Another fascinating season in the English Football League begins on Friday, with the opening fixtures of the new campaign being played out across the weekend in the Championship, League One and League Two.
This time of year always represents tricky punting terrain as new views of the relative merits of the combatants will take time to form. For the first round of fixtures our EFL tips draw heavily upon 2023/24 form that’s should remain relevant in the early weeks.
EFL opening day best bets
Leyton Orient to beat Bolton (draw no bet) @ 29/20
Exeter to beat Rotherham (draw no bet) @ 6/5
MK Dons to beat Bradford @ 1/1
Bet on the latest English Football League odds at Betzone
Whites too short to register first win on last season’s evidence
Bolton Wanderers finished third in League One last season, five points off automatic promotion but 10 points ahead of their playoff final conquerors Oxford United.
Ian Evatt’s men had the best home record in the division in 2023/24 – their more modest away form condemned them to the playoffs. The Whites claimed 37 points on the road, compared to top two Portsmouth and Derby’s 47 and 43 respectively.
As a result they look worth taking on at 21/20 to beat Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road, where Richie Wellens side followed up promotion two seasons ago with a comfortable mid-table consolidation last term.
The O’s beat Bolton 1-0 in east London last term and only lost 3-2 in the return at the Tough Sheet Community Stadium, despite giving up three goals in the opening 10 minutes. They’re fancied to avoid defeat at the very least against guests they posed plenty of problems last season.
Tip: Leyton Orient to beat Bolton (draw no bet) @ 29/20
Exeter can channel 2024 updraft to beat a Rotherham in flux
Gary Caldwell’s Exeter side finished off 2023/24 with a rattle, reeling off six wins, three draws and a single loss (to playoff winning Oxford) in their last 10 games.
They look underrated at 9/5 underdogs for victory against freshly relegated perennial yo-yo men Rotherham as a result of that positive momentum and a summer of continuity which saw them make impressive loanee Ryan Woods a permanent signing.
The Millers, on the other are hand, will surely need time to gel having brought in 11 permanent signings and two loanees over the summer, while releasing or not renewing the contracts of 13 senior squad members.
Tip: Exeter to beat Rotherham (draw no bet) @ 6/5
Home strength makes Dons very backable for visit of Bradford
MK Dons look the best home win bet of the day across the divisions of the EFL, with Betzone pricing them at even money to beat Bradford City.
Mike Williamson’s men were one of the best home outfits in the fourth-tier last term, with only promoted Wrexham and Stockport taking more points in front of the faithful.
MK netted a handsome 21 goals more than the visiting Bantams during that campaign and, having strengthened with several good signings down the spine of the squad over the summer, they can get off to the best possible start.
