League leaders host Brentford, while Middlesbrough welcome Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday head to Bristol City
This coming weekend will see the 12th round of action in the EFL Championship – English domestic football’s second tier – kick off, with Leeds United trying to hold their title rivals at bay. The table toppers are at home against high flying Brentford while Middlesbrough, level on points with Leeds, welcome Nottingham Forest to the Riverside Stadium.
First things first
Before you go any further, head on over to the Oddsshark website, find your favourite betting site and get your account up and running using your credit card. As a new customer and with the EFL Championship season beginning to take shape, there should be a wide range of promotions and special offers available to you.
Where should I be investing my money?
First up, Leeds United host Brentford at Elland Road on Saturday afternoon (6 October). The hosts sit top of the table with 22 points but have taken just one point from their last two games, following a surprise home loss to Birmingham City and a 1-1 draw away to Sheffield Wednesday.
Brentford, by way of comparison, sit in sixth place and just five points off the summit, but have hit a stumbling block of their own of late. The Bees are without a win in their last five games across all competitions, with their last victory coming back on 15 September.
Given their superior quality, not to mention home advantage, it is Leeds who come in as the favourites to win this one. You can more than double your money by backing the league leaders to take all three points at a price of 2.25, while Brentford are out t 3.10 to do the same – a draw would look to be the least likely result, and is priced accordingly at 3.40, according to Oddsshark.
With both sides struggling for form, we are expecting a cagey, low scoring affair. A 1-0 win for Leeds is priced competitively t 10.00, thereby offering a ten-fold return on any investment. You could also more than double your money by backing Leeds to win promotion back to the Premier League at a price of 2.25.
Middlesbrough to keep pressure on rivals
Middlesbrough, currently in second place, will look to keep the pressure on Leeds when they host Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon. Boro can come into this game confident after a good run of form – they are unbeaten in five, and have not conceded a goal in their last two matches in front of their own fans.
Forest, though, are in some pretty good form themselves. The Nottingham club are down in 11th place but are undefeated in their last six encounters across all competitions and have lost just once in the league all season – they have, however, drawn seven of their 11 matches.
But it is Boro who come in as the red hot favourites to take the points in this clash. The home side are at just 1.72 to win, with visitors Forest out at 4.75 to do the same – a draw is priced in the middle at 3.60.
And given Boro’s excellent home record we are expecting another win on Saturday. A comfortable, 2-0 win for the Teesiders is priced at 7.00, meaning that a US$5 bet would lead to a US$35 pay out.
Bristol City look to bounce back against Sheffield Wednesday
And finally, the Sunday action from the EFL Championship comes from Ashton Gate this weekend, as Bristol City host Sheffield Wednesday. After a solid start to the season the Bristol club are now struggling for form and have gone four league games without a win, taking just two points in the process.
Sheffield Wednesday, meanwhile, have had the opposite problem. The Owls made a slow start to the campaign but are now beginning to find their stride, and have gone three matches unbeaten.
But with home advantage, Bristol City come in as the favourites to take the three points and get their season back on track. City are just a point off the top six and are at 5.00 to finish in a play-off position come the end of the season.
For this match, however, Bristol are at 1.75 to take all three points, with Wednesday out t 4.75 to do the same. A 2-1 win for the home side comes in at 8.50, which would in turn allow you to back over 2.5 goals in the game, at 1.90, and both teams to score, at 1.83.
EFL Championship round 12 fixtures:
Saturday, 6 October
(2.25) Leeds United x Brentford (3.10); draw (3.40)
(1.60) Birmingham x Rotherham (6.00); draw (3.75)
(1.72) Middlesbrough x Nottingham Forest (4.75); draw (3.60)
(2.80) Millwall x Aston Villa (2.45); draw (3.40)
(2.40) Norwich City x Stoke City (2.90); draw (3.30)
(2.25) Preston North End x Wigan Athletic (3.10); draw (3.40)
(2.62) QPR x Derby County (2.62); draw (3.30)
(1.57) Sheffield United x Hull City (5.75); draw (4.00)
(1.80) Swansea City x Ipswich Town (4.50); draw (3.50)
(1.50) West Bromwich Albion x Reading (6.25); draw (4.20)
(3.50) Bolton Wanderers x Blackburn Rovers (2.10); draw (3.30)
Sunday, 7 October
(1.75) Bristol City x Sheffield Wednesday (4.75); draw (3.60)