The 2023/24 season is set to begin, and all up and down the English football pyramid, there is genuine excitement as teams tackle the goal of promotion further up the food chain.
In the Championship, a lucrative spot in the Premier League is on the line as the 24 teams gear up to push for one of three spots in the English top flight.
Further down the English setup, League One looks wide open as teams like Derby County, Ipswich Town, Sheffield Wednesday, and others with top flight pedigree dream of a rise back up the standings.
League Two is expected to garner a bigger following than ever before as Wrexham, backed by famed owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, look to do the unthinkable and achieve promotion in just their first season back in the Football League.
The Sporting News takes a brief look at the preseason expectations for each league and who is expected to challenge for those valuable places in the league above.
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Odds to win EFL Championship in 2023/24 season
With a coveted Premier League spot on the line, the new Championship season gets under way. Leicester City, Leeds, and Southampton were relegated from the top flight last year, and as usual, those three teams are among the strongest and most likely to rise back up, but history has shown it won't be that easy.
Last season, of the three relegated teams, only Burnley managed to yo-yo back to the top flight, while Watford and Norwich City remain in the second tier.
Coventry City were a penalty shootout away from a Premier League spot, but were beaten by Luton Town in the playoff final instead, and will now hope to give themselves another shot at a Premier League spot, a place they haven't been since 2001.
Prediction: Southampton to win Championship title (+700)
Leicester City have done decent business this summer, and Leeds keeping Tyler Adams will prove especially important. Yet the loss of James Maddison will be tough for the Foxes to overcome, and Leeds just haven't brought in enough talent.
Southampton, meanwhile, did incredibly well to keep its young core around. The loss of Mohammed Salisu hurts, but Armel Bella-Kotchap and Romeo Lavia remain, and James Ward-Prowse is also still part of the group. They haven't had much incoming business, only adding 19-year-old Shea Charles, but they are a strong side that will build on that young group and do the job here.
| Leicester City | Leeds | Southampton | Middlesbrough | Ipswich Town | Norwich | Watford | Sunderland | Stoke City | Coventry City | West Brom | Blackburn | Sheff. Wed. | Swansea City | Preston N. End | Cardiff City | Milwall | Bristol City | Birmingham City | QPR | Hull City | Huddersfield Town | Plymouth Argyle | Rotherham United | |
| BetMGM (USA) | +350 | +550 | +700 | +900 | +1400 | +1400 | +1800 | +1800 | +2000 | +2500 | +2500 | +2800 | +3300 | +4000 | +4000 | +4000 | +5000 | +5000 | +5000 | +5000 | +6600 | +6600 | +10000 | +10000 |
| Sports Interaction (Canada) | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC |
| Top betting sites (UK) | 3/1 | 5/1 | 15/2 | 8/1 | 14/1 | 141 | 16/1 | 20/1 | 25/1 | 22/1 | 16/1 | 40/1 | 50/1 | 40/1 | 66/1 | 66/1 | 28/1 | 40/1 | 66/1 | 80/1 | 66/1 | 80/1 | 80/1 | 150/1 |
| Unibet (Australia) | 4.35 | 8.00 | 8.50 | 11.00 | 17.00 | 17.00 | 19.00 | 21.00 | 23.00 | 26.00 | 21.00 | 34.00 | 51.00 | 34.00 | 51.00 | 67.00 | 34.00 | 41.00 | 67.00 | 81.00 | 41.00 | 81.00 | 101.0 | 101.0 |
| Dafabet (India) | 4.75 | 7.00 | 8.50 | 11.00 | 17.00 | 17.00 | 19.00 | 21.00 | 21.00 | 23.00 | 21.00 | 34.00 | 51.00 | 34.00 | 51.00 | 51.00 | 29.00 | 41.00 | 51.00 | 67.00 | 51.00 | 67.00 | 101.0 | 101.0 |
Odds to win EFL League One in 2023/24 season
Like the Championship, last year's League One campaign saw the top three teams in the table all promoted, leaving the rest of the league to try again this season, as Derby County, Bolton and Portsmouth lead the charge according to bookmakers.
With Reading, Blackpool, and Wigan all dropping down, they too are considered worthy challengers to the coming throne.
However, it's notable that while Wigan are thought to be a strong side, they will be starting at a serious disadvantage, beginning the year with an eight-point deduction due to salary rule breaches. To think they are still middle of the pack amongst clubs from a betting perspective even with such a huge early handicap is indicative of their strength.
