ALL the money has been on Leicester and West Ham as they bid to get their Championship campaign up and running.
Blackpool have been cut from 22-1 to 16-1 joint third favourites with Hills after their 1-0 at Hull but the big two will be the ones to beat.
If I had to pick one I’d go for Sam Allardyce’s Hammers who are likely to be solid at the back while boasting a goal threat from the likes of Kevin Nolan and Carlton Cole.
Sven-Goran Eriksson has again splashed the cash at Leicester but the weight of expectation may be too high, although everyone at the club would be thrilled with second.
The betting value could lie in taking a mid-ranked side each way. Last season promoted Norwich and Leeds finished second and seventh respectively and Brighton and Southampton should go well.
Brighton have snapped up Scotland striker Craig Mackail-Smith from Peterborough and Gus Poyet’s men are worth a punt to finish in the top three. William Hill go 22-1 for the title and Mackail-Smith is worth an each-way look at 20-1 with Ladbrokes to win the Golden Boot.
In League One the favourites haven’t won for 17 years but you have to give Huddersfield a chance at 6-1 (Hills).
Looking down the list for each-way value and I stop at Uwe Rosler’s Brentford whose signings include on-loan Celt Niall McGinn and ex-Crewe striker Clayton Donaldson. Consider them each way at 20-1.
Crawley are the only side being backed in League Two. The cash-rich Sussex side are odds-on to be promoted and a best 10-3 with Hills for the title.
I’m not interested at those odds so it’s another each-way shout in Shrewsbury who missed promotion by one point last season. They are 14-1 at Hills and bet365.
npower antepost tips
- Championship title – West Ham, each-way Brighton.
- League One title – Huddersfield, each-way Brentford.
- League Two title – Crawley, each-way Shrewsbury.