Latest Relegation Betting

Working on the assumption that Reading and QPR are already relegated (according to the online bookmakers' odds), Wigan's defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday leaves them as 11/8 favourites with the bookies to join them and be the third team to go down this season.

Wigan are now three points behind Aston Villa, Stoke City and Sunderland, but they do have a game in hand on all three. Of the three, only Villa (-24) have a worse goal difference than Wigan (-21), Stoke are -13 and Sunderland -8.

This basically means that Stoke and Sunderland have a one point advantage over Wigan and Villa, as level points would see Stoke and Sunderland safe on goal difference.

The fact that Wigan need to win their game in hand just to achieve parity, and that they need to finish on more points than either Stoke and Sunderland, is probably what is making them favourites for the drop.

Villa's form has picked up a bit lately, but with a young inexperienced side I wouldn't be laying them to go down at odds of 4.4, as they currently are on Betfair.

Stoke City are another side not used to fighting a relegation battle. There is a perception that they are perhaps too good to go down, but I wouldn't be buying into that as they are on such a poor run, they are under serious pressure and as I already said, they are not experienced when it comes to relegation fights.

Norwich are another team who should be looking over their shoulders. For a good few weeks now I've got the impression that Chris Hughton has been trying to draw his way too safety.

Sunderland will be revived by their recent 3-0 win over Newcastle, but they are still in the thick of the relegation fight. I suppose they have a manager with a good fight in him if nothing else.

Latest Relegation Betting

Reading - 1/150
QPR- 1/50
Wigan - 11/8
Aston Villa - 3/1
Stoke City - 9/2
Sunderland - 13/2
Norwich City - 9/1

The 9/1 on Norwich looks like it could be value. As I have already said they have been in a negative mode now for a few weeks. If all of a sudden they find themselves in the bottom three and in need of a win, could they be relied upon to get it?

It all depends on Wigan though. They are currently four points behind the Canaries, so have a bit of work to do to put real pressure on Chris Hughton's men.

Premier League Winner Odds Movement

Today saw another big move in the odds to win the Premier League as Manchester United extended their lead over Manchester City to 7 points with their last gasp win over Newcastle United at Old Trafford. And while they were doing that, Manchester City's title hopes faded again with defeat at Sunderland.

The best price with a small selection of online bookmakers for United is now 2/5 favourites, and City are 2nd favourites at around 4/1 now. The biggest mover of all seems to be Chelsea who are now available at between 6 and 8/1. While Arsenal are available at a token 80/1.

With the fact that United generally get stronger after Christmas, it's hard too see City catching them. But they still keep going behind in games, and I keep asking myself can they keep coming back and winning from losing positions? And at the moment, the answer is yes.

But the other factor in this, is that City don't look capable of putting a run together. In a way, United could be there for the taking if they keep conceding like they have been, but City look incapable of catching them.

So could Chelsea be dark horses? My immediate answer to that question would be no, but if they make a couple of decent January signings, then who knows.

Realistically though, they would surely need to go unbeaten for the rest of the season and would need to put an outstanding run of about 10 or 11 wins together, in their next 12 games to stand any chance.

It's a tall order, but stupider things have happened.

There are free bets available with all the bookmakers listed on this website to customers opening new accounts, these can be used to bet free with.