2017 Championship Play-Off Betting – Football Betting

Wednesday look a more reliable Championship play-off prospect than their three rivals

Championship Betting

Just 180 minutes separate four teams from a match at Wembley that’s been described as the most lucrative in club football.

The winners of the Championship Play-Off Final at the end of this month can expect to swell the coffers by an estimated £170million with the security of three years of parachute payments should they fall back down to the EFL after just one season.

The first game in the play-off semi-finals will take place on Saturday, May 13 when Fulham host Reading. On Sunday, May 14, Huddersfield Town will be at home to Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday in the first leg of their semi-final.

The second legs will take place three days after the first. So, on Tuesday, May 16, Reading will be at home to Fulham and, on Wednesday, May 17, Sheffield Wednesday will meet Huddersfield at home. The final will be played on Monday, May 29, which is a bank holiday in the UK, with another Wembley Stadium sell-out predicted.

It’s not that long since Reading and Fulham were Premier League teams but it’s a bit longer since Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield played in the top flight, though the Owls reached the play-off final last season only to lose to Hull City. Ironically, they could be swapping places with the Tigers this year.

Reading finished the regular season in third place – and the team that’s done that has won the play-offs in five of the last 10 years – but the Royals are bookmakers’ outsiders to reach the Premier League. Jaap Stam’s side have won six of their last eight but are not the easiest to predict. They conceded five against Fulham in December and when the wheels fall off, they fall off big time. Norwich put seven past Reading last month and there is a doubt about whether they’ll be able to maintain their intensity over three matches in quick succession.

Betway have Reading at 5/1 and are also best odds on Huddersfield Town at 10/3.

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Fulham are the lowest-ranked of the quartet striving for the riches of the Premier League but have been made favourites (a best 15/8). Slavisa Jakonivic’s team beat play-off rivals Wednesday in their final game of the regular season, though their opponents rested several key players so I’m not sure we can read too much into that result.

Given their experience last year, I expect SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (a general 5/2 to win the play-offs) to be too strong for the Terriers in their semi-final as their strength-in-depth and consistency should stand them in good stead. The only one of these teams to finish in the top half of the Championship last season, the Owls can go on and make up for their disappointment of 12 months ago.