Sporting Life
Charlton boss Nathan Jones

Sky Bet EFL play-offs tips and preview: Schedule, best bets and odds for 2025

By Joe Townsend
Football
Sat May 10, 2025 · 7M ago

Football betting tips: EFL play-offs

3pts Chesterfield to win League Two play-offs at 4/1 (General)

2pts Charlton to win League One play-offs at 5/2 (Betfair, Paddy Power)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair

It was a predictably dramatic final day in the Sky Bet EFL with Leeds pipping Burnley to the Championship title in stoppage time, Luton suffering back-to-back relegations and Bradford scoring in the 97th minute to clinch promotion from League Two.

There were also plenty of twists and turns in the race for the play-offs in each of the three EFL divisions, with us now knowing which 12 teams will extend their seasons by at least two further fixtures.

But who, if anyone, is worth backing to first reach Wembley and then take their opportunity to secure a place in the division above for 2025/26?

Let's start with the Championship.

When are the Championship play-offs and who has qualified?

Promotion odds (via Sky Bet)

  • Sheffield Utd - 7/4
  • Sunderland - 11/4
  • Coventry - 3/1
  • Bristol City - 4/1

Bristol City boss Liam Manning

Bristol City made hard work of things on the final day, fighting back to draw 2-2 with Preston to just about hold on to sixth place and set up a semi-final tie with Sheffield United; it was good to see Robins fans pacing their efforts for the days ahead, too.

I shouldn't joke. Things have rarely been exciting for those supporters since re-entering the second tier in 2007, two-year League One hiatus aside.

Prior to this term, in 12 of 15 Championship seasons, Bristol City have finished between 10th and 20th, becoming the definition of a mid-table club, so a first play-off campaign in 17 years is perhaps worthy of a bit (or a lot) of a celebration.

Championship player of the year Gus Hamer

For the other three teams involved, this is verging on old hat.

The Robins' opponents Sheffield United, a Premier League club last season (yes, it really was last season) rightly head in as significant favourites for promotion given they finished the season on 90 points, 14 clear of Sunderland, 21 ahead of Coventry and a point further clear of Bristol City.

Much as I like Chris Wilder's team, I can't be having them at 7/4. The added pressure of the play-offs has to come into the reckoning, as we saw with a superb Leeds team last term, who crumbled under the weight of expectation at Wembley having suffered a similar late-season collapse to miss out on automatic promotion.

There is also the spectre of the Blades having never gone up through the play-offs, losing out on all eight occasions. In reality that should have no impact here, but like it or not, fans and players can be affected by such history.

Sunderland's Jobe Bellingham

Sunderland have been confirmed in fourth for longer than anyone cares to remember and we'll now get to see whether Regis Le Bris' gamble to field weakened XIs in the closing weeks of the season, as he nursed injured players back to health, pays off.

The Black Cats took just a point from their final six matches - losing their last five - and scored just one goal in that time. They simply cannot be backed before we've seen them in action in the first leg.

Talent-wise, they have a wonderfully gifted team, but shaking off such poor form is no easy task.

As for Coventry, Frank Lampard's side beat Middlesbrough on the final day to finish in fifth having looked as though seven points from their previous seven matches could see them stumble out of the top six.

Understandably the bookies struggle to split these two, and personally this entire Championship play-off campaign looks like one that would be better enjoyed as viewer than punter.

Gun to the head I do think the Blades will emerge as victors, but this Coventry squad's recent experience - albeit under Mark Robins - in both a play-off final and FA Cup semi-final at Wembley could prove crucial should they get past Sunderland.

Verdict: No bet

When are the League One play-offs and who has qualified?

Promotion odds (via Sky Bet)

  • Stockport - 2/1
  • Wycombe - 9/4
  • Charlton - 5/2
  • Leyton Orient - 9/2

Leyton Orient boss Richie Wellens

Wycombe, Charlton and Stockport were all already confirmed to be taking part in League One's end-of-season action before the last day of the regular campaign, with one of Leyton Orient or Reading joining them in the play-offs.

