Gab Sutton EFL Betting Tips & Predictions
EFL expert Gabriel Sutton will continue to bring you his betting tips for every round of the new EFL season here on Freebets.
His knowledge and insight on everything from the Championship to League One and League Two is unrivaled, so expect detailed betting tips and analysis from all three competitions.
Gab Sutton’s Latest EFL Betting Tips & Predictions
After three correct tips out of five during the week, EFL pundit Gab Sutton makes his selections for the weekend's action
Crawley v Shrewsbury
- Gab’s Pick: Shrewsbury to win and under 2.5 goals - 6/1 with Betfair
Shrewsbury earned a 2-2 draw at in-form Bolton last weekend, when few had given Paul Hurst’s side a fighting chance.
It’s the kind of result that could kick-start the Shropshire club’s season, even if they were unable to hold onto all three points after assembling a two-goal lead.
While the Shrews have started slowly, with five points from their first 10, they’re helped by the fact that five other teams in the league have also averaged less than one point per game so far: Cambridge, Burton, Northampton, a Leyton Orient side they deservedly beat 3-0 in August, and Saturday’s opponents Crawley.
The Red Devils have lost head coach Scott Lindsey to MK Dons and, after starting the season with back-to-back wins under him, have taken just one point from seven games.
Replacement Rob Elliot, poached from Gateshead, has it all to do, tasked with keeping a squad that wouldn’t necessarily look a class above in the National League in the division, whilst playing a style of football arguably unsuited to a dogfight.
Elliot might have greater long-term managerial potential than Hurst, but it’s the latter who has the better chance of getting results at the bottom-end of the budgetary spectrum, and steering a team to safety.
With George Lloyd grafting relentlessly up top, providing a focal point with an exuberant spring, Shrewsbury might just have what it takes to stop Crawley from implementing their intended game plan.
Peterborough v Rotherham
- Gab’s Pick: Double Chance: Draw/Rotherham - 16/25 with LiveScore Bet
Rotherham probably deserve more points than the 13 they’ve managed to amass from their first 10 games, as Steve Evans’ side find themselves in 17th.
Based on the volume of chances created, the Millers can be expected to climb the table at this early stage, seeing as they’re still only three points off the play-offs.
The Millers have looked short on width so far this season, although left-back Reece James looks a plausible solution to that particular scarcity, as one of the brighter spots of their season since coming in for Cohen Bramall.
And, as we saw in Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Reading, the front-three of Mallik Wilks, Jonson Clarke-Harris and Sam Nombe are starting to forge an understanding.
With Jamie McCart and Joe Powell impressing too, in defence and midfield respectively, Rotherham look a better bet than their current league position might suggest.
Peterborough are 11/8 favourites, but they’ve only won one of their last four, and were fortunate to take all three points against Stevenage at the weekend, courtesy of Kwame Poku’s injury-time strike, after an unconvincing performance from Darren Ferguson’s men.
Conversely, the visitors have only lost one of their last seven in the league, and that was to League One galacticos Birmingham.
Chesterfield v Notts County
- Gab’s Pick: Notts County to win - 11/4 with Coral
Notts County have demonstrated the highest ceiling in League Two.
When the champagne football flows, like it did in August’s 4-1 thumping of Grimsby, Stuart Maynard’s side look a class above, with advanced playmaker Dan Crowley boasting stunning vision.
The Magpies have found themselves on the wrong side of fine margins in other games, shaking their heads at how they lost 1-0 at home to Gillingham and Port Vale, having dominated large portions of both encounters.
Sure, Notts are still in the business of going from being devastating at their best, to becoming a ruthless, winning machine – but they have made real strides towards that following last season’s defensive disarray.
With a better goalkeeper in Alex Bass, better centre-backs in Matty Platt and Jacob Bedeau, greater midfield depth, more defensively diligent wing-backs and advanced personnel better suited to pressing, they’ve become better balanced in five different ways – and they tend to accumulate.
So, they’ve gone from having the worst defensive record in the league in 2023-24 to, so far, having the joint-third best in 2024-25.
That kind of progress can’t be ignored, so it’s a mystery that the visitors are priced up as rank outsiders for Saturday’s lunchtime hop to Derbyshire.
