League One Odds: Who will win promotion in 2024/25?

The battle for promotion to the Championship is once again expected to be hugely competitive in 2024/25

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The 2024/25 League One campaign is now very much underway, therefore now is a great time to register with any of our featured bookmaker partners and be sure of getting the very best League One odds and free bet offers ahead of the new campaign.

League One Odds: Who will win promotion in 2024/25?

Update: 30.09.24

Things have changed at the top end of the League One table but not all that much, Birmingham City taking pole position after extending their unbeaten run in the third tier.

Ones to beat

As expected prior to the start of the campaign, Birmingham City are proving to be the ones to beat in the third tier and thus far, no-one has actually managed to get the better of the West Midlands side. The Blues sit proudly at the summit of the division and remain the only side yet to suffer defeat whilst on league duty. Indeed, City have dropped points just once this term but they have been pretty Even Stevens on the defensive and attacking fronts with eight goals scored and eight goals conceded across their seven league outings.

Unbeaten league run

A 3-2 win over Peterborough United on Saturday afternoon kept their unbeaten league record intact and the bookies reacted to this latest result by further slashing Birmingham’s promotion odds to as low as 1/10 (best odds 1/7). Will the Blues maintain the momentum right through to the end of the campaign? Probably not but they are clearly a side extremely well placed for a return to the Championship in a few months’ time.

Punching well

Elsewhere, Wrexham were dealt a minor but far from devastating blow to their promotion ambitions at the weekend, the Red Dragons battling out a goal-less draw with Leyton Orient in the capital’s east end and falling to second spot in the League One table as a direct result. Seeking a third promotion in as many seasons, the north Wales side are punching well in the third tier and despite dropping points in three of their eight league outings, they remain one of the favourites to win promotion to the Championship at a best price of 23/10.

League One Promotion Best Odds

1/7 – Birmingham City

23/10 – Wrexham

11/4 – Huddersfield Town

3/1 – Bolton Wanderers

16/5 – Stockport County

9/2 – Blackpool

Update: 24.09.24

Most sides in England’s third tier have played six rounds of league fixtures and both Wrexham and Birmingham City have got their respective campaigns off to excellent starts with just a single defeat between them thus far.

Birmingham City dropped down from the Championship at the end of last season and they currently sit second in the League One table behind Wrexham who have stormed to the summit of the division on the back of some impressive performances. Nevertheless, we’re still in the very early stages of the campaign and we take a look at who the bookies believe will make the jump at the end of the season.

Birmingham City – 2/9 for Promotion

Birmingham City are the only League One side yet to taste defeat whilst on league duty this season, the West Midlands outfit having won five and drawn one of their six third-tier outings. The Blues sit level on points with league leaders Barrow but they do enjoy a game-in-hand over the Red Dragons and are priced as big odds-on favourites for an immediate return back to the Championship.

Huddersfield Town – 17/10 for Promotion

Huddersfield Town will clearly have ambitions of climbing straight back up to the Championship at the first time of asking and they remain one of the favourites to do so, despite losing 3-1 at home to Northampton Town at the weekend. The Terriers currently sit in fifth position in the League One table with four wins and two defeats from their six games and they are a best price of 17/10 to make the jump back to the second tier.

Wrexham – 23/10 for Promotion

Wrexham have already enjoyed back-to-back promotions from the National League to League One and they are now eyeing up a third, the North Wales side sitting proudly at the summit of the league table after seven rounds of fixtures. The Red Dragons bounced back from a 3-1 defeat to promotion favourites Birmingham City earlier this month by beating Crawley Town 2-1 in their last outing and they are third favourites for another promotion this term at a best price of 23/10.

Stockport County – 16/5 for Promotion

Stockport County made the jump to League One after winning the League Two title at the end of last season and the Hatters have enjoyed a solid – if unspectacular – start to the season with their six league outings returning three wins, two draws and one defeat. County were on the receiving end of a 4-1 thumping at home to Leyton Orient last time out but they are still considered to be one of the sides most likely to make it into the second tier next season at best odds of 16/5.

