football | Friday, February 24, 2023 11:48 AM (Revised at: Friday, February 24, 2023 11:49 AM)

Championship Best Bets: Five Value Bets for Saturday

Jack Wright

Championship Best Bets Best Bets: Saturday, February, 25th

We are back with more Championship best bets ahead of this weekend’s action. Burnley extended their lead at the top of the table to 12 points after a draw at Millwall in midweek. The Clarets now have a 16-point cushion to 3rd placed Middlesbrough. That valuable point was enough to take Gary Rowett’s side back up into the play-off places.

At the bottom, there were big wins for Stoke and Rotherham. QPR moved quickly to replace Neil Critchley. Gareth Ainsworth is swapping a League One promotion campaign to take over at Loftus Road. His first game is against boyhood club Blackburn with his new side 17th and just eight points off the foot of the table.

Once again, six games go under the microscope, with a best bet in each.

In this article:

Coventry vs Sunderland Preview & Best Bet
Burnley vs Huddersfield Preview & Best Bet
Norwich vs Cardiff Preview & Best Bet
Preston vs Wigan Preview & Best Bet
Reading vs Blackpool Preview & Best Bet
West Brom vs Middlesbrough Preview & Best Bet

Coventry vs Sunderland Preview Preview

England, Championship, Saturday, February 25th, 12:30 (UK)

Coventry sealed back-to-back Championship wins with a 2-0 win at Rotherham last weekend. It’s three points that move the Sky Blues within five points of the play-off places, with another positive being that following a seven-game “drought”, top scorer Viktor Gyokeres hit the back of the net in both fixtures. Mark Robins has seen his side suffer just one defeat in the last 11 league games at home. He will be confident they can keep the pressure on those teams directly above them in the table.

Sunderland were in midweek action but could not take advantage. In contrast to their hosts here they lost on their visit to take on the Millers. The end of a five-game unbeaten sequence seeing the Black Cats relinquish their place in the top six. Defeat at the AESSEAL New York stadium also ended an impressive run of 10 Championship road trips without losing. Tony Mowbray will be looking for a response on their visit to the Midlands.

Coventry vs Sunderland Best Bet

Two goals in two games has taken Gyokeres’ tally to 14 in the English second tier this season. With only Chuba Akpom having been more prolific. In comparison, only Joel Piroe has taken more shots (98) and had more efforts on target (44) than the Swedish striker (92 and 42). Not only will the 24-year-old have his confidence high after back-to-back appearances on the scoresheet, but having also netted in the reverse.

As a nice boost to our builder, I am adding both teams to pick up a card – something that has happened in all bar two of Coventry’s 17 home league games so far this term. This has also landed in each of Sunderland’s last 11 away fixtures in the Championship and in 16 of 17 in total.

Selection: Both teams to receive a card and Viktor Gyokeres over 0.5 shots on target
Best Odds: 1.80 (bet365)
Stakes: 6/10

More Coventry vs Sunderland Tips

Burnley vs Huddersfield Preview

England, Championship, Saturday, February 25th, 15:00 (UK)

Burnley ticked another point off their promotion countdown following their tricky visit to the Lion’s Den on Tuesday. But for a late Tom Bradshaw equaliser, they would have claimed all three. Even so, the Clarets’ unbeaten run now stretches to an impressive 13 league games. With a 16-point buffer to 3rd place, it is surely a case of when and not if Vincent Kompany guides his side back to the top flight. The Belgian has pointed to a number of fitness and illness issues as to why there has been the slightest dip in performances. But even so, the men from Turf Moor are by far the best the Championship has to offer this season.

Neil Warnock had an immediate impact at relegation-threatened Huddersfield, ending an eight-match winless run in all competitions by overseeing a 2-1 defeat of Birmingham in his first game back in charge. The veteran manager has said he wants to enjoy the experience. Also, acknowledging a daunting set of upcoming fixtures means keeping the Terriers up would be one of his most significant achievements.

