Championship 2023/24: Birmingham and Leicester backed for promotion

• Championship starts Friday 4 August

• 5/42.25 Foxes fancied to go straight back up

• 16/117.00 Birmingham popular with punters

Leicester 5/42.25 were always likely to have plenty of backers in the Championship promotion race in 2023/24 but the popularity of Birmingham City at 16/117.00 is more surprising.

The second city Blues have been out of the top flight for 12 years but there are plenty of Betfair punters who think they could end the wait this season.

Along with Leicester - who are the shortest price in the Betfair Sportsbook Championship promotion market - Birmingham are the most backed teams for promotion so far this month.

That means their is optimism in the air, and the market, about Birmingham with just 10 days to go before the season kicks off. They finished 38 points off the automatic promotion spots last term but much better is expected of John Eustace's side in 2023/24.

days until the Championship starts!

Birmingham & Leicester are the most backed teams for promotion so far this month...#BCFC | #LCFC pic.twitter.com/MnQa3ME4Zp

-- Betfair (@Betfair) July 25, 2023

Leicester, meanwhile, are trying to win promotion to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

There is a buzz about them after the appointment of Enzo Maresca, who worked as a coach at Manchester City under Pep Guardiola, as their new manager.

Saints and Leeds expected to challenge

The teams that were relegated from the Premier League last season dominate the market, with Daniel Farke's Leeds 2/13.00 and Russell Martin's Southampton 5/23.50 both fancied.

In terms of market momentum, however, other contenders have been attracting more single bets in July.

Punters encourage promoted pair to dream

Bettors have been getting behind two of the promoted teams in Ipswich 7/24.50 and Sheffield Wednesday 18/119.00.

The odds indicate that, for the Owls in particular, a consecutive promotion is unlikely, but the graph shows that quite a few bettors think both teams could be value picks ahead of the campaign.

The Championship season will be another long and thrilling race in 2023/24 so read the best previews and get tips for every round of matches on Betting.Betfair.