Update: 18.09.24

We’re now five rounds of fixtures into the 2024/25 League One campaign with some sides having played six games and Wrexham have hit the ground running with their six outings returning four wins, a draw and just a single defeat.

Things are hotting up in League One and we take a look at who the main promotion contenders could be, according to the leading bookmakers.

Birmingham City – 1/4 for Promotion

Birmingham City dropped down from the Championship at the end of last season and the bookmakers have them priced-up as favourites to make an immediate return back to the second tier at the first time of asking. Level on points with table-topping Wrexham with a game in hand, the Blues have won four and drawn one of their five League One outings this term and they are a best price of 1/4 to win promotion.

Huddersfield Town – 6/4 for Promotion

Huddersfield Town dropped down from the Championship alongside Birmingham City and Rotherham United at the end of 2023/24 and many are of the opinion that their stay in the third tier will be a brief one. The Terriers have won four and lost one of their opening four league matches and they are a best price of 6/4 to go straight back up to the Championship.

Wrexham – 5/2 for Promotion

Having won the National League title in 2022/23 and a second successive promotion in 2023/24, Wrexham are very much on course to make it three promotions on the bounce. It’s obviously still very early days but the Robins have enjoyed a blistering start to the season and currently sit in pole position in the League One table, their five outings returning four wins and a draw. The North Wales side suffered their first league defeat of the season against promotion favourites Birmingham City on Monday evening but they are still fancied to make it three promotions in succession.

Stockport County – 11/4 for Promotion

Stockport County won promotion at the end of last season as League Two champions and they have enjoyed a solid start to life in the third tier with their five league outings returning two draws and three wins. The Hatters are one of just two sides (the other being Birmingham City) yet to taste defeat in League One and they are one of the favourites to make it two promotions on the bounce at a best price of 11/4.

Bolton wanderers – 17/4 for Promotion

Bolton Wanderers finished third in the League One table at the end of last season but failed to successfully negotiate the play-offs. Condemned to another season in the third tier, the Trotters haven’t got off to the best start with their five league outings returning three defeats, one draw and just a single win. Despite this, they are still considered one of the sides most likely to win promotion and while they currently sit in 21st position in the division, they are priced at just 17/2 to haul themselves up to the Championship.

Update: 20.08.24

Birmingham City are favourites to haul themselves back up to the Championship at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

Birmingham City – 4/6 for Promotion

Birmingham City dropped down from the Championship at the end of last season and they are favourites with the leading UK bookmakers to bounce straight back up at the first time of asking. The West Midlands side were held to a share of the spoils at home to Reading in their league opener but since then they have enjoyed wins over Charlton Athletic (0-1, EFL Cup) and Wycombe Wanderers (2-3) in their latest league outing.

Bolton wanderers – 5/2 for Promotion

Having finished in third position at the end of the regular 2023/24 season, Bolton Wanderers made it through to the play-off final where they lost to Oxford United at Wembley. The Trotters are expected to give a decent account of themselves this season and they have thus far avoided defeat across competitions, beating Leyton Orient 2-1 in their League One opener and drawing with Wrexham (0-0) in their latest league outing, these results coming either side of a penalty-shoot-out win over Mansfield Town in the EFL Cup.

Huddersfield Town – 11/4 for Promotion

Huddersfield Town are one of just four sides to have taken maximum points from their opening two league matches, wins over Peterborough United (0-2) and Stevenage (2-1) coming either side of a 3-0 EFL Cup win over Morecambe. Having dropped down from the Championship at the end of last season, the Terriers are third favourites at a best price of 11/4 to make a swift return to the second tier at the first time of asking.

