Football betting tips: EFL, Bundesliga
Sunday
1pt Union Berlin to beat Bochum (14:30) at 11/5 (Betfair)
We knew the Easter weekend would be a crucial one in the EFL calendar.
A three-way battle for automatic promotion to the Premier League looked set to go down to the wire. Three teams who had clearly established themselves as better than the rest but only two spots up for grabs.
At 19:30 on Friday, Sheffield United were two points behind Leeds. At 19:30 on Monday, thousands of supporters were celebrating a top-flight return outside of Elland Road.
The race for the play-offs is still open though, as is the battle to avoid the drop. Multiple teams remain active at the both ends of the table, and indeed throughout the rest of the football league pyramid.
One team can still go up automatically from League One, all three in League Two, with a number of play-off spots still to be decided. Drama at the very top has been snatched away from us before the penultimate weekend but there's still so much to follow.
A number of key games take place over the next few days, some of which feature in this column.
Bochum vs Union Berlin
- Kick-off time: 14:30 BST, Sunday
- TV: Sky Sports Football
- Home 5/4 | Draw 12/5 | Away 2/1
I'm again going to go with my approach of saying that just because a team needs to win doesn't mean they will win again.
Bochum sit 17th in the Bundesliga table and two points behind Heidenheim who occupy the relegation play-off spot.
Union Berlin have very little to play for but they're ending the season in great form - they're unbeaten in six which includes draws against Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen.
It's why I'm happy to side with the 11/5 on an UNION BERLIN WIN.
They've recently secured away wins over Eintracht Frankfurt and Freiburg - two sides battling for Champions League football next season.
And in Bochum, they come up against a team on a five-game losing run. Four of those games have seen the opposition scoring at least twice.
In a meeting of two teams in contrasting form, I'll take the one who has been gaining results at a bigger price.
Already advised
Friday
1pt Sheffield United to beat Stoke (20:00) at 2/1 (Betfred)
Saturday
1.5pts Burnley to beat QPR (12:30) at evens (General)
1pt Leyton Orient to beat Wycombe (12:30) at 9/5 (General)
1pt Reading to beat Bristol Rovers (12:30) at 13/10 (General)
1pt Sunderland to beat Oxford (15:00) at 29/20 (Betfair, Paddy Power)
1pt Salford to beat Colchester (15:00) at 23/20 (General)
Stoke vs Sheffield United
- Kick-off time: 20:00 BST, Friday
- TV: Sky Sports Football
- Home 7/5 | Draw 9/4 | Away 15/8
Sheffield United's season collapsed in the space of 16 days.
The Blades' 3-1 win over Coventry on March 28 put them top of the league and five points clear of Burnley - albeit they would play the following day.
It was in their own hands, yet four defeats in five saw them drop to third and condemned to a play-off campaign.
Heads were going, Chris Wilder was squaring up to opposition players and then had to listen to a striker from their promotion rivals leading chants calling him a wanker.
“I'm a big boy, you give it, you take it,” was Wilder's response when asked and his relaxed, smiley demeanour during the answer suggests the pressure has been lifted a little bit.
"No issue at all with it... I'm a big boy. You give it, you take it" 🤝
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) April 24, 2025
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder says he received a phone call from Patrick Bamford after the forward directed chants towards him during Leeds' promotion celebrations 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/O7BnCu0ZQU
Odds of 2/1 are available with multiple bookmakers on a SHEFFIELD UNITED WIN and I'll side with that.
Stoke may still technically be in the relegation battle but a lot needs to happen to send them down to League One - Opta's predictions has them at 0.24% for the drop.
Wilder's made clear his desire to hit 90 points. That was a repeated line in interviews following Monday's defeat to Burnley.
The fixture list gives them a great opportunity to do just that. While they may appear to have 'nothing to play for', Wilder will be drilling in the idea that they must finish as strongly as possible.
QPR vs Burnley
- Kick-off time: 12:30 BST, Saturday
- TV: Sky Sports+
- Home 29/10 | Draw 23/10 | Away 19/20
So it's over to Burnley who are hoping for title success.
They can put the pressure on Leeds as they feature on Monday night with a win over QPR - a side who have struggled throughout the season against those above them.
Ten of their 13 wins have come in games against sides currently 18th or lower. They have failed to beat any side currently eighth or higher.
It's why the even money on BURNLEY TO WIN appeals.
Scott Parker's side are on a remarkable 31 league unbeaten run having lost just twice all season and their final fixtures gives them a chance of being in with a shot at the top spot.
From their 23 games against current bottom-half sides, 14 have ended in victory with the two defeats being against Millwall (9th) and Sunderland (4th).
Despite their fantastic run and position, appealing prices are seemingly always there for Burnley and that continues this weekend.
Odds correct at 1820 BST (24/04/25)
Leyton Orient vs Wycombe
- Kick-off time: 12:30 BST, Saturday
- TV: Sky Sports+
- Home 17/10 | Draw 21/10 | Away 7/5
We're in for a fascinating conclusion to the promotion race in Sky Bet League One.
