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Coca-Cola leagues offer best value for new season betting

By Bernie | July 8, 2008

Although most ante-post football betting money this season will head towards the pinnacle of domestic football, the Barclays Premier League, the real value can be found by looking at the leagues with more than two teams fighting for honours.

And I’ve got a 20/1 each-way bet and a 37/1 treble that I reckon offer better value than the even-money odds about Manchester United or Chelsea.

Take Ipswich Town as an example. They had the best home record in the Championship last season; just missing out on play-off qualification at the end of the season.

If they can keep up their formidable record at Portman Road then there’s no reason they shouldn’t be up at the business end of the table this term. Both Paddy Power and Ladbrokes are offering 20/1 on Town, and I’m backing them each-way (a quarter of the odds for a top-three place).

Crystal Palace: unstoppable
Having embarked on an unstoppable run after the appointment of Neil Warnock just before Christmas, Crystal Palace were unlucky to miss out on a Wembley final in the play-offs – the first time Warnock has seen any of his teams lose in the winner-takes-all knock-out.

SkyBet are offering a generous 9/2 on Palace winning promotion this time around, and considering Warnock’s record of taking teams up either automatically or through the play-offs this price should be snapped up.

Off-the-field stability will help Leeds
In League One Leeds United should be backed at evens money with SkyBet to be promoted at the second time of asking.

Despite everything the club has had to deal with over the last 12 months Gary McAllister’s men have started to rely more on passing the ball than the long ball that served them well early last term. And with McAllister and Staunton at the helm, the signing of one or two seasoned pros to help young guns like Jonnie Howson, and a little off-the-field stability, Leeds should have enough to return to the Championship.

Promotion party for Bradford City
Down in League Two, Stuart McCall is pulling together a strong squad at Bradford City, with shrewd signings from around the lower leagues including experienced Doncaster Rovers Captain Graeme Lee and former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Paul McLaren.

The Bantams will once again be backed by a good home following and this season I can see a promotion party at Valley Parade. Get your money on them at 5/2 with SkyBet to gain promotion.

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