Update: 22.05.24

The League One campaign has drawn to a close with Portsmouth and Derby County winning automatic promotion and Oxford United going up thanks to their 2-0 win over Bolton Wanderers in the play-off final, however who will make it into the Championship at the end of 2024/25?

The 2023/24 season was hugely competitive with a handful of teams fighting it out for automatic promotion into the latter stages of the campaign. Similarly, next season is expected to be another competitive affair but the big question is, who will win promotion into the second tier at the end of play?

Birmingham City – Evens for Promotion

Birmingham City finished third from bottom in the Championship table at the end of what was a thoroughly disappointing 2023/24 campaign for the Blues with just 13 wins from their 46 league outings. The West Midlands side are one of the biggest clubs in next season’s League One campaign and they should feature amongst the promotion contenders throughout the season.

Bolton wanderers – 3/1 for Promotion

Bolton Wanderers finished in third position at the end of the regular League One campaign last season but they failed at the play-off stages when they lost 2-0 to Oxford United in the final. The Trotters will have another stab at automatic promotion at the end of 2024/25 and they are one of the favourites to make it into the Championship.

Wrexham – 7/2 for Promotion

There can be little doubt that Wrexham are a club on the up and while they failed to win the League Two title last season, they nevertheless managed to achieve automatic promotion and are just 7/2 to make it back-to-back promotions into the Championship. The Robins have a large financial backing and many believe that they will be one of the standout sides in the third tier next term.

Update: 07.05.24

Portsmouth won the League One title with room to spare this season while Derby County claimed runner-up spot, however the battle to join them in the second tier is hotting up with Bolton Wanderers, Oxford United, Peterborough United and Barnsley all in the hunt for promotion.

The 2023/24 League One once again proved to be hugely competitive and we’re now in the midst of the play-offs with Bolton Wanderers and Oxford United looking well placed to make it into the finals.

Bolton Wanderers – 4/5

Bolton Wanderers have enjoyed an excellent start to their play-off campaign, the Trotters beating Barnsley 3-1 at Oakwell inn their semi-final first leg. Wanderers finished in third position at the end of the regular campaign and they are a best price of 4/5 to win promotion to the Championship.

Oxford United – 11/4

Oxford United finished in fifth position at the end of the regular League One campaign and they eased past Peterborough United to the tune of 1-0 in their semi-final first leg match on home soil, the bookies going best odds of 11/4 that they find themselves in the second tier next season.

Peterborough United – 4/1

It was heartache for Peterborough United in last season’s play-off semi-final and the Posh find themselves on the hack-foot this time around after going 1-0 down to Oxford United. Peterborough will look to pull things back on home soil in the return leg however and the bookies go 4/1 on them winning promotion.

Barnsley – 33/1

Barnsley were thumped 3-1 at home by Bolton Wanderers in their play-off semi-final first leg and it’s hard to see them coming back from this in the away leg, the bookies going 33/1 on the South Yorkshire side winning promotion.

Update: 04.04.24

Things remain pretty tight at the upper end of the League One table although Portsmouth hold a healthy lead at the summit on the back of their midweek 2-2 draw with fellow promotion hopefuls Derby County last time out.

We’re fast approaching the latter stages of the 2023/24 League One campaign and it’s becoming ever clearer who the main challengers for promotion are set to be, the likes of Portsmouth, Derby County and Bolton Wanderers having set their stalls out many weeks ago.

Odds correct at time of writing (04.04.24)

Portsmouth – 1/100

With five league games left to play, Portsmouth enjoy a healthy lead at the summit of the League One table with five points separating them from second-placed Derby County who have played one game more. Pompey have been one of the main pacesetters since the early stages of the campaign and they head into this weekend’s round of fixtures on the back of a fourteen-game unbeaten run, the bookies going 1/100 that they win promotion and 1/8 that they go up as champions.

