16-goal tally last season? See his core stats below.
The question is will he stay or will he look to move to another club to give himself a chance at Champions League football?
- 75 total shots with 35 on target (roughly 45% success rate)
- 16 goals scored from an expected xG of 12.83
- 5 assists from an xA of 3.81(solid output)
Daniel Johnson
How will Johnson add more after an exceptional campaign last season? See his core stats below.
- 5 assists from an xA of 4.66
- 1376 passes with an outstanding 79% success rate, one of the best in the Preston squad and a strong asset.
- 7 goals were scored from an expected xG of 5.02
Patrick Bauer
How will Bauer add stability and improve possession for Preston after his excellent pass stats last season? See his core stats below.
- 33 fouls made with 5 yellow cards
- 1224 passes with an excellent 79% success rate
- 3 goals scored from an expected xG of 1.61
Queens Park Rangers
So which three players will be key for QPR during the coming season and what do the stats and data tell us about where these players will have the most influence?
Lyndon Dykes
How will Dykes fare after 8 goals last season? See his core stats below.
- 19 tackles were attempted with 11 of those being successful (roughly 58% success rate)
- 529 passes with a weak 58% success rate (needs improvement)
- 8 goals scored from an expected xG of 7.92
Luke Amos
How will Amos improve last season’s phenomenal stats based on his limited playing time? See his core stats below.
- 15 total shots with 8 on target (An incredible 75% success rate of goals to shots on target)
- 512 passes with a strong 78% success rate
- 6 goals scored from an expected xG of 3.00 (phenomenal stat considering games played)
Jimmy Dunne
Can Dunne improve again after a strong set of individual stats last season? See his core stats below.
- 65 tackles were attempted with 45 of those successful
- 2327 passes with a very solid 80% success rate
- 3 goals scored from an expected xG of 3.68
Reading
So which three players will Reading be relying on in their push to win promotion to The Premiership. It is bound to be tough after a difficult last season. However, they have been active in the transfer market and we’ll see how those signings will help.
Lucas Joao
How will Joao improve after 10 goals last season? See his core stats below.
- 49 total shots with 20 on target (close to a 40% success rate)
- 3 assists from an xA of 1.28 which clearly points to him being an out-and-out striker
- 10 goals scored from an expected xG of 8.53
Tom Ince
How will Ince add stability to the Reading midfield after strong passing stats last season? See his core stats below.
- 564 passes with a very solid 77% success rate
- 1 assist from an xA of 2.04 ( A stat that Paul his father will want to see improvement on)
- 5 goals scored from an expected xG of 3.68
Tom McIntyre
Can McIntyre improve his solid goal return from defence after 2 goals last season? See his core stats below.
- 850 passes with a solid 76% success rate
- 32 tackles attempted with 26 of those successful
- 2 goals scored from an expected xG of 2.21
Rotherham United
So which three players will be key for Rotherham during the coming season and what do the stats and data tell us about where these players will have the most influence?
Tom Eaves
How will the experienced Eaves add more value after 5 goals last season? See his core stats below.
- 43 total shots with 13 on target (will be looking to improve the stats on that one this season)
- 59 fouls made with 5 yellow cards and 1 red card
- 5 goals scored from an expected xG of 5.19 (exceptional stat)
Jamie Lindsay
How will Lindsay fare after a 3 goal/3.13 xG last season? See his core stats below.
- 42 fouls committed with 6 yellow cards
- 773 completed passes with a decent 70% success rate
- 3 goals scored from an expected xG of 3.13
Daniel Barlaser
How will Barlaser add more after a solid goal/assist return last season? See his core stats below.
- 4 assists from an expected xA of 4.55
- 1046 completed passes with a solid 70% success rate
- 3 goals scored from an expected xG of 3.21
Sheffield United
So which three players will feature for The Blades this season and what do the stats and data tell us about where these players will have the most influence?
Billy Sharp
How will Sharp get on after 14 goals last season? See his core stats below.
- 64 total shots with 30 on target. Expect those numbers to be higher in this set-up of better overall quality players.
- 538 completed passes with a very solid 71% success rate
- 14 goals scored from an expected xG of 12.54 plus 7 assists from an xA of 5.81
Sander Berge
How many goals will Berge contribute after six last season? See his core stats below.
- 37 total shots with 15 on target (40% goals to shots on target)
- 4 assists from an expected xA of 3.42
- 6 goals scored from an expected xG of 4.73
John Egan
How will John Egan improve on his excellent passing skills after last season? See his core stats below.
- 65 tackles were attempted with 47 of those successful.