Don’t get us wrong, we rate Chesterfield highly and they’re definitely better than their current position of 12th suggests – but for the inability to kill off the lesser sides at home.
Notts County, though, have had that extra year to learn how to be successful at this level, and they should see the benefits at the SMH Group Stadium.
Cheltenham v Swindon
- Gab’s Pick: Under 2.5 goals - 10/11 with Midnite
Cheltenham might consider themselves fortunate to have 10 points on the board from as many games, after a shaky start to the season, performance wise.
The Robins were unconvincing in the 3-2 win over Newport on the opening day, but for a 10-minute first half blitz, they couldn’t get near Harrogate in the first half in September, and beat them 1-0 in a marginally improved second period, and were fortunate to only be one behind to Accrington Stanley the other Tuesday, before a switch to two up top catalysed a 2-1 victory.
So, they’ve been a bit lucky at Whaddon Road – arguably a touch unlucky, too, on the road, where encouraging showings at Grimsby and Salford went unrewarded, but on balance they look likelier to drop from 20th than climb the table.
Michael Flynn has been dealt a tough hand, inheriting a relegated club, tasked with rebuilding the team with 20 new signings and it was always likely to take time for everything to bed in.
However, his side certainly need to improve, both defensively and creatively, if they’re to make the progress they want to this season, and it’s a similar story at Swindon, who are plagued by off-field problems.
Mark Kennedy’s side have taken a mere eight points from their first 10 games, and have failed to score in four of them.
Doncaster v Crewe
- Gab’s Pick: Doncaster to win - 4/5 with Coral
Doncaster are one of the strongest teams in League Two.
They found sumptuous form in the last third of the previous campaign, winning 10 on the spin in the spring before losing to Crewe in the play-offs.
Donny have since picked up where they left off, though, with Grant McCann’s side accruing 19 points from their first 10 games, sometimes showing their superiority by winning by more than one goal, as has been the case in three of their six league victories.
Rovers were ruthless in the first half of last week’s 3-0 victory at Grimsby, with Jordan Gibson and Luke Molyneux grabbing early goals before the former completed a brace, prior to a dismissal that saw them face 10 men for the whole second half.
Gibson and Molyneux have been in scintillating form this season, while Harry Clifton has brought value in facilitating the freedom of those two, and that of Billy Sharp to poach up top, with his aggressive graft as a destructive #10.
With Jay McGrath an emerging talent in central defence, Doncaster should have what it takes to justify odds-on quotes against an in-form Crewe side.
Sure, Lee Bell’s side have won five of their last six league games, including a deserved 2-0 victory over leaders Gillingham last weekend thanks to Shilow Tracy’s brace, in the middle of another injury crisis.
However, the fixtures have on balanced favoured the Alex, who have attained the other four wins against Bromley, Harrogate, Morecambe and Accrington Stanley: not exactly the strongest of opposition.
Bigger tests are to come, one senses, across October and November.
Winners/Losers
Here are Gab's previous round of tips and their results.
- Burnley v Preston: Under 2.5 Goals at 4/5 ✅
- Norwich v Hull: Norwich to win at 21/20 ✅
- Charlton v Birmingham: Jay Stansfield to score a hat-trick at 55/1 ❌
- Wrexham v Northampton: Double Chance Draw/Northampton at 6/4 ❌
- Salford v Wimbledon: Wimbledon to win at 11/8 ❌
EFL Betting Offers
Gab Sutton’s EFL 2024/25 Antepost Picks
Following the opening weekend of 2024-25′s EFL action, EFL pundit Gab Sutton gives us his five tips…
Championship
Promotion
Despite being held to a 3-3 draw by Portsmouth on the opening day, Leeds are favourites for promotion and can be backed at Evens, although Daniel Farke’s side are without the prodigious talents of Archie Gray and the individual craft of Crysencio Summerville, now both have left for London.
Elsewhere, Burnley are into 5/4 after that statement 4-1 opening day victory at Luton on Monday, thanks to an incisive, clinical display from Scott Parker’s men.
The Hatters, themselves, are down to 13/5 after their disappointing start, while Middlesbrough, West Brom and Sunderland are up to 3/1, 7/2 and 4/1 respectively after opening day victories.