Derby County – 1/4

Derby County shared the spoils with league leaders Portsmouth on Tuesday evening and the East Midlands side currently sit five points behind Pompey in the table, having played one game more. The Rams have won 25 of their League One outings this term with ten defeats during this time (more than the other top three sides in the division), the bookies going 1/4 that they haul themselves back up to the Championship and 10/1 that they go up as League One champions.

Bolton Wanderers – 11/10

Following some mixed results throughout February and March, Bolton Wanderers kicked off April in hugely impressive fashion with a 5-2 spanking of Reading on Easter Monday. The Trotters remain in contention for an automatic promotion berth at the end of the season but they are a full nine points adrift of league leaders Portsmouth in the race for the title. The bookies go 11/10 that Wanderers do manage to secure a place in the Championship for next season but they are out at a best price of 66/1 to secure the League One title.

Peterborough United – 13/8

Peterborough United bounced back from their shock defeat to bottom side Carlisle United on Friday by taking all three points from a 2-1 win at Leyton Orient just three days later. The Posh are currently four points behind third-placed Bolton Wanderers but they do have a game-in-hand over the Trotters. Nevertheless, they will be mindful of the fact that fifth-placed Barnsley are behind them on goal difference.

Update: 14.03.24

Odds correct at time of writing (14.03.24)

Portsmouth – 1/5

Portsmouth remain at the top of the League One table after 38 rounds of fixtures with 23 wins to their name, their most recent coming on Tuesday evening the they edged past Burton Albion to the tune of 2-1. Pompey still remain firm favourites for promotion to the Championship with some bookies going a best price of just 1/5 that they make the jump and 4/5 that they go up as League One champions.

Derby County – 4/6

Derby County kept their promotion bid very much on track with a 2-1 win at home to Reading on Tuesday evening, the Rams currently sitting in second position in the League One table with five points separating them from leaders Portsmouth and just one from third-placed Bolton Wanderers. The bookies go 4/6 that the East Midlands side win promotion back to the Championship while they are priced at best odds of 9/2 to go up as champions.

Bolton Wanderers – 5/6

Having dropped points in two successive games (2-2 draws with Barnsley and Exeter City), Bolton Wanderers returned to winning ways in fine fashion with a 5-0 demolition of Oxford United on Tuesday evening, thus keeping themselves in contention for automatic promotion to the Championship. The Trotters are currently third in the League One table and are 5/6 for promotion and a best price of 8/1 to go up as champions.

Peterborough United – 5/6

Peterborough United failed at the play-off stages at the end of last season and will be determined to go one better at the end of 2023/24. The Posh sit in fourth position in the League One table and are a best price of 5/6 to lift themselves up to the Championship and 10/1 to claim the title.

Update: 20.02.24

The likes of Portsmouth, Derby County and Bolton Wanderers are still looking very well-placed to win promotion to the Championship at the end of the current campaign.

We look at the most likely contenders for promotion at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

Odds correct at time of writing (20.02.24)

Portsmouth – 1/4

Portsmouth thrashed Reading to the tune of 4-1 on Saturday afternoon and sent themselves six points clear at the summit of the League One table in the process, albeit having played one game more than second-placed Derby County and three more than third-placed Bolton Wanderers. Pompey have been one of the frontrunners for the title since early in the campaign and the bookmakers have them priced at 1/4 for promotion and Evens for the League One title.

Derby County – 8/15

Derby County will understandably be desperate to haul themselves back into the Championship and they remain very well placed to do just that, the East Midlands outfit edging past Stevenage 1-0 at the weekend and keeping themselves in the top two in the league table. The Rams enjoy a three point lead over third-placed Bolton Wanderers (who have two games in hand) and the bookies make them 8/15 for promotion and 3/1 for the title.

Bolton Wanderers – 8/11

Bolton Wanderers have games in hand over the two sides above them in the League One table but they dropped points in a thrilling 3-3 draw at home to Charlton Athletic at the weekend. They nevertheless remain very much in the hunt for promotion although fourth-placed Barnsley sit just three points behind them (the Tykes having played one game more) and the bookies go 8/11 on the Trotters winning promotion to the Championship and 9/2 that they take the League One crown.