- 2730 passes completed with an excellent 80% success rate
- 2 goals scored from an expected xG of just 4.44 and 2 assists from an expected xA of just 1.48
Stoke City
So which three players will be key for The Potters during the coming season and what do the stats and data tell us about where these players will have the most influence?
Jacob Brown
How will Brown improve his goal tally after 13 last season? See his core stats below.
- 4 assists from an expected xA of 1.82
- 745 passes with a 69% success rate. (area for improvement)
- 13 goals scored from an expected xG of 13.14 and 8 assists from an expected xA of 10.19
Nick Powell
How many goals will Powell score after a total of 6 last season? See his core stats below.
- 43 total shots with 13 on target (a 30+% success rate)
- 1 assist from an expected xA of 1.99
- 6 goals were scored from an expected xG of 4.52
Aden Flint
Will Flint improve last season’s stats? See his core stats below.
- 52 tackles with 36 completed successfully (69% success rate)
- 1380 completed passes with a 63% success rate (needs improvement
- 6 goals from an xG of 5.55 and 2 assists from an xA of just 2.22 (excellent stats)
Sunderland
So which three players will be the main contributors for Sunderland this coming season and what do the stats and data tell us about where these players will have the most influence?
Elliot Embleton
Stats Data to be updated
Jack Clarke
Stats Data to be updated
Alex Pritchard
Stats Data to be updated
Swansea City
So which three players will be the main contributors for The Swans this coming season and what do the stats and data tell us about where these players will have the most influence?
Joel Piroe
How many goals can Piroe score after an amazing 22-goal tally last season? See his core stats below.
- 6 assists from an expected xA of 3.49
- 979 completed passes with an excellent 80% success rate
- 22 goals scored from an expected xG of 12.02
Michael Obafemi
How many goals can we expect from Obafemi after 12 last season? See his core stats below.
- 50 total shots with 25 on target (50% success rate)
- 3 assists from an expected xA of 1.39
- 12 goals scored from an expected xG of 10.64
Ben Cabango
How will Cabango possibly enhance what is already an outstanding passing and distribution rate after last season? See his core stats below.
- 72 tackles attempted with 51 successful (71% success rate)
- 2452 passes completed with an excellent 86% success rate
- 1 goal scored from an expected xG of 1.39
Watford
So which three players will be the main contributors for Watford this coming season in their quest to bounce straight back to The Premiership. What do the stats and data tell us about where these players will have the most influence.
Dennis Bonaventure
How will Bonaventure fare after 10 goals last season? See his core stats below.
- 6 assists from an expected xA of 3.73
- 60 shots attempted with 26 on target
- 10 goals scored from an expected xG of 7.75 (Premier League)
Ismaila Sarr
How will Sarr add more value after 5 goals last season? See his core stats below.
- 40 total shots with 16 on target (40% success rate)
- 422 completed passes with a solid 78% success rate (holds the ball up well)
- 5 goals scored from an expected xG of 5.01
William Troost-Ekong
How will Troost-Ekong shore up The Hornets’ defence after last season? See his core stats below.
- 12 fouls committed with 3 yellow cards
- 611 passes completed with a decent 78% success rate
- 23 tackles made with a 78% success rate.
West Bromwich Albion
So which three players will be the main contributors for The Baggies this coming season and what do the stats and data tell us about where these players will have the most influence?
Karlan Ahearne-Grant
How will AG improve on last season after an 18-goal haul? See his core stats below.
- 6 assists from an expected xA of 6.42
- 109 total shots with 44 on target. An excellent 40 % success rate
- 18 goals scored from an expected xG of 20.41
Callum Robinson
How many goals will Robinson score after a decent return of 7 last season? See his core stats below.
- 87 total shots with 31 on target (roughly 36% success rate)
- 642 completed passes with a solid 69% success rate (links the play up well)
- 7 goals were scored from an expected xG of 10.14
Semi Ajayi
Will Ajayi improve his goal tally of 1 last season? See his core stats below.
- 66 tackles were attempted with 47 (71%) of those successful
- 1019 passes completed with a decent 71% success rate
- 1 goal scored from an expected xG of 2.55
Wigan Athletic
So which three players will be the main contributors for Wigan this coming season and what do the stats and data tell us about where these players will have the most influence?
Will Keane
How will Keane fare after just 3 goals last season? See his core stats below.
- 26 fouls made but not a single yellow card (strong tackler technically so one for punters to be aware of)
- 274 completed passes with a solid 73% success rate
- 3 goals scored from an expected xG of 2.21
Josh Magennis
How will Magennis fare after limited game time last season and chipping in a couple of goals? See his core stats below.
- 24 total shots with 9 on target (roughly 37.5% success rate)
- 4 tackles were attempted with each one successful (Just 18 games played)
- 2 goals scored from an expected xG of 4.09
James McClean
How will McLean fare after a 2&3 goal/assist tally last season? See his core stats below.
