The fight for a place in next season’s Championship gets underway on Tuesday with the first of the League One playoff semi finals.
Hull and Peterborough are the two clubs that earned automatic promotion to the second tier.
All that’s left for the season is to see whether it’s Oxford, Blackpool, Lincoln or Sunderland who join them next season in the Championship.
For this League One playoff betting odds preview, we take a look ahead to the semi finals and examine the form of the four contenders.
Table of Contents
League One Playoffs Betting Odds – To Win The Playoffs
Sunderland 15/8
Blackpool 23/10
Oxford 3/1
Lincoln 10/3
* (odds recorded at 16:06 GMT on May 16th, 2021 at Betfair)
Blackpool
Final Standings: 3rd, 80 pts
There was no matching the form of Blackpool at the end of the League One season. They won their final four games to take third place.
That was a tremendous burst of form from them. So they are coming in hot. During that run, Blackpool did get a win at Sunderland who finished one place behind them.
The way things have played out though, for their semi-final clash, they are facing the other big form-team in the playoffs, Oxford.
Blackpool were the lowest scoring of the four teams to reach the playoffs, but they boasted the best defensive record of them all by some distance.
Thanks to their strong run of form, Blackpool are the 23/10 second-favourite to earn promotion* (odds recorded at 16:06 GMT on May 16th, 2021 at Betfair).
Sunderland
Final Standings: 4th, 77 pts
Sunderland didn’t carry a lot of positive form through to the end of the season. The Black Cats won only one of their final nine league games (D3 L4).
So that was a massive drop-off in form and it suggests that they could struggle to battle through these playoffs.
They are, however, the 15/8 favourites to win outright in League One playoffs betting odds* (odds recorded at 16:06 GMT on May 16th, 2021 at Betfair).
The Black Cats failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last ten league games. They are going to be under some pressure against Lincoln in their playoff semi-final.
Of the four teams in the playoffs, Sunderland won the fewest amount of league games during the season. The obvious positive on the flip side is that they lost fewer.
Lincoln
Final Standings: 5th, 77 pts
Lincoln closed out the regular season with a three-match winless run (D2 L1).
They conceded three goals in two of those three fixtures.
The Imps did produce some good form through April however and have lost only two of their last nine league games.
A very interesting thing is their away form has been good and therefore they should have a chance in the second leg of their semi-final against Sunderland.
The negative is that they won only one of their final six home games of the regular season.
In the 2016-17 season, Lincoln played in the National League.
This would be some rapid rise if they can win these playoffs and reach the second tier for the first time.
Oxford
Final Standings: 6th, 74 pts
Oxford have plenty to feel positive about ahead of the League One Playoffs. They are red hot at the moment.
The U’s won 6 of their final 7 games of the regular season as they powered their way into the playoffs.
They didn’t crumble under pressure at the end of that run in, winning three on the bounce.
The notable thing about their chances of going all the way is Oxford’s goalscoring output.
The U’s scored at least three goals in six of their final seven games. It’s been a remarkable run of scoring form from them.
They are 3/1 to earn promotion and they may well have the goals to get pretty close to pulling that off* (odds recorded at 16:06 GMT on May 16th, 2021 at Betfair).
League One Playoffs Betting – Dates
First Leg:
18th May – Oxford United v Blackpool
19th May – Lincoln City v Sunderland
Second Leg:
21st May – Blackpool v Oxford United
22nd May – Sunderland v Lincoln City
Final: 30th May
Oxford v Blackpool League One Playoffs Betting Odds
This is a great semi-final tie to look forward to in League One Playoffs betting. These are the two form teams in the hunt.
Oxford have won all but one of their last seven games and have been scoring for fun.
The U’s are on a four-match winning streak on home soil in League One, scoring at least three goals in each of those.
They have just been clinical and ruthless in front of goal. Their home record for the regular season was W13 D4 L6.
Oxford did lose 2-0 at home against Blackpool this season. Their form against the stronger teams is perhaps where the doubt creeps in.
Oxford won just 1 of 16 games played against the other top-nine finishers.
Blackpool are on a four-match winning streak and have lost only two games since mid-February. It’s been a brilliant run of form from them.
Blackpool are a quote of 21/20 to win the first leg* (odds recorded at 16:06 GMT on May 16th, 2021 at Betfair).
They are watertight at the back taking a clean sheet in six of their last eight.
We think that the Seasiders just have the edge. Their away record at the other top-eight finishers was an impressive W5 D2.
Oxford v Blackpool First Leg League One Playoffs betting odds
Oxford 29/20, Blackpool 2/1, Draw 9/4
* (odds recorded at 16:06 GMT on May 16th, 2021 at Betfair)
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Lincoln v Sunderland League One Playoffs Betting Odds
This looks as if it could be a really tight tussle between Lincoln and Sunderland over the two legs of this semi-final duel.
Lincoln will have the pressure of home soil advantage and they have taken a W1 D3 L3 record only in their last seven home fixtures.
When they hosted Sunderland earlier this season, the Imps were smashed 4-0 by the victors.
Lincoln didn’t win any of their home games against the teams that finished above them in the table (D2 L2).
They are the 15/8 underdogs to win the first leg* (odds recorded at 16:06 GMT on May 16th, 2021 at Betfair).
But it is not as if Sunderland are arriving in hot form at the moment, which should give Lincoln a chance.
Sunderland have claimed one win in their last nine, having suffered a real slump of form (W1 D4 L4).
The bookmakers however have them as 8/5 favourites to get the away win in this tie* (odds recorded at 16:06 GMT on May 16th, 2021 at Betfair).
Two of their last four league defeats happens against Blackpool, who are in the other playoff semi-final.
The Black Cats look on shaky ground at the moment, but they closed out the regular season with a good away defensive record.
They conceded at an average of 0.75 goals per road game. Their away form reads W1 D2 L2 in their last five.
Lincoln v Sunderland League One Playoffs Betting Odds
Sunderland 8/5, Lincoln 15/8, Draw 21/10
* (odds recorded at 16:06 GMT on May 16th, 2021 at Betfair)
