EFL Play-offs Betting Tips

The EFL Play-offs are some of the biggest games in the world. Whether you're familiar with the teams involved or not, the passion shown by both sides as they look to be promoted to a higher tier is gripping entertainment. If you're looking to bet on both Coventry City Vs Luton Town and Carlisle United Vs Stockport County. We have betting tips for both games below.

Luton Town vs Coventry City: The richest game in football?

Five years ago, Coventry City and Luton Town were playing each other in League Two. Fast forward to 2023 and they are fighting for a spot in the English Premier League in a game worth well over £100 million.

Luton were the first side to book their spot in the final with a 3-2 aggregate victory over Sunderland. After falling to a 2-1 defeat at the Stadium of Light, Rob Edwards’ side scored two first-half goals to secure a place at Wembley. The Hatters also flexed their defensive muscles in the return leg by limiting Sunderland to a single shot on target.

Coventry City had to produce a result away from the Coventry Building Society Arena to ensure they were playing in the final. The Sky Blues travelled to the Riverside and left with a win via Gustavo Hamer’s curling effort and, much like Luton, limited the opposition to only one shot on target.

Luton Town are currently slight favourites to make it to the Premier League at 27/20 with BetUK while Coventry City are out at 23/10 to leave Wembley victorious.

Bet on the Championship Play-Off Final

Due to these teams being built on solid defensive foundations, it's also worth noting it’s currently 11/5 for it to be a draw after 90 minutes.

They are playing for the richest prize in football - but who will you back to earn a place in the Premier League? Let’s take a closer look…

Road to the final

Coventry and Luton boasted two of the top four defences in the EFL Championship, so it is no surprise that they were not able to be separated in both their league games this season - a 2-2 draw in September was followed by a 1-1 draw in February.

Throughout the season, it has proven to be a tough test to break either of these sides down. Steely defensive performances have become a trademark for both, leaving each team with 20 clean sheets apiece during the league season.

Both sides' impressive rearguard action is also reflected in the over/under goals market. Luton are ranked bottom in the Championship for games involving over 2.5 goals (14 of 46 games), while Coventry placed 22nd (16 of 46).

Yet they are virtually inseparable when it comes to attacking output. Mark Robins’ side have a slight advantage in the offensive department, scoring 58 goals throughout the league season, while the Hatters sit a sole goal behind with 57. Those totals ranked seventh and 10th in the division respectively.

The underlying statistics suggest Luton play more on the front foot, enjoying more possession and taking a much higher defensive line on average, yet Coventry have nonetheless accumulated a higher xG reflecting an effective style of their own.

Everything indicates that this one will be extremely close, which is why 4/6 odds on under 2.5 goals seems a sensible shot.

Key Battles

Whether it’s scoring or providing goals, not many in the Championship have been more prolific than Coventry’s Viktor Gyökeres. The Swedish international has been involved in 32 goals for the Sky Blues - scoring 21 and assisting 11. He’ll be looking to add to his impressive season, and as an anytime goalscorer, he seems a solid bet to find the net.

The man entrusted to defend Gyokeres is Tom Lockyer. The 28-year-old centre-back has been a stalwart at the back for Luton - earning him their player of the season award - but he’s also offered his own threat in the opposition box.

Lockyer has been on the scoresheet in three of the last four games he’s started and he scored in February’s meeting between these two, you can add him to your BetBuilder here.

Saturday’s game will also host an intriguing battle of midfield maestros as Gustavo Hamer and Marvelous Nakamba take to the field.

Since arriving in January, Nakamba has truly lived up to his name, helping Luton to a stretch of 14 games without defeat between February and their play-off first leg. As for Hamer, our custom midfield radar template suggests he offers just as much as Nakamba in recovering the ball and interceptions but far, far more in goal threat, passing and carrying.

Hamer is, essentially, the heartbeat of the Coventry midfield and has reached double figures in both goals (10) and assists (10) this campaign.

You can select him to either score or assist in the game here.

Our Prediction

This game is extremely tough to call and we don’t think anything will separate these two when they take the hallowed turf of Wembley. Therefore, we're backing a low-scoring draw preceding an extra-time nail-biter. And if we’re lucky, a dramatic penalty shoot-out to round off an unforgettable Championship season.

Bet Builder top tip: A draw in 90 mins and under 2.5 goals - 13/5.

Place our Bet Builder for Coventry Vs Luton

*All odds correct at time of publication

Carlisle United Vs Stockport County: Back to Back Promotions for the Hatters?

Carlisle and Stockport entered the League Two play-offs as the two top-ranked sides so perhaps it is no surprise that they have made it through to Wembley for a place in League One next season.

These sides played out enthralling play-off semi-finals, both coming from 1-0 down in the first leg.

Stockport were beaten by Salford away in their semi before turning the tie around back at home, winning 1-0 in normal time.

Salford regained the lead in the 112th minute but Stockport dug deep to equalise before they were victorious in the penalty shootout.

Carlisle fell to defeat in their first leg against Bradford but an own goal from Bradley Halliday in the second leg sent the game to extra-time.

Callum Guy netted for the hosts before Bradford managed an equaliser with Ben Barclay eventually scoring the winner for Paul Simpson’s side to send them to Wembley.

There they face Stockport, with County winning the first previous meeting this season before the pair shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw in April.

Tip 1 - Under 2.5 goals @ 11/25

Recent League Two play-off finals have tended to be high-scoring affairs, with four of the last six featuring over 2.5 goals.

However, nine of Carlisle’s last 11 games have had under 2.5 goals and that is 11/25 to land in what may be a cagey clash.

Kyle Wootton received the Player of the Year and Player’s Player of the Year trophies at this year’s Stockport end of season awards but County will be without their talisman for this clash as he recovers from injury.

The forward was their top scorer this season and netted in the first meeting between these two earlier in the campaign, and will be a big miss for the final.

Paddy Madden and Will Collar are likely to shoulder the goalscoring responsibilities in his absence.

Only the top two conceded fewer goals this season than these two teams and given the occasion this is likely to be a cagey clash

Tip 2 - Carlisle to win @ 41/20

As well as their strong defensive traits, Carlisle were also one of the top scoring teams in the division this season, netting 66 times in 46 matches.

Kristian Dennis has top-scored this season with 20 league goals but has struggled to replicate his red-hot early-season form recently, netting just three times in his last 18 matches.

Paul Simpson’s side have done a good job of sharing around the goals, with 18 different goalscorers this term and that could be key in this final with big performances needed from across the pitch.

This looks set to be a very tight affair, but at the prices Carlisle may be worth siding with at 41/20.

The Cumbrians looked the real deal in the second leg against Bradford and a replication of that form in the final may well be good enough to secure them a place in League One.