The race for Europe’s top domestic league titles are pretty much shaping up for a non-exciting finish. Chelsea for example, are easing their way to the Premier League title, even without playing well and let’s not forget that online betting site Paddy Power paid out on a Chelsea title win back in November.
Over in Germany, Bayern Munich are massive 1/5000 odds on favourites to win the Bundesliga,ten points clear currently of nearest challengers Wolfsburg. Juventus have a massive fourteen point lead at the top of Serie A in Italy and over in Spain, Barcelona’s El Clasico win over rivals Real Madrid on the week saw the Catalans take firm control of the title race, opening a four point lead up over Carlo Ancelotti’s slumping Madrid. So there’s really no value around in the battle for major league honours across Europe, but take a look at the English Championship, and in contrast, you will find hatfuls.
Six points separate the top six sides in the Championship and there are just eight points back from the top to eighth placed Wolves. There is so much life, so many twists and turns in such a wide-open competitive league that there is value around, even on the current front runners.
The Money Race – Championship Betting 2015
It is Bournemouth who are currently sitting top of the table with a one point ascendancy over Wolves. They cruised to a 3-0 home win over Middlesbrough on the weekend and the free-scoring Cherries do look to be firing their way to the title, currently unbeaten in side. What should boost their chances of securing automatic promotion too is the fact that they only face one of the top ten sides in their run in. 12 per cent of money on the Championship winner at Paddy Power has come in for the Cherries and are 6/4 favourites to land the title.
Second placed Watford (4/1) and third placed Middlesbrough (3/1) are not only tied up on 72 points each, but they have taken similar amounts of cash to win the Championship at online bookmaker Paddy Power. Boro’s heavy loss against leaders Bournemouth on the weekend has seen them slip to four defeats in their last eight, so they aren’t exactly nailing down consistency. Watford also suffered a defeat on the weekend, losing at Ipswich, but that snapped a solid streak of five wins and a draw. The Hornets have to face Watford and Derby in the space of three days at the start of April.
Surprisingly for some, it is Derby who have taken the most support from punters to win the Championship. More than a third of the money coming in on the Championship title race has gone towards the Rams. They are slumping a little bit having gone six matches without a win, falling rapidly from their spot at the top of the table at the end of February. In their remaining seven games, they do go against each of the bottom three which should see them grab vital points.
Norwich perhaps are making their case as the strongest shots with some brilliant form. The Canaries have taken 25 per cent of Championship winner betting and have suffered just the one loss in their last 12 league matches. They have a favourable run in as well, only two games left against top half sides and both of those are at Carrow Road. The Canaries can be backed at 4/1 to grab the title.
The outsiders in the Championship title race are Ipswich Town who are out at 50/1. They are only six points off the top in sixth place but have a far weaker goal different than anyone above them. That is as good as needing an extra point in the bag to overcome it, but a win over second placed Watford on the weekend, could yet have say in the closing race.
Championship Winner Betting Odds at Paddy Power
Bournemouth 6/4, Middlesbrough 7/2, Norwich 4/1, Watford 4/1, Derby 16/1, Ipswich 50/1, Brentford 66/1
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