For Boro, it’s all about Emmanuel Latte Lath, who built on his stunning form from the last quarter of last season by getting off the mark against Swansea, and could be among the top goalscorers in the division this term.
The Baggies may have a goalscorer of their own, though, in Josh Maja, who displayed impeccable poaching instincts to bag a hat-trick in the 3-1 victory at QPR.
Sunderland need a marksman, but they have pretty much everything else if Jobe Bellingham and Jack Clarke hit top form.
The one to watch, though, is Sheffield Wednesday, after Danny Rohl’s side stormed to a 4-0 opening day victory over Plymouth Argyle.
Bigger tests are surely to come for the Owls, but in terms of pressing, patterns of play, co-ordination of movement, organisation, pace and guile, they had it all and could be a serious bet at 8/1 in some places.
Relegation
Argyle look vulnerable after that trouncing at Hillsborough, and while it’s only day one, it was hard to see what they were trying to do – it’s not as if they were pressing high, or looking after the ball well, or being aggressive in their defensive third then flying forward on the counter.
It was difficult to see a discernible game plan from Wayne Rooney’s side, who could be a bet for the drop at 7/4.
Oxford were favourites before the season began but their convincing 2-0 victory over play-off aspirants Norwich has nudged them to 6/4, the same price as Argyle, and those odds will lengthen with more performances like that – especially with the likes of Cameron Brannagan and Mark Harris making the step up seamless on early evidence.
Cardiff have shortened to 3/1, perhaps surprisingly, after that 2-0 defeat to Sunderland, despite signing the likes of Calum Chambers and Anwar El Ghazi.
Millwall, meanwhile, are 10/3 for the drop after losing 3-2 to Watford: the Lions will need a target man if they want to play the way Neil Harris likes.
Preston North End, though, look value at 10/3 after parting company with manager Ryan Lowe after the opening night’s 2-0 defeat to Sheffield United – for the Lilywhites, it all hangs on who they appoint next.
Derby are a bet at 7/2 after producing one of the worst performances of the opening weekend in their 4-2 loss at Blackburn, who are now up to 9/2, following a summer of trepidation.
League One
Promotion
Despite dropping points on the opening day, with a 1-1 draw with Reading, Birmingham remain firm favourites for promotion at 4/6: understandable, with the quality of their squad and resources.
Bolton are 23/10 second-favourite after beginning with a 2-1 victory at Leyton Orient, although Ian Evatt’s side will need to improve their performance levels, after relying on goalkeeper Nathan Baxter to bail them out at Brisbane Road.
Rotherham are 3/1 despite an opening day 1-0 defeat at Exeter, while Wrexham are fourth favourites at 16/5 following the 3-2 triumph over Wycombe, but neither of those quite look the value picks.
Instead, Huddersfield at 10/3 hold appeal after a statement victory at recent play-off competitors Peterborough and, with so many moving parts of the squad, Michael Duff has shown his managerial class to deliver such a commanding opening day performance.
Charlton can also be backed at 10/3 after a great start under Nathan Jones, winning 1-0 at Wigan, while Lincoln look the value play at 11/2, under a fine coach in Michael Skubala.
It looks highly competitive, though, with so many teams aiming to be in the mix.
Relegation
Crawley Town remain 8/11 for the drop despite beginning with a 2-1 victory over Blackpool.
11/10 second-favourites are Paul Hurst’s Shrewsbury, who opened with a 1-0 defeat at Stevenage and will rely squarely on Aston Villa loanee Tommi O’Reilly for any sort of creativity.
Cambridge are also short in that regard, and could be vulnerable after two close shaves with the drop – the U’s are 11/8 to fall at the third hurdle.
Northampton enjoyed a safe, midtable season last year, after winning promotion from League Two, but could suffer from the losses of Sam Sherring, Marc Leonard and Kieron Bowie in defence, midfield and attack respectively, and are 13/8 to plummet.
We think Burton (9/4), Leyton Orient (5/2) and Stevenage (3/1) will all be fine this season, while Mansfield and Exeter (also 3/1) have boosted their chances by getting three points on the board nice and early.
League Two
Promotion
MK Dons have widened to 6/4 for promotion with Betfair after a 2-1 loss to Bradford, but they remain favourites and, having played well in that game and created a lot of chances, with Liam Kelly pulling the strings in midfield, Mike Williamson’s side should find form very soon.
