With the Championship season kicking off this week, lets take a look at who the bookmakers are predicting to face the drop to League One.
The Championship is famously one of the most challenging leagues in football, with relegation battles often coming down to the final games of the season.
This year, the bookmakers are predicting no deviation from this trend, as the top 10 sides in the Championship's relegation betting market are closely matched, making it difficult to determine which teams will drop to League One.
Among the teams facing a tough season, Oxford United, who earned promotion from League One via the play-offs, are considered the most likely to be relegated. With a limited budget that has seen them spend under £2 million in the transfer window, Oxford United are priced at 6/4 by Betfred to face the drop.
In another intriguing storyline, Wayne Rooney returns to the Championship with Plymouth, seeking redemption after a brief and disappointing spell with Birmingham. Despite his ambition, Plymouth's chances of survival are looking slim.
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Championship Relegation Odds
| Team | Best Odds | Implied Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Oxford | 6/4 | 40% |
| Plymouth Argyle | 9/4 | 31% |
| Preston | 4/1 | 20% |
| Blackburn | 4/1 | 20% |
| Millwall | 9/2 | 18% |
Who is the favourite to be relegation from the Championship?
Oxford United are currently the favorites for relegation from the Championship, with Betfred offering the best odds of 6/4.
Under the management of Des Buckingham, who led his boyhood club to an unexpected League One playoff victory against Bolton at Wembley last season, Oxford United faces a formidable challenge as they step up to the Championship.
Despite finishing fifth with 77 points in League One last year, which might not inspire much confidence for their Championship campaign, Oxford can take some comfort from recent history.
Of the last ten teams promoted to the Championship via the playoffs, only three were relegated the following season.
The second favorites for relegation are Wayne Rooney's Plymouth side, with a best price of 9/4 available at several bookmakers, including bet365.
Despite Rooney's high-profile arrival, his tenure at both Derby and Birmingham didn’t yield much success, which hasn't instilled much optimism at Preston.
The team narrowly avoided relegation on the final day last season, securing their survival with a crucial win over Hull City.
Preston, the third favorites for relegation, are priced at 4/1 at Bet Victor.
Having lost their captain, Alan Browne, to Sunderland and significantly overachieved on their xG last season by scoring nearly 10 more goals than expected, there's not a lot of hope for Ryan Lowe’s squad this year.
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