Prediction: Derby County to win League One title (+350)
A takeover at Derby County should provide the necessary boost for the club, as they've done good business at the back this summer. Portsmough brought 11 new players in, which feels like too many — that's often backfired up and down the pyramid in the past. Bolton are worthy challengers, but they've lost some important players this summer. Charlton at +1200 are a good dark horse pick after very good business this transfer window, but Michael Hector has a lot to prove after a failed spell at Fulham, and spending a year out of the game.
| Derby County | Bolton | Portsmouth | Barnsley | Blackpool | Peterborough | Charlton Athletic | Oxford | Reading | Wycombe | Bristol Rovers | Lincoln City | Burton Albion | Wigan | Leyton Orient | Exeter City | Northampton Town | Port Vale | Fleetwood | Shrewsbury Town | Stevenage | Carlisle | Cambridge | Cheltenham | |
| BetMGM (USA) | +350 | +550 | +900 | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 | +1200 | +1400 | +1600 | +2500 | +3300 | +4000 | +5000 | +5000 | +5000 | +6600 | +6600 | +10000 | +10000 | +10000 | +10000 | +10000 | +10000 | +10000 |
| Sports Interaction (Canada) | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC |
| Top betting sites (UK) | 4/1 | 5/1 | 9/1 | 11/1 | 8/1 | 12/1 | 10/1 | 9/1 | 16/1 | 22/1 | 33/1 | 40/1 | 50/1 | 50/1 | 66/1 | 66/1 | 80/1 | 66/1 | 80/1 | 80/1 | 80/1 | 100/1 | 150/1 | 150/1 |
| Unibet (Australia) | 5.50 | 8.00 | 11.00 | 9.00 | 17.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 | 21.00 | 10.00 | 26.00 | 34.00 | 34.00 | 51.00 | 51.00 | 51.00 | 41.00 | 51.00 | 51.00 | 41.00 | 51.00 | 67.00 | 67.00 | 51.00 | 67.00 |
| Dafabet (India) | 5.50 | 7.00 | 10.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 | 11.00 | 15.00 | 17.00 | 15.00 | 23.00 | 34.00 | 34.00 | 51.00 | 51.00 | 51.00 | 41.00 | 51.00 | 51.00 | 51.00 | 51.00 | 67.00 | 81.00 | 81.00 | 67.00 |
Odds to win EFL League Two in 2023/24 season
All eyes across the world will be on League Two this year with Wrexham newly promoted to the EFL from the National League and already considered the betting favourite to win the title. Notts County, promoted alongside them, are also thought to be a threat to lift the trophy.
Stockport County is last year's highest finisher who missed out on promotion, losing the playoff final on a penalty shootout, and as such, they are considered second-favourite. Relegated side MK Dons, Morecambe, Accrington Stanley, and Forest Green Rovers are all not thought to be in the mix.
Prediction: Gillingham to win League Two title (+1200)
Wrexham will no doubt challenge for the title, as will Notts County, but there's too much competition to back either of them for two consecutive promotion campaigns. There's tons of competition at the top of this league, and picking a winner feels like an impossible challenge.
Gillingham were relegated from League One last year, but only barely, dropping down on goal differential. They struggled mightily to score goals, but brought in former Crystal Palace midfielder Jonathan Williams on a free transfer to help shore that up. Their defensive record, however, was solid last year and should translate well, especially with a few additions there too.
| Wrexham | Stockport County | Notts County | Gillingham | Mansfield Town | Salford City | Bradford City | MK Dons | Doncaster Rovers | Grimsby Town | Swindon Town | Tranmere Rovers | Walsall | Forest Green | AFC Wimbledon | Colchester United | Accrington Stanley | Barrow | Newport County | Sutton United | Morecambe | Crewe Alexandra | Harrogate Town | Crawley Town | |
| BetMGM (USA) | +333 | +400 | +550 | +1200 | +1400 | +1600 | +1600 | +1800 | +2200 | +2500 | +2800 | +4000 | +4000 | +5000 | +5000 | +5000 | +6600 | +6600 | +6600 | +6600 | +8000 | +10000 | +10000 | +10000 |
| Sports Interaction (Canada) | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC |
| Top betting sites (UK) | 3/1 | 5/1 | 13/2 | 9/1 | 11/1 | 16/1 | 18/1 | 18/1 | 25/1 | 28/1 | 33/1 | 50/1 | 40/1 | 33/1 | 50/1 | 50/1 | 40/1 | 50/1 | 66/1 | 66/1 | 80/1 | 80/1 | 80/1 | 100/1 |
| Unibet (Australia) | 4.75 | 6.00 | 8.00 | 12.00 | 15.00 | 17.00 | 15.00 | 17.00 | 26.00 | 34.00 | 26.00 | 34.00 | 34.00 | 34.00 | 41.00 | 51.00 | 34.00 | 51.00 | 41.00 | 41.00 | 51.00 | 51.00 | 101.0 | 67.00 |
| Dafabet (India) | 4.75 | 6.00 | 8.00 | 12.00 | 15.00 | 17.00 | 15.00 | 17.00 | 26.00 | 34.00 | 26.00 | 34.00 | 34.00 | 34.00 | 41.00 | 51.00 | 34.00 | 51.00 | 41.00 | 41.00 | 51.00 | 51.00 | 101.0 | 67.00 |
