Cash frenzy envelopes Birmingham City promotion bid as punters pile in on Premier League dream
Birmingham City will be looking to emulate Ipswich Town by claiming successive promotions next season
Birmingham City have sparked a betting frenzy as punters pile in ahead of their return to the Championship.
After storming to the League One title with a record EFL points total, all eyes are now on Blues’ bid to emulate Ipswich Town’s achievement in going from the third tier to the Premier League in successive seasons.
It’s a tall order, but it seems punters have not been deterred by the task ahead of Chris Davies and his team.
According to Oddschecker, almost four in every 10 bets placed on the Championship title race have gone on the big-spending Blues.
That equates to 39 per cent of all bets placed on the likely winners of the Championship next season, and is more than double the next most popular team, which just happens to be Ipswich (18 per cent), who have now come down from the top flight 12 months after doing just what Blues now aspire to.
Leicester City, also relegated, are next with 10 per cent while Southampton (six per cent) complete the top five.
Sheffield United are sure to attract more backing too after losing the play-off final to Sunderland last weekend.
In terms of just winning promotion rather than the title, Oddschecker claim that Wrexham are the third most-backed team. Phil Parkinson is currently getting the club ready for its first season in the second tier in 43 years.
At this stage of the summer, the bookies have Ipswich as 6/4 favourites to go up, followed by Southampton (15/8) and Sheffield United (5/2).
Birmingham (3/1) are followed by Middlesbrough and Coventry (both 7/2) and financial rules-troubled Leicester (9/2).
Leaving nothing to chance, Blues have already started remodelling their squad with another promotion push in mind.
Defender Phil Neumann is already on his way to St Andrew's from Hannover 96, while Davies is understood to be keen to keep Rangers loan duo Ben Davies and Kieran Dowell, potential deals being held up by the lack of a manager at Ibrox.
Blues are also keen on free agent winger Kwame Poku, but could face top-flight competition for the signature of the 23-year-old, who has spent the last four years at Peterborough United.
Championship promotion odds 2025/26
Ipswich Town (6/4), Southampton (15/8), Sheffield United (5/2), Birmingham City (3/1) , Middlesbrough (7/2), Coventry City (7/2), Leicester City (9/2), West Bromwich Albion (11/2), Norwich City (13/2), Wrexham (13/2), Bristol City (7/1), Millwall (9/1), Swansea City (9/1), Watford (10/1), Stoke City (10/1), Hull City (12/1), Blackburn Rovers (12/1), Sheffield Wednesday (14/1), Derby County (14/1), Charlton Athletic (20/1), Queens Park Rangers (22/1), Preston North End (25/1), Portsmouth (33/1), Oxford United (40/1)