Premier League relegation latest odds – the not so Magnificent Seven

Premier League Betting

Four teams beginning with the letter ‘W’ and three teams beginning with the letter ‘B’ make up the seven sides that will be scrapping against relegation between now and the end of the season.

Blackpool’s 3-1 defeat to Chelsea on Monday night means that the Tangerines are now the second favourites for the drop, with the bookies quick to slash the odds on Ian Holloway’s team. A few weeks ago, you could have got 3/1 about the seaside club and now the best price is even money (bet365).

Blackpool’s next Premier League match is a trip to Ewood Park to face another side who are firmly at the wrong end of the table and Rovers have lost four of their last five matches. Perhaps they will be made to pay for sacking Sam Allardyce midway through the season and Steve Kean has been given the dreaded vote of confidence.

Blackburn were available at 12/1 for the drop when Allardyce was relieved of his duties, although those odds have now shrunk to 10/3 with bet365 and the Lancashire side are just two points above the relegation zone.

The third ‘B’ in a pickle is Birmingham City, the Carling Cup winners who seemed drained when it came to facing West Brom last Saturday and their 3-1 defeat means that Alex McLeish’s team now occupy a berth in the dreaded drop zone.

McLeish is worried that a long season might be taking its toll, especially as they remain in the FA Cup with a quarter final match at home to Bolton taking place this weekend. Wednesday’s trip to Everton is more important and City are 5/2 (Sportingbet) to be relegated.

However, it is the four teams beginning with the letter ‘W’ that are among the first five in the Premier League relegation betting and the writing appears to be on the wall for Wigan Athletic.

Roberto Martinez’s team are now four points adrift of safety with an inferior goal difference to the teams directly above them and the Latics will need to win five of their remaining nine matches to stand any chance of survival. The best odds about them being relegated is 2/7 with bet365.

It was West Ham United that seemed doomed at the start of 2011 and the board allegedly tried to bring in Martin O’Neill to replace Avram Grant, although the latter remains in charge and has seen his team comprehensively beat Liverpool and Stoke.

The Hammers aren’t out of the woods by a long stretch and a Birmingham draw / win at Goodison Park would leave them back in the bottom three. Perhaps they are a value bet to go down at odds of 13/8 (Coral).

Then we have the two Black Country teams – West Brom and Wolves. The Baggies have made a decent start under Roy Hodgson, having collected five points from three matches and they are out to 15/8 (Skybet) for relegation. Wanderers are shorter at 5/4 (Skybet).