The market leaders are 57% likely to win promotion from the Championship playoffs even at the best price available through oddschecker.
As the Championship playoff semi-finals approach their decisive second legs starting tonight, Sheffield United and Sunderland are leading the race for promotion to the Premier League, both in terms of betting odds and bets placed through oddschecker.
Who are the favourites to get promoted from the Championship?
Sheffield United are the clear favourites to secure promotion, with odds of 3/4 (AK Bets) reflecting their strong position going into tonight’s second leg with Bristol City.
Despite a late-season slump that saw them lose four of their last six games, the Blades finished third in the league and are well placed to overcome their historically poor playoff record.
Club legend Chris Basham has also expressed confidence in the team's ability to break their playoff curse under manager Chris Wilder.
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Public sentiment aligns with the bookmakers, as 27% of the bets placed through oddschecker since the semi-finals began have backed the Blades. Over the course of the season, they received 7.5% of the bets to win promotion (behind only league winners Leeds and Sunderland).
With best odds of 9/5, Sunderland are seen as Sheffield United’s strongest rivals for promotion with a 2-1 lead on Coventry going into their second leg on Tuesday night.
They finished fourth in the league and are looking to return to the Premier League after a long absence since their 2017 relegation. The team has shown resilience under manager Régis Le Bris, despite a five-match losing streak at the end of the season
Sunderland have garnered 17% of the bets since the semi-finals started and have been the most backed for promotion over the season of the four teams contesting the playoffs with an 8.1% share of the bets.
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Coventry Promotion Odds
Coventry City are now considered a dark horse in the playoff race with best odds of 17/2 implying just a 10.5% chance the Sky Blues are back in the big time for 2025/26.
Under the management of Frank Lampard, they have shown significant improvement, securing a fifth-place finish. Interestingly, the Sky Blues have still attracted 33% of the bets to win promotion since the semi-finals began (7.3% across the whole season), indicating public confidence in Lampard’s ability to mastermind a comeback against Sunderland.
Bristol City are the clear underdogs, with long odds of 125/1. They narrowly secured a playoff spot by finishing sixth - marking their first top-six finish in 17 years – but went down 3-0 in the first leg against Sheffield United at Ashton Gate.
Championship Odds
| Playoff Winner | Best Odds | Implied Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Sheffield United | 3/4 | 57.1% |
| Sunderland | 9/5 | 35.7% |
| Coventry | 17/2 | 10.5% |
| Bristol City | 125/1 | 0.8% |
