As the 2015/16 season approaches, Marathonbet examine what can be expected from the Football League and where to find the value in the betting.
Championship
Derby County are once again favourites at 13/2 to win the league and have replaced Steve McClaren with Paul Clement – who takes charge of his first club side. With Tom Ince and Darren Bent coming in permanently, and acquiring experience in defence, the Rams are levelling out rather well.
Hotly followed by play-off runner-uppers Middlesbrough, 8/1, their additions of club legend Stewart Downing and La Liga hitman Christian Stuani strengthen an already unified squad. Downing was the leading Englishman for chances created in the Premier League last season, so expect Boro to threaten defences often.
If you're one for an under-the-radar bet, free scoring Wolverhampton at 16/1 to grab the title has tonnes of promise – and with them looking to bring their defence up to scratch, Kenny Jackett's side will pack quite a punch. Or if you're a pessimistic punter, then this season you might enjoy the inevitable woes of Huddersfield and Rotherham, both respectively at 4/1 and 7/4 to go down.
For a full list of Championship odds, click here.
League One
The third-tier of English football welcomes Wigan, Blackpool and Millwall from up above while Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's Burton Albion have worked their way up along with Shrewsbury, Bury and Southend.
Looking past title favourites Sheffield United (11/2), Wigan at 7/1 to clinch top spot seems too good to be true. With ex-player and club captain Gary Caldwell at the helm, we're hoping for his managerial style to unfold in the same manner as his playing days. The Latics at 9/4 to be promoted seems a sensible bet.
While we expect Wigan to shoot straight back up, the same can't be said for Blackpool. The Seasiders are on the slide and struggle to complete a match in pre-season with protests taking stage, along with having a tiny squad. At 15/8, that could be great value for back-to-back relegations. With Karl Oyston and the fans at loggerheads, the situation there may not change.
For a full list of League One odds, click here.
League Two
This season for Portsmouth could be a make or break one. The largest fan-owned club in England have now fully exited administration and are on the up.
Even after finishing just 16th last season, they're 9/2 to win the title. It's time for Pompey to start working their way back up the leagues, and if you want a safer take on Paul Cook's side, 9/10 to be promoted is a given.
At the other end of the table, you can surely expect to see Mansfield Town fighting to stay up. A disappointing campaign last season, finishing 21st and narrowly avoiding relegation, they've been on the decline since their promotion in 2013. At 6/1 to be relegated, it's no long shot.
For a full list of League Two odds, click here.