Richie Wellens' side thrashed Huddersfield to finish sixth, while Reading suffered a surprise - but ultimately irrelevant - home defeat by Barnsley.

Stockport's win at Wycombe, combined with Charlton's victory over Burton in their final game, meant it was all change in terms of order and it is now the Hatters rather than the Chairboys who will face the O's for a place at Wembley.

That semi-final tie will see the EFL's two most in-form teams face-off, with Orient charging into the top six courtesy of six straight wins and 25 points from their final 10 fixtures.

Ollie Norwood celebrates for Stockport

Stockport matched that tally, but the Hatters' run of form goes back even further with Dave Challinor's side winning 15, drawing four and losing just two of their last 21 matches, with only a five-week blip either side of Louie Barry's January recall by Aston Villa costing them automatic promotion.

Stockport (9/4) are considered almost twice as likely as Orient (9/2) to be promoted to the Championship, with their opponents' large odds not only a result of their underdog status in the semi-final but the prospect of more than likely facing Charlton should they reach Wembley.

Charlton boss Nathan Jones

The Addicks have been even better in the second half of the season, with Nathan Jones' side turning an underwhelming campaign seemingly set for mid-table into one that went mightily close to sneaking a top-two finish. CHARLTON took a staggering 61 points from their final 27 matches (W19 D4 L4) a per game average that would have given them 104 points for a full season.

Richard Kone's goals dried up for Wycombe

Charlton, Stockport and ultimately Wrexham's hopes of finishing as runners-up to Birmingham were only made possible by Wycombe's 2025 collapse in form.

They never recovered from Matt Bloomfield's departure for Luton, with new boss Mike Dodds collecting only 25 points from 17 fixtures and losing all six of his meetings with top-seven opposition.

The managerial departure was one thing, but star man Richard Kone simply stopped scoring, last finding the net on March 18.

Given Orient's outstanding form and the difficulty in calling their tie with an impressive Stockport team as a result, CHARLTON TO BE PROMOTED simply has to be the bet at 5/2.

When are the League Two play-offs and who has qualified?

Promotion odds (via Sky Bet)

  • Notts County - 2/1
  • AFC Wimbledon - 9/4
  • Walsall - 5/2
  • Chesterfield - 4/1

Chesterfield boss Paul Cook cups his ear

Chesterfield completed a remarkable late-season fightback by beating Accrington on the final day to overhaul Salford and Grimsby and finish seventh in League Two, keeping their hopes of back-to-back promotions alive.

It's quite a turnaround for a team whose manager Paul Cook declared their season over on March 4 after a fifth loss in six matches; the Spirerites then finished with eight wins, four draws and just one further defeat.

Walsall manager Mat Sadler

They'll now face a Walsall team whose end to the campaign couldn't have been more contrasting. The Saddlers' collapse will go down as one of the worst in EFL history, with Mat Sadler's men 12 points clear at the top before a run of three wins from their final 21 league games cost them a place in League One.

It's no surprise they were hit hard by Stoke's recalling of Nathan Lowe after the teenage striker had scored 15 goals in 22 League Two matches, but subsequent injuries exacerbated the impact of his departure, with this Walsall a far cry from the team who won 12 and drew four of a 16-match unbeaten run from October to January.

The fact CHESTERFIELD are outsiders for this tie is a little astounding, especially given Cook's men were antepost favourites for the title, so are far from overachieving by sneaking into the play-offs at the death.

The other two-legged tie is between long-time promotion-chasers Wimbledon and Notts County, teams who have experienced similarly inconsistent, stuttering campaigns, the kind of which came to define League Two's automatic promotion race.

As well as that being a coin-toss of a tie, they are difficult teams to trust, making the 4/1 about CHESTERFIELD TO BE PROMOTED a standout bet in all three divisions.

Odds correct at 0745 BST (5/5/25)

More from Sporting Life

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org