The Championship 2022-23 Season Free Bets & Sign-Up Offers
While people love saying that the Premier League is the best league in the world, many will say that The Championship is the hardest league in the world to win. It's a division that has a profitable prize for the three teams who can win promotion to the Premier League with riches aplenty awaiting the following season.
With each team playing 46 fixtures throughout the season and the excitement that comes with the play-offs, there is plenty of action to bet on in The Championship.
Our top recommended bookmakers for The Championship
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2022-23 Season
24 teams take part in the Championship playing 46 games in the regular season. The top two are automatically promoted to the Premier League and the sides finishing third to sixth take part in the play-offs. The team winning the play-offs will have deserved that final promotion spot having played a total of 49 games. The bottom three in the table find themselves relegated to League One.
Leading into the final week of the main season, Burnley have won the title and Sheffield United will finish second with both promoted to the Premier League. It's tight for the play-off positions with only Luton Town and Middlesbrough having so far confirmed their places. There are five clubs fighting it out for the other two places. Down at the bottom, Wigan, Reading and Blackpool have been relegated.
League Table on May 4
Position
Team
Played
Points
1
Burnley
45
98
2
Sheffield United
45
88
3
Luton Town
45
79
4
Middlesbrough
45
74
5
Coventry City
45
69
6
Millwall
45
68
7
Sunderland
45
66
8
WBA
45
66
9
Blackburn Rovers
45
66
Bottom Four
Position
Team
Played
Points
21
Cardiff
45
49
22
Reading
45
44*
23
Blackpool
45
41
24
Wigan Athletic
45
41**
* Reading have been deducted three points
** Wigan Athletic have been decucted six points
History of The Championship
It's full title is the Football League Championship but we know it better simply as The Championship and is currently sponsored by Skybet. Previously known as the First Division, while older football fans will know it as The Second Division. Its current name has been in existence since the 2004-05 season and previous winners are:
2021-22: Fulham
2020-21: Norwich City
2019-20: Leeds United
2018-19: Norwich City
2017-18: Wolverhampton Wanderers
2016-17: Newcastle United
2015-16: Burnley
2014-15: Bournemouth
2013-14: Leicester City
2012-13: Cardiff City
2011-12: Reading
2010-11: QPR
2009-10: Newcastle United
2008-09: Wolverhampton Wanderers
2007-08: WBA
2006-07: Sunderland
2005-06: Reading
The Play-Offs
Previous Winners are:
2021-22: Nottingham Forest (finished 4th in the regular season)
2020-21: Brentford (3rd)
2019-20: Fulham (4th)
2018-19: Aston Vila (4th)
2017-18: Fulham (3rd)
2016-17: Huddersfield Town (5th)
2015-16: Hull City (4th)
2014-15: Norwich City (3rd)
2013-14: QPR (4th)
2012-13: Crystal Palace (5th)
2011-12: West Ham United (3rd)
2010-11: Swansea City (3rd)
2009-10: Blackpool (6th)
2008-09: Burnley (5th)
2007-08: Hull City (3rd)
2006-07: Derby County (3rd)
2005-06: Watford (3rd)
2004-05: West Ham United (6th)
How to Use Your Championship Free Bet
There are plenty of opportunities to use a Free Bet on the Championship whatever the time of the year.
League Winners
Who will get promoted
Who will make the play-offs
Who'll be relegated to League One
Match bets between teams
Top goalscorer in the league and for each side
Handicap betting
Top Northern Club
Top Southern Club
League positions at certain stages of the season
Betting on every game played during the season
There's always odds of some kind being offered on the Championship. Every game played will have some influence on the odds that are given by bookmakers. It's a good idea therefore to keep an eye on the odds given for the Championship after every set of games are played. It could just result in you finding some odds that will give that free bet of yours a good profit.
Ante post betting is always available on the Championship. There may be no games being played but that doesn't mean there's going to be any changes in the odds being offered. The transfer window always has a big influence on the following season, so make sure you know who's signing who. This can work in two ways of course.
Some teams will be signing players left, right and centre as they try to build a team that can win promotion to the Premier League. A bet on those sides could result in a win at a price that will be a lot shorter in the months ahead. On the other hand there are always some teams who are having problems and seeing top players join other clubs. Keep note of that and take a look at the relegation market for those teams who could be facing a drop down a division.