Burnley vs Huddersfield Best Bet

Burnley have the only unbeaten home record in the Championship. Winning 12 of the 17 games played so far at Turf Moor. Being the league’s top scorers and meanest defence is a further indication of why they are the best team in the second tier by some distance. Both sides have selection headaches ahead of this clash. But the home side have by far the greater strength in depth.

Warnock will send his side out to battle, knowing any points picked up here would be a bonus. As shown in their last two fixtures at Luton and Millwall, the Clarets are prepared to roll their sleeves up and mix it. As a result, expect a busy afternoon for referee Matt Donahue. There have been at least three cards in 16 of Burnley’s 17 home league games. In contrast, only three of Huddersfield’s 16 road trips have featured two or fewer cards shown.

Selection: Burnley to win and over 2 cards
Best Odds: 1.80 (bet365)
Stakes: 6/10

More Burnley vs Huddersfield Tips

Norwich vs Cardiff Preview

England, Championship, Saturday, February 25th, 15:00 (UK)

Norwich made light work of missing strike duo Josh Sargent and Teemu Pukki on Tuesday night. The pair had contributed 21 of the Canaries’ 43 league goals ahead of Birmingham’s midweek visit. A second consecutive 3-1 home win sent the Carrow Road faithful home happy. As did the sight of Marcelino Nunez smashing in an unstoppable 20-yard volley to open the scoring after waiting for a half-cleared corner to drop from the sky. David Wagner has the underperforming Norfolk outfit back on the fringes of the play-off places.

Following a sequence of 14 games in all competitions without a win, Cardiff have gone back-to-back, beating both Birmingham and, most recently, Reading to nil. Those successes have opened a four-point buffer to all three sides directly below who fill the relegation zone. The worry for Bluebirds fans is that two of those teams have a game in hand on their side.

Norwich vs Cardiff Best Bet

Under their German Head Coach, we have started to see flashes of the Norwich we expected this term. Although not fully trusting the home side yet, it would be a shock to see Cardiff make the long trip back to Wales with all three points.

An area where the Canaries continue to be consistent, however, is their ability to win corners. They dominated the ball on Tuesday and took another six flag kicks as a by-product of that. A total of 218 taken so far this term is bettered only by West Brom, with an average of 6.61 per game. An average that rises to 7.75 under Wagner’s eight games at the helm.

Selection: Norwich or Draw double chance and over 5 Norwich corners.
Best Odds: 1.95 (bet365)
Stakes: 7/10

More Norwich vs Cardiff Tips

Preston vs Wigan Preview

England, Championship, Saturday, February 25th, 15:00 (UK)

Preston extended their run without a win in all competitions to five after a goalless draw at Hull last weekend. Ryan Lowe will look for a performance more like the second half at the MKM Stadium. He admitted the opening 45 minutes was nowhere near the levels required as his side look to snap a dreadful spell of form at Deepdale. Five defeats and a draw from the Lillywhites’ last six home games have left the natives very restless.

Shaun Maloney extended his unbeaten start as Wigan manager with a 0-0 stalemate at home to Norwich last weekend. The Latics remain bottom on goal difference, but a win and three draws since the Scotsman took the reins will have fans believing they can escape the drop.

With the reverse fixture also ending goalless, expect another tight and cagey affair in the North West.

Preston vs Wigan Best Bet

Two of the Championship’s bluntest attacks collide here. Maloney was correct to suggest his side’s positive performances were being let down in the final third. Only Preston and Cardiff have scored fewer than Wigan’s 29 goals so far this campaign. Failing to score more than once in any of their last 11 league games. That is not set to change against a side that has kept a clean sheet in 41% of their fixtures in the second tier this term.

This is, of course, a derby. The home side needs to show fight at least to ensure their supporters “get behind them”, as per Ryan Lowe’s request. North End have seen over three cards shown in each of their last eight games at Deepdale. In total, it is 13 of 16. Under Maloney, Wigan’s road trips have seen four and five yellow cards, with three of the four games featuring at least four cautions.