Fellow Play-Off Semi-Finalists of last year, Doncaster continued their sumptuous form from the final quarter of 2023-24 into this campaign, and after a ruthless 4-1 victory over Accrington Stanley, including fine strikes from Luke Molyneux (x2), Jordan Gibson and Billy Sharp, they look a threat at 13/8.
Also 4-1 victors at the weekend were Gillingham, who swept aside fellow promotion aspirants Carlisle with a clinical attacking showing, something we haven’t associated with the Kent outfit prior to Mark Bonner’s summer appointment – they’re 2/1 to reach League One.
Chesterfield are 9/5 to attain back-to-back promotions, although Paul Cook’s star-studded squad could only manage a 1-1 draw with Swindon on opening night.
Port Vale are ones to watch at 11/5 after beginning with a 2-1 victory at Salford, as Darren Moore’s side benefit from the higher-level pedigree of George Byers in midfield.
Elsewhere, Notts County are 16/5 for promotion after being one of the best attacking sides in the league last season, and they’re hoping to remain that if Alassana Jatta can replace talisman Macaulay Langstaff, while they’ve strengthened defensively with fine additions like Jacob Bedeau.
Relegation
Morecambe are unfortunately a value play at 5/2 with Betfair for the drop because, while they do have their greatest ever manager in Derek Adams at the helm, they’re also plagued by financial uncertainty which has compromised the standard of their recruitment, and may yet incur a points deduction.
Harrogate Town, however, could be vulnerable, too, at 7/2, with question marks over the spine for Simon Weaver’s side, who aren’t expecting to be active in the remainder of the transfer window.
Accrington Stanley, on the other hand, look to be in for a struggle at 11/2 with bet365, with the mood around the club suffering from the careless treatment of legendary manager John Coleman – that mood may sour with a poor start.
Newport are 4/1 to drop through the EFL’s trapdoor under an unknown quantity in Nelson Jardim, although there can be some encouragement taken their performance in the 3-2 loss at Cheltenham, which deserved at least a point.
Swindon meanwhile, could be ones to plummet at 11/2, after ownership and structural issues led to their lowest ever finish last year – there’s a chance they could implode.
EFL Betting Tips from Gabriel Sutton
About Gab Sutton
Known for offering an expert opinion on all things EFL, Gab Sutton is a man to listen to when he talks about the Football League.
Every week, he brings his best picks in the form of Sutton’s Acca to mark your card for the weekend action.
On top of this, Gab also delivers a huge amount of insight into the EFL via his Twitter feed, so if you want to keep on top of what’s happening away from the Premier League then give Gab a follow on Twitter.
What is the EFL?
The EFL covers three of the four English leagues, consisting of the Championship, League One and League Two.
Each league has promotion and relegation, with the main goal for clubs being to get out of the Championship and up into the Premier League.
Coverage of the Premier League is everywhere, but here at Freebets, we want to focus on more than just top flight football. Thanks to the incredible knowledge Gabriel has, we’ve got an expert on hand to guide us through the Championship, League One and League Two every week of the season.
From battles at the bottom to those fighting for promotion, with three leagues, there is sure to be plenty of excitement in the 2024/25 season.
Championship Betting Tips
The second tier of English football, and the league often referred to as the toughest to gain promotion from in the world.
The prize is big, a place in the Premier League, arguably the greatest football league in the world.
But of course, everyone wants to get there. That makes the Championship highly competitive, and the 2024/25 season could well be the most competitive ever given the line up we have.
League One Betting Tips
League One comes in the middle of the pack, but has been home to a number of bigger names in recent years, and the coming season is no different.
The likes of Birmingham, Bolton, Barnsley, Charlton, Reading and Peterborough have records that show they can compete much higher, so once again, a tight finish to the season is expected.
League Two Betting Tips
League Two almost always offers a competitive environment at the top, with four teams promoted up into League One.
There’s plenty of focus points, but of course, the entire world will have eyes on Wrexham, finally back in the football league, with Hollywood ownership and ambitions to make it back-to-back promotions, they will grab 99% of the attention on this league, for sure.
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