Who will win EFL Championship 2024-25? Odds, favorites, best bets to win as top contenders Leeds battle open field

With clubs harbouring hopes of reaching the lucrative English top flight, the EFL Championship gets set for the start of the 2024/25 season with lots of teams in contention for a spot in the Premier League.

After last year's end-of-season faceplant, Leeds United are considered the favorites to make good on that promising push to win the title and earn automatic promotion. Behind them, however, is a completely wide-open field of clubs which the market has proven unable to separate.

Amidst a lackluster summer transfer window to this point, with precious little money being spent anywhere around Europe, clubs have been forced to look for deals in the pursuit of adding talent to the league.

The Sporting News looks at who are the contenders to win the title and earn promotion to the Premier League, as well as a highly-rated club who show signs of a disappointing failure to meet expectations.

MORE: All the latest EPL club news | Team-by-team Premier League schedule for 2024/25 | Latest Premier League top scorer rankings

Odds to win the EFL Championship in 2024/25

* Sheffield United will start the 2024/25 EFL Championship season with a two-point deduction as a punishment for financial irregularities.

A pair of recently relegated Premier League sides Burnley and Luton Town are amongst the favourites to win the EFL Championship title this coming season, but both are bested in the odds by Leeds United, who were challenging for an automatic promotion position last season but floundered down the stretch.

The third relegated side, Sheffield United, are down the list a bit thanks to their two-point deduction and perceived squad holes.

Interestingly, Stoke City, Sunderland, and Sheffield Wednesday all appear in the top half of the list despite last season's poor finishes, while the likes of Preston North End and Bristol City are expected to regress from a promising campaign last time out.

MORE: How to watch EFL Championship in US: Live streams, TV channels, start times, latest fixture schedule

Who will win the EFL Championship in 2024/25 season?

Best bets: Burnley (+700 to win)

No Championship club has had a better summer transfer window than Burnley, who have gone for it with a pair of strong additions hoping for a yo-yo campaign back into the top flight. While no key players departed, they brought in winger Mike Tresor, defender Maxime Esteve, and striker Andreas Hountondji, all players with youth and high upside for a total of €34 million ($37.1m / £29.2m).

Burnley were a powerhouse two years ago, stomping the rest of the Championship in a title season, and while they were overmatched at the Premier League last year in the context of the full season, they showed signs of life against some of the top clubs.

The unexplainable departure of manager Vincent Kompany shouldn't be a massive blow to this club, and Scott Parker is a capable replacement with previous Championship success. They should be a strong contender for a second Championship title in three years.

Dark horse: Norwich City (+1600 to win)

With such a wide-open field where the clear favourite is unjustifiably in such a position, we can look for additional value amongst the top sides.

Norwich City were one of the streakiest teams last season, but most of their slides correlate well with injuries, particularly that to striker Josh Sargent. With the American withdrawing from the Copa America to give his ankle a full summer to heal, he will be primed to light up the Championship again.

The loss of Brazilian playmaker Gabriel Sara to Galatasaray is significant, having racked up double-digit goals and assists last season, but it was necessary to facilitate the arrival of new players, such as defender Jose Cordoba or the rumoured swoop for Callum Doyle. Additions are needed in the attack, but if they make moves, this team could be primed for a big season.

Stay away from: Leeds United (+275 to win)

Leeds are enormous favorites compared to the rest of the field, but that's largely unjustified. All of their weaknesses came to a head at once as they floundered at the end of last season, and they have had a poor summer with more key departures than arrivals.

Leading scorer Cryenscio Summerville has departed for Premier League club West Ham, and they sold another promising winger in Luis Sinisterra to Bournemouth. The only key addition in the transfer market has been the purchase of defender Joe Rodon from Spurs, but the return of loanee Brenden Aaronson is the only attacking arrival.

They still lack talent in goal as well, as Ivan Meslier's goalkeeping metrics were exceedingly poor last season, just as they were in the relegation campaign two years ago. This team has enough strength to contend for a playoff spot, but backing them to earn automatic promotion at this poor value is simply unwise.

Who will be promoted to Premier League in 2024/25 season?

Best bets: Burnley (+175), Middlesbrough (+300), Norwich City (+500)

One team that's been pushing for a return to the Premier League for a few seasons now is Middlesbrough. Since relegation from the top flight in 2020, Boro have finished in the top 10 of the league in all four campaigns, even falling just short in the 2022/23 playoffs.

They ended last season eighth, just four points shy of a playoff position, and have done good business this summer. Acquisitions of American midfielder Aidan Morris from MLS and Delano Burgzorg from Mainz are strong additions with high upside, especially Dutch winger Burgzorg who has Championship experience after scoring seven goals on loan at Huddersfield Town last season.

Boro can score when needed and can defend on occasion too, it's now about putting the two together to achieve a promotion-worthy campaign. Thanks to consistency at the managerial position with Michael Carrick set to enter (almost) his third full season in charge, Boro are building something strong and should be in contention for a playoff spot if not more.