Selection: Under 2 goals for Wigan and over 3 cards in the match
Best Odds: 1.87 (bet365)
Stakes: 6/10

More Preston vs Wigan Tips

Reading vs Blackpool Preview

England, Championship, Saturday, February 25th, 15:00 (UK)

An injury-time Romaine Sawyers strike condemned Reading to a fourth defeat in six competitive fixtures. Paul Ince chose to lash out at both the referee – “blatant red card bottled” and his players. Slamming his side for being “poor from the first minute to the last”. Going on to claim in a local radio interview after the game that “we ain’t good enough to play football”. As previously mentioned, patience is becoming in ever shorter supply from the Royals fans.

Mick McCarthy was another unhappy manager after watching his side slip to a fourth defeat in his seventh game in charge. Lamenting his side had “let ourselves down tonight with that performance” in losing 1-0 at Blackburn. Like the other two sides in the relegation zone, the Seasiders have 31 points and now have a four-point gap to bridge to Cardiff in 21st.

Given their abrasive nature, expect both managers to demand a response from their players.

Reading vs Blackpool Best Bet

If, following his VAR controversy earlier in the month, John Brooks was looking to make his reappearance with a nice quiet game, he looks to be in the wrong place. Reading have seen their players cautioned 35 times in 15 home league games this season. Only in the 3-1 home win over Huddersfield have the Royals failed to see at least one of their men shown a card.

McCarthy will no doubt look to on-loan Ian Poveda to get his side back to winning ways. The on-loan Leeds man provided his manager with his only Blackpool win so far. Scoring the only goal of the game against Stoke. Having been on the books of Chelsea, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Manchester City as a youngster, it is clear the 23-year-old has something about him. In eight starts for the Seasiders, Poveda has fired in 12 shots, only failing once to have at least one attempt.

Selection: Over 0 cards for Reading and over 0.5 Ian Poveda-Ocampo shots
Best Odds: 2.05 (bet365)
Stakes: 6/10

West Brom vs Middlesbrough Preview

England, Championship, Saturday, February 25th, 15:00 (UK)

Since signing a contract extension to fend off alleged interest from Leeds, Carlos Corberán has picked up just one point from three games. Positive results being hard to come by have gone hand in hand with a similar trend in keeping clean sheets. The Baggies conceded just four goals in their Spanish manager’s opening ten games in charge. In the subsequent nine, they have conceded 16, including three in their most recent outings, losing by the odd goal in five at Watford.

Michael Carrick continues to write himself into the Middlesbrough record books. After 17 games in charge, his side have won 13. No other manager in the club’s history can match that 40-point haul over the same period of time. That run has seen Boro reduce the gap to Sheffield United in 2nd place to just four points. Following recent victories over the Blades and Watford, a trip to the Hawthorns will hold no fear for the rampant Teesiders.

West Brom vs Middlesbrough Best Bet

West Brom are the corner kings of the Championship. We can take advantage of the respect Middlesbrough currently demand with a lower than usual line for the home side. The Baggies have taken a total of 147 flag kicks on home soil averaging 9.19 per game. Taking at least five corners in every league outing at the Hawthorns this term.

Aiming to take advantage of that recently porous West Brom defence is Chuba Akpom. The top scorer in the second tier with 19 strikes to his name. He is destined to become the first Boro player to plunder 20 goals in a season since 1990. The 27-year-old has fired off 69 attempts so far this season equating to one every 30 minutes. An average of three shots per game. He has had at least two in five of his last six outings and in 15 of his last 17 appearances. Also registering two efforts in the reverse.

Selection: Over 4 West Brom corners and over 1.5 Chuba Akpom shots
Best Odds: 1.80 (bet365)
Stakes: 7/10

More West Brom vs Middlesbrough Tips

Odds via bet365 as at 00:15 February 24th 2023. Odds may now differ.

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Our best bets are posted by some of the best tipsters around. These are our tipsters best value bets. A best bet can be placed on any number of different markets. The most common of which are 1X2, the Asian handicap, BTTS, and the goals markets. Value can be found in matches from leagues across the world. Be sure to follow bettingexpert for the latest best bets.