With the 2024 European Championships now finished, it’s time to start looking ahead to next season’s domestic football and identify some early betting opportunities.
Last season was a revelation, with Arsenal pushing Manchester City right to the end, ultimately losing the league by just two points. This sets up the upcoming season as a particularly intriguing one.
Currently, Manchester City offers some betting value at 13/10 with both Paddy Power and Betfair. These odds might be worth a bet, as it’s unlikely they will improve unless City starts the season poorly.
Arsenal is also an appealing option, available at 2/1 from several online bookmakers, including Sky Bet, Unibet, and BetUK.
Beyond the two frontrunners, the odds begin to lengthen. Liverpool is third in the betting, with 8/1 odds from Ladbrokes, LiveScoreBet, and Betway. These odds seem tight, especially considering Jurgen Klopp stepped down as manager last season, with Arne Slot, formerly of Feyenoord, taking over. With a new manager and aging key players like Mohamed Salah, Liverpool might struggle to challenge for the title in 2024-25.
Chelsea is an interesting bet at 20/1 with bookies such as Bet365, 888sport, and Vbet. Although winning the league might be a stretch, their odds offer some each-way value. With new manager Enzo Maresca, who led Leicester City back into the Premier League, Chelsea could be a dark horse. The team showed signs of cohesion towards the end of last season despite sacking Mauricio Pochettino.
Considering this, our first two bets for the season are Manchester City to win the league outright at 13/10 and Chelsea to win the league each way. An each-way bet means that if you stake £10 on Chelsea, £5 goes on them winning at 20/1, and £5 goes on them finishing second. If Chelsea wins, your return would be £144; if they finish second, you’d win £44.
Additionally, Bet365 offers a market for the ‘Premier League winner without Manchester City,’ where you can back Chelsea at 11/1.
Before placing any season-long bets, it’s wise to check for betting offers. Sites like Free Bets UK can provide beneficial free bet offers and betting bonuses.
There are also other betting markets of interest. For a top-six finish, Newcastle at 8/13 with Bet365 is notable. They finished seventh last season and will benefit from not having European football distractions. Aston Villa, priced at 11/8 for a top-six finish with Bet365, is another intriguing bet despite their Champions League commitments. Combining both bets in a double with Bet365 offers odds of 2.86/1, which is good value.
At the other end of the table, the relegation battle is as thrilling as ever. Leicester City are the favourites for relegation at 1/2 with Betfred and Sky Bet, but this offers little value given potential points deductions. Southampton, third favourites for relegation at 6/4 with BetVictor, could be worth a bet. For more value, consider Brentford at 5/1 with BetVictor, especially if they lose Ivan Toney.
Finally, for the FA Cup, Newcastle United stands out. Without European football distractions, they could focus on silverware. With 16/1 odds from BetVictor, they’re an attractive bet for the FA Cup.
Whatever you choose to bet on, remember to gamble responsibly. Enjoy the coming season and make sure betting enhances, rather than detracts from, the excitement.