The Championship - Best Bets

Regular readers of our columns will know we’re quite sweet on Preston this season. We backed them unsuccessfully against Sunderland, but rather more profitably away at Hull the week before. Their underlying data validates that their early season form is no fluke, and we recently advised supporting them to finish in the Top 6 and threaten promotion.

It won’t surprise anyone therefore to see us siding with them at Fulham this weekend - a side in whom we see potential but certainly wouldn’t go as far as getting excited about. The Cottagers look a mid-table team, and just one home win from six so far this season makes it hard to agree with the bookies that they are an odds-on favourite this week against one of the most organised defences in the division.

Preston have to be the pick here on the double result market. Sporting Bet offer Even Money on the Preston/Draw selection, meaning you double your money with any result that isn’t a Fulham win. Sounds fair enough based on what we’ve seen this season.

Another thing which looks likely in this match is an absence of too much excitement. Fulham opened the season with eight straight matches going under 2.5 goals, and they have seen Under 2.5 Goals in nine of their 13 matches. Preston have the best defence in the division, with only six goals against, and only Sunderland have so far breached their defence more than once in a league game this season.

2pts Preston or Draw on the Double Chance 1/1 (SportingOdds)

1pt Under 2.5 Goals in Fulham v Preston at 11/8 (BlackType)

Sunderland are a side in deep trouble right now, and Simon Grayson resembles a rabbit caught in the headlights at the moment, which presents a great opportunity for QPR to improve their relatively disappointing starting early season results.

It would probably be foolhardy of us to try to tell you QPR are superstars right now - they most certainly are not - but you get the impression that the Mackems aren’t entirely bought into everything going on at their club at the moment (for good reason) and that could well be working against the players this season - something evident in their four consecutive home defeats.

The 27/10 with SportingBet is a tasty enough price on the visitors in this, and if that price goes (which it probably will do) then 5/2 is acceptable.

1pt QPR to beat Sunderland at 27/10 (SportingBet)

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