SKY BET: CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW
Match Previews
18th September
CITY CURRENTLY EIGHTH IN SKY BET TRANSFER FUND
Sky Bet are giving fans the chance to earn their club a £250,000 windfall for January’s transfer window, simply by betting with the Football League sponsor. Using the Transfer Fund, customers select their Football League team and for every £1 they bet, their club of choice will receive a token. A draw will then take place in December, and one club will be rewarded with the funds to spend in the January window.
Championship side Leeds top the pile so far, giving themselves a greater chance in the draw as things stand, with Wigan Athletic second in the table. There’s a long way to go until the December 8 deadline though, and third-placed Derby County are hot on the tails of Leeds and Wigan, with the Rams hopeful of earning the money to aid their promotion push.
Meanwhile, Coventry City are representing League 1 well as they sit fourth, and a £250k injection for the Sky Blues could prompt their promotion odds to shorten from its current price of 6/1. League 2’s Hartlepool United have also been popular – they’re fifth in the standings - and Colin Cooper’s side could really benefit from the funds as they look to stay in the Football League this season.
Next in line is Nottingham Forest, who have a slight edge over seventh-placed Tranmere Rovers, while Championship trio Cardiff City, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Watford complete the top ten.
With the draw taking place in December, fans have still got plenty of time to get involved and give their club the chance to win the £250,000 transfer fund. Both new and existing customers are eligible to take part, while every token earned will also go into a draw for a £5,000 prize for one individual. To get involved, just pick your team, bet as normal, and await the results!
www.skybet.com/winTo sign up for the Sky Bet Transfer Fund and start collecting tokens now, visit
Full terms and conditions can be found on the Sky Bet Transfer Fund Website.
Watford v AFC Bournemouth
Watford can move top of the Sky Bet Championship – for a few hours at least – if they can beat Bournemouth in the first Football League game of the weekend. The Sky Sports cameras are at Vicarage Road for the contest on Saturday lunchtime and Sky Bet make Watford the 19/20 favourites for victory. AFC Bournemouth are 11/4 to win and the draw can be backed at 5/4. There’s plenty of attacking talent on show and 100/30 is a price that catches the eye about both sides scoring in the first half.
Top tip: Both sides to score in the first half at 100/30
Brighton and Hove Albion v Blackpool
Blackpool’s long wait for a point this season is over after drawing 0-0 at home to Wolves last weekend, but the Seasiders remain without a victory. You can get 5/1 for Blackpool to end that run with three points at Brighton on Saturday. The hosts are the odds-on favourites at 4/1 to claim the win and the draw can be backed at 14/5. There has only been one goal in Blackpool’s last two games – Matej Vydra’s winner for Watford in midweek – and backing under 1.5 goals in this match at 7/4 may provide some interest.
Top tip: Under 1.5 goals at 7/4
Fulham v Blackburn Rovers
Both sides were on the wrong end of high-scoring defeats in midweek, with Fulham (7/5 to win this) eventually going down 5-3 at Nottingham Forest while Blackburn (marginal outsiders at 7/4) were beaten 3-2 by Derby. Blackburn’s last five games have all featured at least four goals. Rudy Gestede has found the target in three of those five games and is 6/4 to score anytime and 11/2 to bag the first goal.
Top tip: Over 3.5 goals at 2/1
Leeds United v Huddersfield Town
Leeds fans have more to smile about at the moment with a three-match unbeaten run lifting the Whites up the Sky Bet Championship table. This is a big West Yorkshire derby against Huddersfield at Elland Road on Saturday and Leeds are the 6/5 favourites to win. Huddersfield are priced up at 11/5 and the draw can be backed at 12/5. Both teams have scored in four of Leeds’ last five games and Huddersfield have seen both teams net in six of their most recent eight contests, so there is reason to expect goals.
Top tip: Both teams to score at 8/11
Middlesbrough v Brentford
There’s a long trip north for Brentford fans on Saturday as the Bees take on Middlesbrough at the Riverside. Brentford are the 15/4 outsiders to pick up the three points as Middlesbrough starts as odds-on favourites at 3/4 to claim victory. The draw is available at 5/2. Middlesbrough have scored the final goal in seven of their nine matches so far this season and look a fair shout to complete the scoring again on Saturday
Top tip: Middlesbrough to score last at 4/7.
Millwall v Nottingham Forest
Forest are sitting pretty at the top of the Sky Bet Championship table after maintaining their unbeaten start to the campaign with that action-packed midweek win over Fulham. The visitors are priced at 13/10 to add another three points to their haul at Millwall, who have slipped back into mid-table after starting their campaign with back-to-back victories and can be backed at 2/1 with the draw 12/5. Britt Assombalonga bagged a midweek hat-trick against Fulham and is 25/1 to repeat the feat in this match. He’s 4/1 to open the scoring, while it’s 7/4 that he scores in a Forest victory. Three of Forest’s last five games have featured three or more second half-goals
Top tip: Three or more second half goals at 4/1
Norwich City v Birmingham City
Norwich are finding life back in the Sky Bet Championship to their liking and are unbeaten since losing at Wolves on the opening weekend of the season. It’s no surprise to see the Canaries in as 8/15 favourites to claim another three points on Saturday by beating Birmingham, who are way out at 5/1 for the win. The draw can be backed at 3/1. Norwich have scored seven goals in the second halves of their previous two matches - a 4-2 comeback win at Cardiff and 3-0 victory over Brentford - and backing the second period to contain the most goals at evens looks the way to go.
Top tip: Most goals to be scored in the second half at evens
Rotherham United v Charlton Athletic
Charlton have made a very strong start to season to remain unbeaten after seven Sky Bet Championship matches. The next test for the Addicks is a trip to Rotherham on Saturday and they can be backed at 9/5 to bag the victory. Rotherham are 7/5 favourites for the win and the draw is priced up at 12/5. Charlton have drawn four of their seven league games so far this term and it would be no surprise to see them return to London with a point.
Top tip: The draw at 12/5
Sheffield Wednesday v Reading
Two teams here who have made tidy starts to the season clash at Hillsborough, as sixth-placed Reading travel to eighth-placed Sheffield Wednesday. The home side are warmish favourites at 21/20, with the draw 12/5 and Reading a 5/2 chance. Wednesday’s only defeat of the season thus far came against leaders Nottingham Forest, and they’ll be confident of picking up at least a point here. Reading, though, are on a roll having won their last three and backing the draw might be the way to go in this one.
Top tip: The draw at 12/5
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Bolton Wanderers
Four points in their last two games offer encouragement for Bolton after a tough start to the Sky Bet Championship season, but they face a tough test on Saturday against Wolves, who have lost just once since their return to the division. The hosts are 4/6 at Molineux, with a draw 11/4 and Bolton a 4/1 chance. Wolves’ momentum has been slightly checked by a pair of draws after three straight wins, but they’ll be confident of a return to winning ways in this one. Six of Wolves’ seven games this season have had under 2.5 goals and they don’t give them away freely.
Top tip: Under 2.5 goals at 8/11
Monday: Wigan Athletic v Ipswich Town
Ipswich got their campaign back on track this week with successive 2-0 home victories, but are now back on the road to face Wigan on Monday night. Both these sides have been impressive at home but struggled away, so Wigan will go into the game with some confidence at 10/11. The draw is 12/5 with Ipswich priced up as 3/1 shots. Wigan did the league double over Ipswich last season and in all have won five of the clubs’ six league encounters. Three of Wigan’s last five games have been goalless at the break.
Top tip: No first half goals at 7/4
