Current Championship promotion odds entering into busy stage of the season | OneFootball

As the 2024/25 EFL Championship season enters its middle third of the campaign, the race for promotion is heating up with several clubs vying for spots in the Premier League.

Here’s a breakdown of the current standings and the current bookies favourites to achieve promotion to the top flight.

BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND – MAY 03: Kieffer Moore of AFC Bournemouth celebrates after their sides victory and promotion to the Premier League during the Sky Bet Championship match between AFC Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest at Vitality Stadium on May 03, 2022 in Bournemouth, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Current Championship Top Six And Odds For Promotion

1st: Sunderland

In first place, we have Sunderland on 31 points, who are perhaps a surprise package to some.

The Northeast outfit have an array of young talent in their squad as well as a manager (Regis Le Bris) that has only been a first-team head coach for two seasons. Nevertheless, they have proven that they can compete with the best teams in the division and they can score a bundle of goals on their way to victory.

December through to January is always a tricky part of the EFL calendar because of the constant wave of games, so Sunderland’s talented young squad will be tested over the next couple of months.

Sunderland’s current odds for promotion are 5/4.

BRISTOL, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 05: Chris Wilder, Manager of Sheffield United, celebrates after the match during the Sky Bet Championship match between Bristol City FC and Sheffield United FC at Ashton Gate on November 05, 2024 in Bristol, England. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

2nd: Sheffield United

Sheffield United are in second place, level on points with Sunderland, with a two worse goal difference than the league leaders.

Despite the Blades having some quality players for the Championship, there was a huge question mark regarding how United were going to begin the season, due to last season’s shambolic showing as well as starting on minus two points for gameweek one. However, Chris Wilder has worked his magic once again for his boyhood club and they look as though they will be a stayer amongst the top six for the majority of the season.

Sheffield United’s current odds for promotion are 11/10.

LEEDS, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 18: Pascal Struijk of Leeds United celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammates during the Sky Bet Championship match between Leeds United FC and Sheffield United FC at Elland Road on October 18, 2024 in Leeds, England.

3rd: Leeds United

With the top two level on points, Leeds United are only two points behind them and they’re boasting a better goal difference than them too.

The West Yorkshire outfit were the clear favourites to win the league before even a ball was kicked and they have had games where they’ve shown why. Even though they lost two outstanding attack talents in the summer: Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter, Daniel Farke still arguably has the best squad in the division.

Leeds seemed destined to go up automatically last term but ended up going into the playoffs only to bow out in the final to Southampton. They aren’t destined for another playoff campaign again are they?

Leeds United’s current odds for promotion are 1/6.

4th: Burnley

Burnley have been going well under their new boss Scott Parker; they’re currently on 27 points.

At one point in the summer, it seemed like Burnley were going to be left without a squad and a manager, after they sold several top talents from last season. With that being said, Parker has done a decent job at steadying the ship at Turf Moor and it looks like the Lancashire club are set for a top six battle this season.

Burnley’s current odds for promotion are 2/1.

5th: West Bromwich Albion

West Brom started the campaign off on fire, but one win in nine games quickly dampened the Baggies’ spirits and they currently sit on 25 points.

Carlos Corberan is one of the best coaches in the second tier and he’s no stranger to finishing in and around the top six, and you’d imagine that’s what the pre-season aim was for this squad. Albion certainly have some good Championship players on their books, but the worry for them must be: what happens if Josh Maja’s goals dry up or if he suffers an injury? Maja has scored nine of their 16 goals in the league.

West Bromwich Albion’s current odds for promotion are 7/2.

SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 01: Gustavo Hamer of Sheffield United and Moussa Sissoko of Watford during the Sky Bet Championship match between Sheffield United FC and Watford FC at Bramall Lane on September 01, 2024 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)

6th: Watford

Watford have proven that on their day they can beat decent sides such as Middlesbrough and Sunderland, yet at the same time, they are capable of producing bizarre results like getting hammered 3-0 by Preston North End. Nevertheless, the Hornets occupy the final playoff spot with 25 points.

As stated above, it’s really difficult to judge Watford at this moment in time because their performances and results seem to be so volatile, which is symbolic to the nature of the Championship in general anyway.

Huge credit must go to Tom Cleverley for the start he’s made to his first-team coaching career, but at some point Watford must find consistency if they wish to be taken seriously in the top six race.

Watford’s current odds for promotion are 16/1.

On The Fringe

The playoff race, as always, adds an unpredictable element to the Championship, and there’s a few clubs that are currently on the fringe of the top six that have looked very capable thus far.

Middlesbrough, in seventh, and Millwall, in eighth, are two teams that make up the beauty of the division; they play polar opposite brands of football and yet one point separates them. Based on performance metrics, Boro should actually be second in the current standings, and Millwall should be third. With these two teams underperforming in terms of results, if they can start picking up points they deserve then the promotion picture could look that much more spicier.