Bookies prediction of who will promote to EPL – view

The fight for promotion to the Premier League appears to be coming down to the wire; here are the bookies’ predictions.

With 13 games remaining in the season, Leicester City leads the way, nine points ahead of second-placed Leeds United, who they meet at Elland Road on Friday night.

Ipswich Town are third, tied with Leeds and two points ahead of Southampton, who they will host in Suffolk on Easter Monday (April 1).

And the bookies feel it’s three out of four for promotion, with two automatic positions and a play-off winner still to be decided.

Unsurprisingly, the Foxes are heavy favourites to get promoted, with odds as low as 1/80, representing a 98.8% likelihood of promotion.

Leeds is second at 2/7 (77.8%), with Southampton third at 4/5 (55.6%).

Town, who are already defying all odds simply to be in the mix, are placed as the outsiders in that foursome, with odds of 11/10 (47.6%).

According to Oddschecker’s Leon Blackman, the Championship is becoming increasingly competitive for the two automatic promotion spots.

“With Leicester clearly in the clear and bookmakers giving them a 95% chance of finishing in the top two, who will finish second?

“Leeds are now given a 55% probability of finishing in the top two this season at odds of 4/5, with Southampton and Ipswich tied at odds of 5/2 (28.6% chance) behind.

“A win for Leeds against Leicester on Friday night could see their odds for automatic promotion shorten again.”

One thing is certain: Town cannot be written off. And they’re not putting any strain on themselves.

With terms of the promotion fight, manager Kieran McKenna stated: “I can honestly say that this year, in Leicester, Leeds, and Southampton, we’re up against three of the strongest teams in Championship history, teams that are abnormally strong for this level.” Leicester are likely to smash the Championship (points) record.

“We’re not going to waste emotional energy comparing ourselves to those teams and getting upset if one of them wins on a Saturday. We anticipate them to win.

“We know where we came from last season, and where they all came from, so there is no pressure on ourselves internally.

“We’re simply enjoying the games as they come.We won’t waste any time worrying about those teams.”