EFL Cup Structure

The EFL Cup structure is as follows:

• Round One – Early August: 70 teams compete (22 Championship, 24 League 1, 24 League 2) across a Northern and Southern split 
• Round Two – Late August: A further 15 teams added (2 Championship, 13 Premier League)
• Round Three – September: The final seven EPL teams competing in Europe join at this stage
• Round Four – October: There are just 16 teams remaining at this stage
• Quarter-finals – December: The week before Christmas provides the last-eight action
• Semi-finals – January: Played over two legs, the semi-finals come shortly after the FA Cup third round
• Final – February: The EFL Cup final marks the first major final of English football’s domestic season

EFL Cup Betting Tips

Throughout the EFL Cup, the markets are likely to be updated with new odds spanning a range of different outcomes, including; the EFL Cup Winner, the EFL top scorer, and more.

Keeping up-to-date with all of the teams and players' form can help you to understand which odds are the best. For example, a team that started the season in poor form would be more likely to have higher odds of becoming EFL Cup winners. However, if this team picks up form as the season progresses, the chances of them becoming crowned champions could become more likely. The same can be said when betting on individual achievements such as the competition’s top scorer. If a player has found their form in the league, they might be able to take it into the EFL Cup, so it’s worth tracking their performances across all competitions to find the best odds.

When it comes to finding the best EFL Cup odds, you could also consider that the fixtures are played in-between league fixtures, so it is common for clubs to rest key players, leading to a potential upset.

As we mentioned already, the big difference between Carabao Cup betting and placing wagers on, for example, the FA Cup is that ties head straight to penalties if there is a draw. This means lower-ranked teams in Leagues One and Two have a greater chance of upsetting the bigger boys and securing against-the-odds victories via a shoot-out.

Seventeen of the 92 EFL Cup games last season went to penalties, with thirty of the games played in the 2021/22 season went to penalties. Not including the final where Manchester United beat Newcastle United 2-0.

Other tips include getting in early on one of the Premier League big boys to win the whole thing, backing a mid-table Premier League strike to win the golden boot, and being willing to wager on at least one Championship team reaching the semi-finals.

Carabao Cup Predictions

Historically this competition has produced some big shocks in the League Cup odds, but in recent years it’s all been about the Premier League’s big boys. Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea have dominated this competition over the past decade – and that is unlikely to change.

Contrary to popular belief, the big teams take the Carabao Cup seriously. They are able to rotate their squads to preserve their main players for later in the competition, and use the EFL Cup as a place to develop young talent.

The big upsets, then, are found lower down in the competition during the first and second rounds. Backing a League Two team to beat a Championship side at home is a much smarter bet than, say, a League One team to beat a weakened Premier League outfit.

To find more predictions for this season's competition, check out our EFL Betting Tips.