- 3 assists from an expected xA of 1.28
- 517 passes completed with a solid 67% success rate
- 2 goals scored from an expected xG of 1.47
Top 5 Football Bets For Sports Bettors
In this section, we want to give you some examples of some of the best EFL Championship bets and bet types available to football bettors. Not just the ones you all know and love like match result betting, first goalscorer betting, scorecast betting or even corners betting, all of which are great bets but may not be value.
So in this section, we have picked out some of the less common bets you might want to have a look at.
Both Teams To Score
A straightforward bet type and one where the bookies usually have the advantage, but by looking at our team stats above you can see if you might expect both teams to score.
As an example, let’s look at an opening fixture for the new season where Cardiff opens against Norwich.
Cardiff’s average match goals per game were 1.1 while Norwich averaged 1.6 match goals per game the last time we saw them in The Championship. With Cardiff at home for this opening fixture, we can be pretty confident both teams will score.
Match Result Under/Over 2.5 Goals
Using the same match as an example we might expect Norwich to win and if both teams are likely to score as the stats tell us then backing Norwich and over 2.5 goals looks a fair bet.
Most punters have a gut feel on this bet but by using the stats we have gathered for all of the teams you can make some pretty informed decisions to find the best EFL Championship bets and improve your strike rate.
Handicap 1st Half
Another interesting market and on opening day we see last season’s Championship rivals Middlesbrough host West Brom. On last season’s form Boro might just edge this, but will they find it easy to break down the Baggies?
The Baggies will surely try to contain Boro and hope to provide their strikers with one or two chances.
However, you can back the Baggies with a plus one goal handicap to win the first half at 4/11. Maybe an interesting bet considering the tactics they may employ.
EFL Championship – To Be Relegated
Ok it’s a strange bet but one of the most fluid markets in football betting. With so much media scrutiny around football managers then of course this market can change week to week.
A strategy here should be to try and find price anomalies between the bookmakers and the betting exchanges.
As an example, at the time of writing this article, QPR could be backed with the bookmakers at 9/1 to be relegated while you might only get 8/1 on the betting exchanges giving you the opportunity to back at 9/1 with a bookmaker and lay on the exchanges at 8/1 for a certain profit.
Are QPR one of the best EFL Championship League bets for relegation or do you think starting favourites for the drop, Rotherham at 6/4, are the value in this market
Total Away Goals
A market where you’ll often get matchups of supposed weaker teams at home and stronger teams away, and we have such a match-up in one of the curtain raisers to this season’s EFL Championship when Cardiff take on Norwich.
Cardiff’s average team goals scored was 1.1 while their average team goals conceded was 1.5. While Norwich had an average of 1.6
We could therefore expect both teams to score and the away side might score 2 goals and you can back over 3 goals at 19/10.
Top 5 In-Play Football Bets
Next Team To Score
As the bookmakers look for more ways to give punters a wide selection of betting offers, they are turning to fast markets so the “Next Team To Score” market is one that has become popular.
To Win and Both Teams To Score
A live-in-play bet that fluctuates in price throughout the match and one that offers much bigger returns than just a straight win or a straight both teams to score bet.
Here you are picking a team to win the match and of course, both teams to score. But you could back both teams to win and two goals at various points of the match to create a profitable bet whoever wins.
This is definitely one of the best EFL Championship bets as there is lots of historical data available online to help you find potential winners.
Match Result And Over/Under 1.5 Goals
Similar to the above bet, but here you have the draw that also enters the equation and it makes for six possible results giving you even more options to bet throughout the match to create a profit. It means placing these in-play bets at strategic times when a team has scored.
Total Goals Odd/Even
An interesting bet if you like backing shorter prices with less risk. Here you can choose to back odd or even on the 90 minutes, the first half or the second half. Again prices will fluctuate as goals are scored and the clock ticks down. An interesting bet to add to your “Request A Bet” choices.
Total Goals
This is just a straight bet where you might have an opinion on the total goals. many bookmakers will offer a price on 0-2 Goals, 3+ Goals, and 4+ Goals.
A bet that can pay dividends when a top team are playing a lower-level opponent. It is possible to “Dutch” the 3+ and 4+ to make a profit.
Other Major Football Leagues and Tournaments
As well as EFL Championship, our footie expert Mike Lovatt covers all of the big football leagues and tournaments from across the World and you can also read his thoughts on the The Premier League, The Champions League and The World Cup.
Whatever type of football bets you like to place, and whatever EFL Championship team you support, we hope we have provided you with some great info and stats which will hopefully make your football betting more profitable.