Update: 14.02.24

The battle for the promotion berths continues as the business end of the League One campaign fast approaches and league leaders Portsmouth are looking unstoppable as they storm ever closer to the title and automatic promotion into the Championship.

Most teams in League One have played 32 rounds of league fixtures and it’s becoming ever clearer who will be the main contenders for the automatic promotion berths. Nevertheless, there’s still much of the season left to play and while three sides are now odds-on to make the jump up to the Championship, there may be a few surprises between now and the end of the campaign.

Portsmouth – 1/4

With just four league defeats to their name since the start of 2023/24, Portsmouth have been the standout side in League One this season. The south-coast side currently sit six points clear at the summit of the division (albeit having played at least one game more than the sides immediately below them) and they further cemented their lofty position when beating bottom side Carlisle United 1-0 at Brunton Park last weekend and Cambridge United 3-1 on Tuesday evening.

Derby County – 4/7

Derby County will be eager to haul themselves back into the Championship and as things stand they are one of the main challengers to Portsmouth in the race for the title. The Rams sit six points behind Pompey (with one game-in-hand over the leaders) but they sit just a single point above third-placed Bolton Wanderers who have played two games less than the East Midlands outfit.

Bolton Wanderers – 4/6

Bolton Wanderers are in a very strong position to break into the automatic promotion berths given that they sit just one point behind second-placed Derby County with two games-in-hand. Indeed, the Trotters sit just seven points behind leaders Portsmouth and could leapfrog them into pole position should they win each of the three games-in-hand that they enjoy over the South Coast side.

Update: 07.02.24

Things are pretty tight at the top end of the League One with several sides in with a realistic chance of claiming the title, however Portsmouth are in the strongest position as things stand.

Most League One sides have played thirty rounds of fixtures and it’s becoming clearer who the main candidates for promotion will be at the business end of the campaign, however with just seven points separating third-placed Bolton Wanderers from seventh-placed Oxford United, the race for the play-offs is wide open.

Derby County – 8/15

Despite having lost seven of their league games this season – more than any other third-tier side in the top five – Derby County are deemed the side most likely to win promotion this season. The Rams sit second in the league table with four points separating them from table-topping Portsmouth who have played one game more and the East Midlands outfit are priced at best odds of 8/15 for promotion and 3/1 for the League One title.

Bolton Wanderers – 8/11

Bolton Wanderers have consistently been close to the top of the League One table since early in the campaign and they sit just one point adrift of second-placed Derby County with two games-in-hand over the Rams and three games-in-hand over leaders Portsmouth who are five points ahead of the Trotters. The Lancashire outfit have lost just six of their 28 league outings thus far and they are 8/11 for promotion and 11/4 for the title.

Portsmouth – 8/11

Portsmouth are currently sitting in pole position in the League One table with four points separating them from second-placed Derby County and they will be confident of maintaining this healthy position when they lock horns with bottom side Carlisle United this coming weekend at Brunton Park. Pompey have lost just four games whilst on league duty this term – less than any other third tier side – and they are priced at 8/11 for promotion and 11/4 for the title.

Update: 11.01.24

Plymouth Argyle, Ipswich Town and Sheffield Wednesday won promotion from League One at the end of the 2022/23 campaign but who will make the jump at the end of the current campaign?

We’re now into the second half of what thus far has proven to be a hugely competitive League One campaign and things are very tight at the top end of the division with just eight points separating second-placed Bolton Wanderers from seventh-placed Stevenage. The big question is, who will make the jump into the Championship at the end of the season?

