Championship Season Preview: Mark O'Haire's five best bets from 2/1 to 25/1

• Mark has five antepost bets this season

• Boro and Leeds to join Ipswich in top-six

• QPR and Sheff Wed could both go down

• 25/126.00 Golden Boot tip to finish

Picking the winner of the ultra-competitive Championship is traditionally a thankless task. But could the tide be turning?

In 2020/21, the top three in the ante-post betting all achieved promotion - the first time such a scenario has played out in the EFL - whilst the pre-season jollies have dotted up in three of the past four campaigns with Leeds 5/16.00, Norwich 13/27.50 and Fulham 11/26.50 all earning gold between 2020 and 2022.

Norwich 11/26.50 were again favoured last time out, although the Canaries never looked like contending. Instead, another relegated club romped home as Burnley 12/113.00 dominated the division from the opening kick-off, finishing the season with a whopping 101 points, as well as the top goalscorers gong, notching 87.

The Clarets were the third successive relegated Premier League side to bounce immediately back and finish top of the Championship tree, whilst 12 (46%) of the past 26 favourites or joint-favourites this century has foraged a way to the promised land, suggesting 4/15.00 shots Leicester command maximum respect.

Leeds 7.613/2 and Southampton 8.615/2 will also expect to feature in the final shake-up on their returns to the second-tier, although faults can be found in all three at their respective prices and alternative offerings are preferred.

Top 6 Finish: Eye-up Boro, Leeds & Ipswich

A protracted takeover meant Leeds' pre-season preparations were delayed by off-field issues, but the Whites should be well set for an immediate promotion push. The West Yorkshire outfit have retained an exciting core of final-third match winners, and already boast a blend of seasoned top-flight quality.

The combinations of Wilfried Gnonto, Crysencio Summerville, Luis Sinisterra, Dan James, and Jack Harrison give the group standout star attraction, whilst Karl Darlow, Luke Ayling, Liam Cooper, Stuart Dallas and Patrick Bamford provide an experienced spine with the versatile Ethan Ampadu adding further clout.

Daniel Farke, of course, has two second-tier titles on his coaching CV and his approach may well be the most box-ready of all the leading lights, making Leeds the most attractive betting proposition at the top of the market.

However, I'll adopt a degree of pragmatism by including the Whites in a Top 6 Finish double.

Middlesbrough (5/42.25 for Top 6 Finish) appear primed for another promotion assault after losing out in the play-offs in May. Michael Carrick totally transformed the Teessiders fortunes last term as only promoted pair Burnley and Sheffield United bettered Boro's points tally under the rookie head coach.

At the time of writing, Middlesbrough are still looking to strengthen their roster ahead of the big kick-off, with a striker and left-back high on the shopping list. The Teessiders may also need to ward off potential predators with 2022/23 Championship top goalscorer and Player of the Season Chuba Akpom in-demand.

Regardless, Boro's proactive approach should excite and entertain, and if Carrick's charges can reach and sustain last season's standards there's little reason to believe they won't be in the promotion running again. We can back Middlesbrough and Leeds in an attractive Top 6 Finish double at 29/103.90.

Elsewhere, newly-promoted Ipswich are straight in as fifth favourites and the Tractor Boys are more than capable of validating lofty pre-season expectations by clinching a Top 6 Finish as 6/42.50 shouts.

Despite finishing second in League One, the Suffolk side shredded the division with a remarkable Expected Points (xP) tally of 99, almost bang in-line with their actual 98-point haul. Kieran McKenna's crew therefore return to the second-tier with real momentum as one of the highest-rated promoted teams this century.

Consolidation should come comfortably for Town, who will look to Sunderland's achievements last term for inspiration as they bid to go back-to-back. A serious tilt at the play-off positions looks well within range and 2.942/1 quotes for a Top 6 Finish hold plenty of appeal.

Relegation: Oppose QPR and Sheff Wed

Financial uncertainty and points penalties have wreaked havoc with the Relegation market in recent seasons. Five of the last 12 teams to finish in the relegation positions have suffered points deductions, often distorting the ante-post market.

Rumoured ownership issues have the potential to blight Blackburn [8/1], West Brom 11/112.00 and Cardiff 11/43.75, whilst budgetary restrictions ensure the likes of Preston [5/1]) and Rotherham 2.8415/8 will need to overachieve if they're to steer clear of danger.

The Millers are the perennial market leaders having yo-yoed between the Championship and League One in recent times, yet managed to preserve their second-tier status in 2022/23 despite the loss of boss Paul Warne. Matt Taylor consolidated the club but has since lost star asset Chiedozie Ogbene to Luton.

More appetising options can be found elsewhere. QPR ([3/1]) were top of the table in October but endured a disastrous seven-month spell on and off the field that came perilously close to the drop. Gareth Ainsworth's battling low-possession football is yet to connect and the coffers are as good as empty.

A wafer-thin squad appears entirely reliant on Ilias Chair and Chris Willock - both of whom may be sold to soften FFP constraints - whilst Rangers may start the campaign with only one available centre-back. A fifth bottom-10 finish in eight seasons beckons, and far worse could well be on the cards for 2023/24.

Sheffield Wednesday [7/2) are also a major cause for concern in the Relegation market. Any feel-good factor from an extraordinary play-off-winning campaign was quickly eradicated by a shock decision to sack boss Darren Moore with Xisco Munoz an obvious downgrade arriving as his replacement this summer.

The self-sabotaging Owls return to the second-tier with an ageing squad shorn on numbers yet Wednesday have been far from proactive in the transfer window and the lack of preparation, or incoming personnel, around Hillsborough could prove fatal in what appears to be a strong renewal.

Top Goalscorer: Simms stands-out for Sky Blues

Two promotions in three years followed by another three years of continual Championship progression, culminating in last season's play-off final defeat, Coventry City have enjoyed remarkable progress of late.

Punters are forgiven for thinking the extraordinary upward trajectory may end in 2023/24 following the Sky Blues' decision to sell star striker Victor Gyokeres to Sporting in a big-money move, but miracle-worker Mark Robins should keep City in contention amongst the upper reaches of the division.

Smart investments have been made with the Gyokeres bounty, including the capture of in-demand Ellis Simms from Everton. After three fruitful loan spells away from Goodison Park, the 22-year-old is excited to find a new permanent home and has the ability to flourish at the tip of Coventry's forwardline.

A totally different skill-set and style to Gyokeres, Simms size and pace will cause problems to Championship defences, and his record of seven goals in 17 appearances for Sunderland (162 minutes per-goal) at this level last term highlights his potential to make a major mark in sky blue.

Extrapolate the aforementioned goal return over 40+ appearances and the 25/126.00 available on Simms in the Top Goalscorer market looks well worthy of an each-way interest with ¼ odds paid on a top-four finish.

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