The fixture list sees those holding top two hopes facing one another across the final two gameweeks and that should, hopefully for the neutral anyway, create plenty of drama.
Wycombe travel to Leyton Orient on Saturday - an opponent they may well end up facing if they finish in the play-offs - with Stockport to come on final day.
At a general 9/5, I'm siding with the LEYTON ORIENT WIN.
A significant driving factor behind the Chairboys' current position is their form in the first half of the campaign prior to Matt Bloomfield's departure for Luton.
In the 15 games under Mike Dodds, seven have been wins but it's the nature of their results which are a big cause for concern on their promotion credentials.
The four defeats have come against Birmingham, Charlton, Reading and Wrexham. Four teams all in the top seven; four teams they also failed to score against.
While Orient's own results against those above them haven't been the best, I still have reservations about Dodds at the helm. At the prices, I'll side with the hosts taking a big step towards play-off qualification.
Odds correct at 1010 BST (25/04/25)
Bristol Rovers vs Reading
- Kick-off time: 12:30 BST, Saturday
- TV: Sky Sports+
- Home 2/1 | Draw 9/4 | Away 23/20
Quite the contest at both ends of the Sky Bet League One table.
Bristol Rovers are in the relegation zone on goal difference; Reading outside of the play-offs for the same reason.
The Royals being in town are likely to serve a reminder of how Rovers have royally messed this one up - I'll side with an AWAY WIN at 13/10.
The Gas have won six of 23 league games with Iñigo Calderón at the helm - a 26% win ratio which has seen them slide down into the drop zone.
In fact, when they beat Burton 3-1 in mid-February, Calderón's side moved seven points clear and nine ahead of the Brewers who are the side now keeping them in the bottom four.
Just one point - a surprise one against Wrexham - has been returned from a possible 24 and they now face a Reading side who have lost just twice in their last 17.
They hammered Mansfield 5-1 last time out and a potential takeover being reached to save the club should only lift the mood - they've achieved their current position in the table despite ongoing uncertainty.
Just because a team needs to win doesn't mean they will win. Rovers are down there for a reason and I'll side with the play-off hopefuls moving back into the top six.
Oxford vs Sunderland
- Kick-off time: 15:00 BST, Saturday
- Home 21/10 | Draw 11/5 | Away 13/10
Sunderland's season has played out in a bit of a bizarre fashion.
A top six spot is a fantastic milestone and they are in a great position for promotion but they've known for a while the path they'll have to take to achieve that.
Defeat at Leeds in mid-February left them eight points adrift of the top two and they haven't looked like automatic contenders in this second half of the season.
That's led to some squad management from Regis Le Bris and a losing run in recent weeks. Despite that, I'm happy to take the 29/20 on SUNDERLAND TO WIN.
Le Bris' comments in the days prior to this being the reason why. Having rotated and changed things around, the approach for the final weeks is to go as strong as possible with the aim of building up some momentum for the play-offs.
Looking ahead ⏩👊
— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) April 24, 2025
"It won't be a play-off game but it will be closer to the right dynamic. It will be close to the first XI for the semi finals but many things can happen...it will be close to our best XI." were his comments in the pre-match press conference, as quoted by the Sunderland Echo.
They don't have a fully fit squad still but that does mean more minutes for key figures - most notably Enzo Le Fée who has been well managed following injury.
Oxford may be looking to survive but Sunderland do now have something to play for. Back-to-back wins are crucial for the play-offs - they don't want to be going in on a six-game winless run.
Burnley, Coventry, Leeds and Middlesbrough have all beaten Oxford under Gary Rowett. I'll side with Sunderland adding their name to the top seven sides to secure maximum returns.
Odds correct at 1105 BST (25/04/25)
Salford vs Colchester
- Kick-off time: 15:00 BST, Saturday
- Home 11/10 | Draw 11/5 | Away 21/10
A significant game at a crucial point in the season. Colchester sit one point outside of the Sky Bet League Two play-off positions with two games left to play; Salford one point and one place below.
It's out of their hands but a win for either here would be a significant step to preventing the other from finishing in that top seven while also strengthening their own potential.
Colchester have hit availability issues and their form has suffered as a result. They've won just two of their last seven which included defeat to Grimsby - the side currently in seventh.
The hosts' own seasonal form has been patchy but they're currently on a run of just one defeat in eight making the 23/20 on SALFORD TO WIN a worthwhile bet.
The price may appear to be a bit too short to some considering it's a meeting of two sides in a similar position but the visitors are missing some key figures.
Top goalscorer Lyle Taylor and influential loan midfielder Jamie McDonnell will be out through injury, as is Harry Anderson, while Owura Edwards is suspended.
The drop-off in form is linked to absentees, and with the list still at an uncomfortable length, opposing them is worthwhile in a significant contest.
Odds correct at 1620 BST (24/04/25) unless otherwise stated
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