League One Promotion Playoff Bet Builder: Sunderland vs Wycombe, May 21st

Two in-form teams, both clinching a spot in the playoffs after lengthy unbeaten spells come together in a tantalising meeting for Championship glory.

In this article:

• Sunderland vs Wycombe Stats and Facts
• League One Playoff Final Bet Builder Tips

Sunderland enters the match as the bookmaker’s favourite, which is no real surprise. The Black Cats only finished one point ahead of Wycombe in the league but did manage to take four points from the two league meetings between the pair.

It was 3-1 in August and a 3-3 draw towards the end of Lee Johnson’s stint in the dugout in Sunderland. Their charge towards Championship football was overseen by Alex Neil, appointed as Lee Johnson’s replacement in February. 

Neil’s start to life began with a Draw – Loss to MK Dons – Draw before a massively impressive 0-3 win against eventual-champions Wigan Athletic. Those three points set his stall out for what’s to expect from this Sunderland side. Since then, Neil and his Sunderland squad haven’t looked back. 

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Get more tips for this match on our Sunderland vs Wycombe Tips Page

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That defeat to MK Dons in Neil’s second game in charge was the last and only time Sunderland lost under Alex Neil. Played 15, won eight, drawn six and lost one. And here we are one game from a return to the Championship, with Neil and company threatening to end Sunderland’s four-year stay in League One.

Wycombe Wanderers boast a similar calendar year. A tricky start to life in January provided the backdrop to an unbeaten surge towards playoff football. Eight wins in 12 booked Gareth Ainsworth’s spot in the postseason activities, with a decent MK Dons outfit as their obstacle before Wembley.

MK Dons’ 0-5 triumph at Home Park on the final day not only discarded Plymouth Argyle’s playoff hopes but also gave an insight into the kind of form Wycombe would have to oversee over two legs.

And so they did. Despite plenty of hairy moments in the second leg, the 2-0 on home soil proved enough and carried them through to the final. The 29 attempts to Wycombe’s two tell the story, but fortunately, it was a storm well navigated for a faction of football fans from Buckinghamshire.

Outdoing MK Dons over 180 minutes should provide Sunderland with all they need to know about their Wembley opponents. But, regardless of Sunderland’s favourites tag and the size and stature of a club that Ainsworth himself has suggested is the biggest outside of the Premier League – Wycombe aren’t here to make up the numbers.

A Wembley victory would propel them straight back up to the second-tier at the first time of asking, after finishing one point off Derby in safety last campaign.

Two in-form teams led by astute managers who both have the taste of Championship football. It’s a matchup that makes things difficult from a betting stance.

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Sunderland vs Wycombe Stats and Facts

• In League One’s final twelve-game form table, Sunderland and Wycombe share top spot with 28 points apiece. Ascendancy.
• Sunderland’s playoff semi-final first leg attendance of 44,742 was the highest in League One this season.
• 25-goal Sunderland striker, Ross Stewart, had never surpassed ten league goals in a season before 2021/22. 
• Wycombe’s squad is valued at nearly half of Sunderlands at £8.73million. The Black Cats’ playing staff stands at £16.43million, the second-highest in League One.
• League One ended with 12 without defeat for Wycombe and 13 for Sunderland.

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League One Playoff Final Bet Builder Tips

Simon Hooper has the whistle, and he’ll be front and centre of two of the bet builder selections. Hooper hasn’t officiated a League One fixture this campaign. Still, from his Premier League, Championship and solitary League Two outing, we can muster an insight into what may materialise on Saturday afternoon.

From 26 games, the man in black has produced 92 yellows – producing a 3.53 cards per90 average. It’s certainly not a head-turning total, but it’s a solid output which should see Hooper delve into his pocket more than once. Of that 92 yellows total, 63 came after the break. The 2.42 second-half average has encouraged my hand here and won a spot in the bet builder.

Given Wycombe’s average of 5.22 corners per game in League One, they’ve also earned themselves a rung on the bet builder. If the game goes as the bookmakers think, and Sunderland takes the lead at any point, I expect corners to follow suit in our favour for Wycombe. Like all of the selections, the 1.40 price is not one I’d take on its own, but it’s a nice addition to the bet builder.

Finally, to cap the three-fold bet builder punt off, it’s Alex Neil’s Sunderland side who I’m hanging my hat on to have the edge. Wycombe are certainly not a team to take for granted, but I feel there’s enough in that Sunderland squad to get at least a draw over the line after 90-minutes. Neil’s impact in the North of England should not be underestimated and should provide the Black Cats enough to tick off the double chance selection.

• Sunderland Draw or Win Double Chance
• Card to Sunderland in the Second Half 
• Card to Wycombe in the Second Half 
• Over 3 Corners For Wycombe

Available at 2.87 with bet365

Odds via bet365 are correct as at 3pm on 19th May 2022. Odds may now differ.

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• More League One Tips
• More  Football News

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WHAT IS A BET BUILDER?

A bet builder is a kind of accumulator bet solely focussed on one match. A standard acca features multiple selections across different selections combined together into one bet. If one selection loses, the whole bet loses. A bet builder is similar but each selection is placed on the same match. Similar to the American prop bet, the bet builder goes into detail on a single match. Common selections include match outcome, total goals, cards, corners, and players to score.