The Sky Bet EFL fixture computer was clearly not a fan of Portsmouth's return to the Championship after a 12-year absence.
John Mousinho's side were handed an awful opening seven games.
Relegated trio Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United, beaten play-off finalists Leeds, perennial top-six chasers Middlesbrough and current top two West Brom and Sunderland.
Pompey may be second from bottom, but they have only lost two of those meetings with the division's big hitters, drawing the other four. If spread evenly over the season, that would be a points return to be proud of for a newly-promoted team.
The bookmakers haven't accounted for that though, cutting Portsmouth into 5/4 second favourites for relegation.
Their fixtures now get markedly easier, with it reasonable to deem near enough every match until the new year distinctly winnable.
Like many, I really liked Pompey's chances this season having come up as champions, and now is the time to capitalise by backing PORTSMOUTH TO FINISH IN THE TOP HALF at 14/1.
They are considered by the market to be the side with the least chance - by some margin too - of finishing in the top half.
- Hull - 1/1
- Sheff Wed - 5/4
- Millwall - 11/8
- QPR - 6/4
- Stoke - 7/4
- Derby - 11/4
- Oxford - 3/1
- Preston - 4/1
- Cardiff - 9/1
- Plymouth - 10/1
- Portsmouth - 14/1
They were odds-on to do so before a ball was kicked, and nothing has changed since other than them being handed a deeply unfair opening set of fixtures.
Keep the faith.
Odds correct at 1540 BST (30/09/24)
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