Who Will Win the 2024/25 Championship? Favourites, Predictions and Promotion Odds
Leeds or Sheffield – Who Comes Out on Top?
The Championship is heading into the home stretch, and the title race seems all but decided. Some bookmakers have already begun paying out early on bets for Leeds United to finish top. However, the battle for the remaining two promotion spots is wide open, with up to 10 teams still in contention. Among them are one of the oldest football clubs in the world and a side famous for having some of the most notorious ultras in English football.
Who Will Win the Championship?
As the EFL Championship season reaches its climax, we take a look at the state of play in England's second tier—and highlight where the best betting opportunities might be.
EFL Championship Winner Odds
As is often the case, bookmakers seemed to have called it right even before the first ball was kicked. This could be the third consecutive season where the pre-season favourite runs away with the title. Upsets are always possible, of course, but no side with odds as short as Leeds United’s has slipped up with ten games to go in over a decade.
Top 5 Contenders for Win and Promotion
It might seem like the play-off race for Premier League promotion is a lottery, but the stats tell a different story. Since way back in the 2010/11 season, it’s most often been the team that finished highest in the regular Championship standings—the side in 3rd place—that clinches the final promotion spot. We already know the top two teams go up to the Premier League automatically.
In fact, over the last 14 seasons, the team ending the campaign in 3rd has won the play-offs 7 times. The 4th-placed side has triumphed 5 times, while a team from 5th has only gone up twice. Clubs scraping into the top six in 6th place haven’t managed to win the play-offs at all in that stretch.
EFL Championship Favourites
Despite Leeds United and Sheffield United sitting level on points after 38 rounds, bookmakers still have a clear front-runner.
Leeds United: Another Return of The Hooligans?
Surprisingly, Leeds have stumbled a little in recent weeks, with a handful of unexpected draws and defeats breaking up their previously spotless run of results.
That said, Daniel Farke’s men are still a force to be reckoned with. They top the charts in virtually every statistical category imaginable and remain favourites to finish first.
Leeds Stats in 2024-25
|
Metric |
Result (League Rate) |
|
Goals |
76 (1) |
|
Shots |
424 (1) |
|
Shots on Target |
210 (1) |
|
Assists |
53 (1) |
|
Passes |
20375 (1) |
Only Burnley have conceded fewer goals than Leeds this season. Joël Piroe remains the Championship’s second-highest scorer and one of the two leading contenders for the Golden Boot. At present, he trails Borja Sainz of Norwich by a narrow margin. However, history is on his side: over the past decade, the division’s top scorer has often come from the league winners — in fact, every third season on average.
Leeds suffered heartbreak in last year’s play-off final, narrowly beaten by Southampton. But a second consecutive disappointment seems unlikely. The "most hated" club in English football — as opposition fans often sing — backed by their famously passionate and uncompromising supporters, look well placed for an immediate return to the Premier League.
Sheffield United: The real yo-yo team
Sheffield United have kept themselves firmly in the title hunt, with three wins from their last four matches. Chris Wilder’s side have gone toe-to-toe with Daniel Farke’s Leeds all season, and the battle for top spot looks destined to go to the wire.
The Blades appear to have learned from last year’s ill-fated Premier League campaign, where they shipped a record 104 goals. In stark contrast, they currently boast one of the Championship’s best defensive records, conceding just 28 times.
With odds of 7/2 to finish top — despite only trailing Leeds on goal difference — there’s plenty of value to be found. Given their current form, they look a solid option for punters seeking a late-season payoff.
Burnley: Is defense the key to success?
Burnley cut the gap on Leeds to just two points with an assured 2-0 win over Swansea last weekend — their 27th clean sheet of a remarkable campaign. Scott Parker’s side were written off by many as outsiders in this year’s promotion race, but they have quietly positioned themselves for a late charge towards the title. Having conceded only 11 goals in 38 games, their defence has been nothing short of outstanding. Scott Parker himself isn’t shy about saying it.
At 13/2, Burnley present an attractive proposition for those backing an upset. If they can maintain their defensive solidity, they have every chance of upsetting the odds and making an immediate return to the top flight.
Sunderland: Can The Black Cats Avoid Jinxing Their Luck?
Sunderland made a blistering start to the season, boasting the best goal difference in the division at one point and going close to seven hours without conceding. Since then, their form has dipped, and they’re now struggling to hold on to third place.
It’s been their strongest start to a campaign in over a century, but sustaining that early momentum has proved beyond them. Realistically, a title push is no longer on the cards. However, the Black Cats look well placed to finish in the top six. Over the past 20 years, Sunderland have reached the play-offs on five occasions — more than Burnley and Coventry combined.
So confident are the bookmakers in Sunderland’s top-six finish that they’re not offering odds on it — the same applies to Leeds, Sheffield United, and Burnley.
Coventry City: Lampard is the secret weapon
Coventry are arguably the form side in the play-off race as the season approaches its climax. A comprehensive 3-0 victory over fellow hopefuls Sunderland highlighted the turnaround overseen by Frank Lampard. Once tipped for relegation following Mark Robins’ departure, the Sky Blues have defied expectations and now sit comfortably in the play-off places with 59 points.
With momentum on their side, Coventry represent an intriguing option for punters searching for value in the promotion market.
Other Contenders
The gap between sixth and twelfth place is just six points, meaning several clubs can still harbour realistic hopes of gate-crashing the play-offs. Sheffield Wednesday are priced at
9/1
, while Millwall are significant outsiders at
33/1
The odds on either making it to the Premier League are even longer — but it’s the stuff of fairy tales. Both Sheffield clubs in the Premier League for the first time in history? Or Millwall silencing the doubters by showing they’re capable of more than just a fight.
Top 6 Finish Odds
Bookmakers have little doubt that Coventry will secure a top-five finish. However, the final play-off spot looks set to be contested between West Bromwich Albion and Bristol City. The Baggies are unbeaten for over a month and currently lead Bristol on goal difference.
Unfortunately, it seems Middlesbrough have run out of steam as the season draws to a close. Between late January and the end of February, they suffered five consecutive defeats. And in their last three matches, they've managed just one win. It’s clear that Emmanuel Latte Lath’s injury has had a significant impact.
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