Football betting tips: EFL Trophy
1pt e.w. Walsall to lift the EFL trophy at 16/1 (Betway 1-2 Places, 1/2 odds)
Birmingham are short-priced favourites to lift the EFL TROPHY, shock, but if you can look past Blues there is plenty to get excited about in this market with the each-way terms offering half odds.
WALSALL look the value at 16/1 with Betway but the 14/1 with Sky Bet is also worth taking. Although 16/1 generally, most firms are only offering ⅓ odds for the runner-up but Betway and Sky Bet are offering ½.
EFL Trophy Winner 24/25 (Sky Bet)
- Birmingham - 2/1
- Wrexham - 13/2
- Bolton - 15/2
- Peterborough - 11/1
- Rotherham, Lincoln - 12/1
- WALSALL, Leyton Orient - 14/1
- Port Vale, Stevenage - 18/1
- Chesterfield, Bradford - 20/1
- Cheltenham - 33/1
- Aston Villa U21, Colchester - 40/1
- Swindon - 50/1
Odds correct at 1230 BST (13/01/25)
The Saddlers have romped clear in League Two and boast an impressive record in the cup competitions this term.
In nine FA Cup, Carabao Cup and EFL Trophy games, Walsall have lost once in 90 minutes; granted it was a 4-0 thumping inflicted by Charlton in the FA Cup.
In this competition they have beaten the competition favourites Birmingham (on penalties), Fulham U21, Shrewsbury and League One Reading (on penalties).
They beat another third-tier side in Bolton in the FA Cup and knocked Exeter (on penalties) and Huddersfield - both of League One - out of the Carabao Cup before being losing a shootout to Leicester.
We can confirm that @stokecity have triggered the recall option in the loan agreement for Nathan Lowe, and he will return to the Potters with immediate effect
— Walsall FC (@WFCOfficial) January 12, 2025
Thank you for your outstanding contributions Lowey, we wish you all the best in your next chapter ❤️
👉… pic.twitter.com/JSHbcJB9o2
A caveat is Stoke's decision to recall Nathan Lowe.
He had scored 17 times for the Saddlers and was League Two's top scorer before returning to the Potters.
However, Lowe only started one of four games in the EFL trophy so while it is a blow in general, it shouldn’t impact their chances in this competition too much.
When is the EFL Trophy final?
- Round of 16: W/C 13 January
- Quarter-finals: W/C 3 February
- Semi-finals: W/C 17 February
- Final (at Wembley) : 13 April
Walsall travel to an out of form Peterborough side in the third round on Tuesday night. Posh have been dragged into a relegation battle in League One, losing five of their last six in all competitions, and winning just one league match since November 9.
The Saddlers, meanwhile, have won their last six and eight of their last nine, losing only once on all competitions since October 1.
See off Peterborough and they're two games from Wembley.
Odds correct at 1250 BST (13/01/25)
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