West Ham to finish in the top 2 of the Championship have drifted to 10/11 with William Hill, out from 1/2, as six of 13 bookmakers ease their odds.
The odds on West Ham to finish in the top 2 of the Championship have drifted out from 1/2 to 10/11 with William Hill after another painful afternoon at the London Stadium.
Six of 13 bookmakers have eased their odds on West Ham to finish in the top 2 of the Championship.
Middlesbrough are now the favourites at a best price of 4/6 with QuinnBet, leaving West Ham second-shortest.
West Brom won 3-1 at the London Stadium on 31 October 2026, a second straight home league defeat for the Hammers.
Nuno Espírito Santo's side have dropped to eighth, six points behind the automatic promotion places.
West Brom left the London Stadium with a 3-1 win, and you can hardly blame the bookies for blinking. Captain Jarrod Bowen did his part, levelling just before the half-hour with his ninth goal of the season, but second-half strikes from Jimmy-Jay Morgan and Callum Styles turned the game the visitors' way. That came straight after Southampton won 3-2 at the same ground, so the Hammers have now lost back-to-back home league games. Bowen keeps delivering in front of goal. The problem is everything happening behind him.
The defence is where this drift really comes from. Kyle Walker-Peters picked up a thigh strain against West Brom, which adds to the absence of Konstantinos Mavropanos, injured against Southampton. A back line that was already leaking is now thinner, and this is a side that has conceded the opening goal in ten of their 16 matches this season. Chasing games every week is no way to stay in touch with the leaders, and the market has priced that in with the move out to 10/11 with William Hill.
Championship Top 2 Finish odds
Best odds 10/11 with William Hill, worst 5/6 with Paddy Power. Betfred and QuinnBet match the top price, so anyone shopping around the Championship odds should not settle for the shorter quotes.
Last updated: 1 November 2026, 19:04 UK time
Odds below are live and may have changed since publishing this article.
Who is ahead of West Ham to finish in the top 2 of the Championship?
Middlesbrough are the favourites at a best price of 4/6 with QuinnBet, with West Ham second-shortest at 10/11 with William Hill. Boro were sitting on top of the log in late October and have a striker in form, which is exactly what the Hammers lack at the other end of the pitch. Behind the top two, Southampton and Wolverhampton are lurking, and both picked up big home wins while West Ham were losing.
Middlesbrough – 4/6 with QuinnBet. Top of the table in late October, with Will Lankshear on 15 goals in all competitions.
West Ham – 10/11 with William Hill. Drifted out from 1/2 after back-to-back home defeats and fresh defensive injuries.
Southampton – 13/5 with Paddy Power. Up to fifth after a 4-1 home win over QPR on 31 October.
Wolverhampton – 11/4 with Bet365. Beat Cardiff 3-0 at home on 31 October.
Latest bookmaker offer
What do West Ham need to finish in the top 2 of the Championship?
West Ham are on the road next, away at Cardiff on 4 November and then at Blackburn, and those two outings will decide whether this drift keeps going. On paper Cardiff is a decent place to start. They were well beaten by Wolves on the same afternoon West Ham lost, and the previous meetings between the clubs read five West Ham wins to one for Cardiff. Bowen remains the man most likely to drag them back into the race, but the fix has to come at the back. A side that keeps falling behind will not close a six-point gap, however sharp its captain is. Our view: the odds on West Ham now reflect the problems more than the quality in this squad, but until the defence stops handing over the first goal, Middlesbrough deserve their place at the head of this market.
Disclaimer
Important information: This article may contain links to betting offers or promotions for markets that were available at the time of publication. These offers may have since expired, changed, or no longer be available.
Oddschecker offers are selected from operators that our football experts work with regularly and have first-hand experience of. If you open an account via one of these links, Oddschecker may earn commission. This helps support our coverage and allows us to continue producing expert analysis and football content across markets.
Please gamble responsibly. 18+.
