The 2025/26 Premier League season is starting to heat up. Arsenal are currently the bookies’ favourites to lift the trophy in May, while Manchester City are close behind.
For bettors, the festive season is a crucial part of the season, where teams need to manage injuries, fixture pileups, and of course, the dreaded British weather.
Title Contenders
Currently, Arsenal are odds-on with many bookies. Of course, at the start of the season, Liverpool were favourites, but Arsenal’s consistency, defensive record, and control in big matches give them the edge.
Yet, Pep’s Manchester City remain in the hunt. Helped by another prolific season from Haaland, City have the experience, but the inconsistency in results has left a lot of fans wanting for better performance.
Behind them, you’ll find Chelsea and Liverpool with football betting sites pricing them in around the 14/1 to 20/1 band.
Finally, clubs classed as “outsiders with a puncher’s chance” include Manchester United, Spurs, Newcastle, and Aston Villa.
Most punters will simply pick their champion, but there are other markets to take a look at:
- Winner without Arsenal” or “without Arsenal and City” markets if you think the title is effectively a two-horse race.
- Each-way outright bets, which pay out on second or even third with some firms.
- Season points totals or “finish above” head-to-heads, where you are betting on relative strength rather than the trophy itself.
Whichever angle you prefer, base it on more than the league table. Look at expected goals (xG) numbers, shots conceded, and the impact of Europe and cup runs on squad fatigue.
Fight for the European Spots
The title race seems to be between a few clubs, but the qualification for UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League is a lottery.
From roughly 3rd to 13th, only 10 points separate the teams, but as the season progresses, we expect the bigger sides like Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Newcastle, Spurs, and Aston Villa to compete for the European spots.
Yet, the current congestion makes markets like “top four”, “top six” and “to finish in European places” interesting. A side that is quietly efficient, with no European football to drain the squad, can offer better value for a top-six finish than a bigger name juggling league, Champions League and domestic cups.
Manchester United is a good example this season: strong underlying performances and a clear tactical identity have kept them in the conversation for the Champions League mix, even if their outright title odds remain long.
One interesting betting aspect is the “finish above rival” market. If you have a strong opinion that, say, Chelsea will finish higher than a chaotic Spurs, you can back it at many bookmakers.
Who Will be Relegated?
At the other end of the table, the market has already made up its mind about some teams. Wolves and Burnley are trading at very short prices to go down after long winless stretches, with West Ham and Leeds rated the next most likely to join them.
Nottingham Forest, Fulham and Sunderland sit in that awkward mid-range where the odds suggest they are in danger but not doomed.
Value often lies away from the obvious short-priced favourites. If performances are stronger than results, like a team losing narrowly while consistently winning the xG battle – backing them “to stay up” can be more attractive than following the crowd on relegation.
Conversely, a mid-table side over-performing its numbers, scraping points with late goals and world-class goalkeeping, might be worth a speculative “to be relegated” bet at chunky odds if you sense a correction coming.
Combination bets like relegation doubles or trebles can boost returns, but the risk increases quickly, so stakes should stay small and sensible.