Derby County – 8/15

Derby County agonisingly missed out on a play-off place on the final day of the regular 2022/23 campaign but they will be confident of returning to the Championship at the second attempt after dropping down to the third tier at the end of the 2021/22 season. The Rams currently sit in fourth place in the League One table with goal difference alone separating them from third-placed Peterborough United and with 15 wins from their opening 25 league outings, the bookmakers make them big favourites for promotion to the second tier at a best price of 8/15.

Bolton Wanderers – 4/7

Bolton Wanderers currently sit second in the League One table with two points separating them from current leaders Portsmouth who have played two games more than the Trotters. Wanderers have won their last four games whilst on League One duty and have claimed maximum points more times than any other side in the division, therefore it’s no surprise to see them priced as one of the favourites to make the jump to the second tier at a best price of 4/7.

Portsmouth – 4/5

Portsmouth finished the 2022/23 campaign two positions and seven points adrift of the play-off places, however their lofty position in the current campaign has given their fans hope that they can haul themselves into the Championship via the automatic promotion places. As things stand, Pompey sit at the summit of the division with two points separating them from second-placed Bolton Wanderers (who have two games in hand) and the bookmakers go odds-on at a best price of 4/5 that they haul themselves up to the second tier at the end of the season.

Peterborough United – 10/11

Peterborough United dropped down from the Championship and into League One at the end of the 2021/22 season and failed to make it into the play-off final last term after squandering a four-goal lead in the two-legged semi-finals to Sheffield Wednesday who subsequently made the jump. The Posh are looking well-placed to grab themselves another bite of the play-off cherry this time around and the bookmakers go 10/11 that they make it back to the Championship at the second time of asking.

01.08.23

Derby County – 13/8 for Promotion

Derby County’s defeat to Sheffield Wednesday on the final day of the regular season resulted in them missing out on a play-off place by just a single point, the Rams now condemned to a second season in the third tier. Nevertheless hopes will be high that the East Midlands outfit can return to the Championship after a two-season absence at the end of the 2023/24 campaign and most bookmakers go best odds of 13/8 that this proves to be the case.

The Rams get their 2023/24 League One campaign underway on Saturday afternoon when they entertain Wigan Athletic at Pride Park, the home side odds-on favourites to collect all three points at best odds of 4/6.

Bolton Wanderers – 11/4 for Promotion

Bolton Wanderers lost 2-1 on aggregate to Barnsley in the League One play-off semi-final, the Trotters having finished in fifth position at the end of the regular campaign and like Derby County, they will spend a second season in the third tier. The general consensus is that Bolton will be one of the main contenders for Promotion next term and the leading UK bookmakers go as high as 11/4 that they find themselves in the Championship at the end of next term.

Wanderers get their 2023/24 League One campaign underway on Saturday afternoon when they entertain Lincoln City, the Lancashire outfit firm favourites to get their season off to a winning start at a best price of 4/6.

Portsmouth – 3/1 for Promotion

Portsmouth fell short of the play-offs by seven points at the end of the regular 2022/23 League One season but the south-coast are fancied to be one of the main contenders for promotion in the upcoming campaign. Pompey have strengthened during the summer and they will be a tough side to beat throughout 2023/24, the bookmakers going 3/1 that they get themselves promoted and 10/1 that they clinch the League One title.

Pompey get their 2023/24 League One campaign underway on Saturday afternoon when they entertain Bristol Rovers, the home side odds-on at a best price of 17/20 to get their campaign off to a winning start.

Peterborough United – 7/2 for Promotion

Peterborough United looked very much as though they were on their way to the League One play-off final after demolishing Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 in the semi-final first leg, however they collapsed against the Owls in the return fixture when losing by the same scoreline in 90 minutes and lost in a subsequent penalty shoot-out. The Posh managed automatic promotion to the Championship in 2020/21 but dropped straight back down the following season. Will they return to the second tier at the end of 2023/24? The bookies go a general 7/2 that they do.

Peterborough get their season underway on Saturday afternoon when they travel to Reading, the visitors favourites to collect all three points at best odds of 13/10.