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English Championship Odds & Betting Previews Matchday 38

John Dillon

by John Dillon in Soccer News

Updated Mar 12, 2021 · 12:03 PM PST

Swansea vs Middlesborough
The ball is seen during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester, England, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2015. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
  • EFL Championship returns after break with 12 fixtures this weekend
  • Third-placed Fulham meet fourth-placed Brentford in London derby
  • See all odds and best bets for England EFL Championship Matchday 38

England’s EFL Championship returns to action on Saturday with a helter-skelter run of nine fixtures for each team to complete between the re-start and the final round of regular season matches on July 22.

Leeds United are in first place with 71 points after 37 games while second-placed West Bromwich Albion also looks to have a serious chance of an automatic top two promotion place. On 70 points, they are six clear of third-placed Fulham.

The competition’s format will remain the same as before the close-down with the third, fourth, fifth and sixth finishers entering the end-of-season promotion playoffs and the bottom three relegated to League One.

England Championship Matchday 38 Odds

Team Spread Moneyline Total
Fulham pk (-108) +164 Ov2½ (+100)
Brentford pk (-112) +158 Un2½ (+220)
Draw (N/A) +220 (N/A)
Team Spread Moneyline Total
Middlesbrough pk (-129) +143 Ov2½ (-102)
Swansea City pk (+109) +188 Un2½ (-118)
Draw N/A +210 N/A
Team Spread Moneyline Total
Millwall pk, -½ (-107) +132 Ov2 (-119)
Derby County pk, +½ (-113) +213 Un2 (-101)
Draw N/A +200 N/A
Team Spread Moneyline Total
Hull City pk, -½ (-115) +118 Ov2½ (-112)
Charlton Athletic pk, +½ (-105) +215 Un2½ (-108)
Draw N/A +230 N/A
Team Spread Moneyline Total
Huddersfield Town pk, -½ (-105) +126 Ov2, 2½ (-109)
Wigan Athletic pk, +½ (-115) +210 Un2, 2½ (-111)
Draw N/A +220 N/A
Team Spread Moneyline Total
Blackburn Rovers pk, -½ (-112) +127 Ov2½ (+105)
Bristol City pk, +½ (-108) +198 Un2½ (-125)
Draw N/A +230 N/A
Team Spread Moneyline Total
Luton Town pk, +½ (-108) +220 Ov2½ (-118)
Preston North End pk, -½ (-112) +116 Un2½ (-102)
Draw N/A +230 N/A
Team Spread Moneyline Total
Reading pk (+101) +175 Ov2, 2½ (-114)
Stoke City pk (-121) +149 Un2, 2½ (-106)
Draw N/A +220 N/A
Team Spread Moneyline Total
Sheffield Wednesday pk -115 (-108) +156 Ov2, 2½ (-120)
Nottingham Forest pk (-105) +172 Un2, 2½ (+100)
Draw N/A +210 N/A
Team Spread Moneyline Total
QPR pk,-½ (-119) +115 Ov2½, 3 (-119)
Barnsley pk, +½ (-101) +210 Un2½, 3 (-101)
Draw N/A +240 N/A
Team Spread Moneyline Total
West Bromwich Albion -1 (+105) -167 Ov2½, 3 (+105)
Birmingham City +1 (-125) +420 Un2½, 3 (-125)
Draw N/A +280 N/A
Team Spread Moneyline Total
Cardiff City +½, +1 (-110) +350 Ov2½ (-121)
Leeds Utd -½,1 (-110) -139 Un2½ (+101)
Draw N/A +260 N/A

All odds taken June 18

Pick 1: Fulham vs Brentford

Fulham and Brentford meet in what would have been a classic London derby in normal circumstances. It will have a critical bearing on the battle for playoff places.

Third-placed Fulham are priced at +164 for a home win with fourth-placed Brentford rated at +158.

The close nature of those odds for both teams points to the fact the draw at +220 looks to be the best value here.

The game kicks off behind closed doors at Craven Cottage at 7:30 am EST.

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Fulham have won four of their last five home games while Brentford have lost just once in their last six matches on the road although three of those results were draws.

There could be a lot of goals as Fulham’s Alexsander Mitrovic is the division’s leading scorer with 23 while Brentford’s Ollie Watkins is second-placed with 22 strikes.

Again, this points towards a close encounter and an all-square outcome on Saturday.

There could, though, be a lot of goals as Fulham’s Alexsander Mitrovic is the division’s leading scorer with 23 while Brentford’s Ollie Watkins is second-placed with 22 strikes.

With 64 points, Brentford are six behind their hosts in the west of the capital.

There was a 1-0 home win for Brentford against Fulham last December.

Coach Scott Parker’s Fulham team were unbeaten in four games before play was suspended  – although they won only twice with two draws.

Their most recent result a 1-1 draw away against seventh-placed Bristol City.

Brentford signed off before the shut-down with a 5-0 home thrashing of Sheffield Wednesday which brought a welcome end to a run of five games without a win.

Fulham has the best home record in what can be an erratic and unpredictable competition because of its hefty fixture list.

They have won 12 times at Craven Cottage while drawing twice and losing five times.

Brentford have the sixth-best away form with seven wins, four draws and eight defeats.

Pick: Draw +220

Pick 2: Huddersfield Town vs Wigan Athletic

Wigan Athletic are in 20th place and are only two points above the relegation zone.

But they were unbeaten in six matches before the close-down and look interesting for a win away at Huddersfield Town at a price of  +210.

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Huddersfield are in 18th place but won only twice in six games prior to the suspension of play.

However, those two wins came in quick succession at home against Bristol City and Charlton Athletic before they were defeated 2-0 away against leaders Leeds United in their most recent outing.

Huddersfield’s home form has been average with seven wins, five draws and five defeats.

They are rated at +126 for a home win with the draw at +220.

Huddersfield’s home form has been average with seven wins, five draws and five defeats.

On the road, Wigan have won only four times while drawing five and losing 10 games.

The match is at Huddersfield’s John Smith’s Stadium at 10:00 am EST on Saturday.

There was a 1-1 draw when these teams met at Wigan last December.

Pick: Wigan Athletic +210

Pick 3: Hull City vs Charlton Athletic

Hull City and Charlton Athletic meet in a relegation battle which also offers promising value for a draw at  +230.

Home side Hull are in 21st place – one above the drop zone – with 41 points and lost four straight games before the shut-down.

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Charlton are 22nd with 39 points and suffered three consecutive defeats before play was suspended.

The price for a Hull win at 10:00 am EST on Saturday is +118 with Charlton at +215.

Hull have not won in 11 league matches – a run in which they have managed just two draws and nine defeats.

They have the worst home record in the division with six wins, three draws and 10 defeats on their own patch.

However, Charlton have been similarly poor away from home with only three wins, four draws and 11 defeats.

They will be hampered by the fact that star striker Lyle Taylor is refusing to play during the re-start with his contract at Charlton expiring this month and a big-money move in the offing.

These teams drew 2-2 last December.

Pick: Draw +230

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