Odds On That?

Do the bookies odds reflect the above picture…?

After scouring the bookmakers` odds for the 2007/08 Championship season, there is a trend developing…Barnsley will go down and Charlton will go up. Oh, it’s not as simple as that I hear you say?

BetChronicle have The Seasiders at 71/1 to win the league outright, whilst BlueSquare see ‘Pool at forties. The same betting companies have Pre*ton at twenties, and Charlton – the pre season favourites – at 13/2.

As for promotion, only four companies take bets: BlueSquare, Coral and Totesport being three. Simon Grayson`s men find themselves with generous odds with the latter at 25/1 whereas with BlueSquare and Coral they`re at fourteens. Funnily enough as I was writing this, BetFred made their betting publication, with ‘Pool at 25/1 once again.

With the league being so hard to predict some bookmakers are being very cautious, with Charlton and West Brom at 2/1, Southampton`s at threes and even Martin Allen`s Leicester City can be seen at fours.

BlueSquare and Coral are the only bookies to be interested in the relegation betting online, and have the Seasiders as 6th favourites to face the drop, at 11/4 and 9/2 respectively. However, Barnsley, Scunthorpe, Hull City, QPR and Colchester (who are my tip to go down) are all seen as more likely relegation victims. Bristol City and Burnley immediately follow Blackpool in the relegation betting table. The best price for Charlton to go down is 33/1!

In summary then: The Seasiders will finish in the lower reaches of mid table. I can’t see that to be fair; can you?