Football betting tips: Championship play-off final
2pts Sheffield United to win at 7/5 (General)
1pt Under 1.5 goals at 7/4 (Paddy Power)
1pt Sydie Peck to score anytime at 11/1 (Sky Bet)
0.5pt Peck to score 2+ goals at 225/1 (Betfair, Paddy Power)
0.5pt Sheffield United to win 1-0 at 11/2 (General)
*All bets in 90 minutes
Joe Townsend
Chris Wilder's side were 7/4 to be promoted before the play-offs began and can still be backed at 7/5 TO WIN IN 90 MINUTES at Wembley.
The Blades could hardly have been more impressive in the semi-finals, beating Bristol City 3-0 in both legs to record the biggest ever aggregate victory in Championship play-off history. Sunderland, meanwhile, are hugely fortunate to be here.
Regis Le Bris' men were Dan Ballard was left unmarked at a corner to score a last-gasp goal in extra time, sending the Stadium of Light wild after watching their players spend most of the second leg in survival mode.
Sheffield United are unlikely to be so generous, meaning Sunderland will need to somehow rediscover their early-season form to upset the odds and return to the top flight for the first time since 2017, a feat that feels even more unlikely given they ended the regular campaign with five straight defeats.
There's no escaping the fact the Blades head to Wembley under greater pressure, and with the baggage of history having never successfully emerged from a play-off campaign.
If there was ever a scenario where everything was stacked in their favour to break that chain, this is it.
Score prediction: Sheff Utd 2-0 Sunderland
Tom Carnduff
I’m trying to talk myself into taking a "don’t overthink it" approach for this play-off finals weekend.
Sheffield United are better than Sunderland. They’ve shown this throughout the course of the season and one crucial week of poor results was what ultimately derailed their hopes of automatic promotion.
But this is the beauty of the format. It’s a one-off game. Better teams have, can and will be beaten when it’s a single meeting across 90 minutes.
So there is some slight reluctance to back the Blades, even more so when 11s is available on SYDIE PECK TO SCORE ANYTIME.
This was a losing selection when backed in the first leg of their semi-final but his performance offered much encouragement, with his four shots that night the most of any player on the pitch.
We’ve seen an increase in shot volume as the season has progressed.
Across his last 10 starts the midfielder has returned 26 shots - 15 of which have been from inside the box - but hasn't managed to find the net. He's had chances from close range and also possesses the ability and bravery to try his luck from elsewhere.
With no scientific evidence behind it, I’m convinced the Wembley goals offer far more encouragement to a player who isn’t scared of taking a potshot from distance. They just look bigger.
Oh, and I know play-offs are typically low-scoring, but I’ll have to take the 225/1 on PECK TO SCORE 2+ GOALS given the amount of efforts he's had of late.
Across his aforementioned 10-game run Peck had at least two shots on seven occasions.
Score prediction: Sheff Utd 2-0 Sunderland
Jake Osgathorpe
Finals are generally miserable for neutrals. Very rarely do they excite in the way we want, with one team taking the lead and shutting up shop.
Palace's FA Cup success, Spurs' Europa League victory and Southampton's Championship play-off final win last season are just three you can add to a growing list.
This feels likely to them, which means we have to back UNDER 1.5 GOALS.
With the stakes so high, no one wants to take a risk. That ultimately leads to low-scoring contests, with this bet winning in seven of the last 12 Championship play-off finals.
Given the stand-off-ish nature of both teams - happy to sit and counter - this could become a very ive game with little in the way of clinical opportunities and maybe one moment of quality proving to be the difference.
Sheffield United have shown all season long how strong they are defensively, and if they get the first goal, the game could well be over. So I'm willing to do something I rarely would and back SHEFFIELD UNITED TO WIN 1-0 in the correct score market.
Since the play-off final moved to back to (the new) Wembley, eight of the 18 showpieces have finished 1-0 after 90 minutes. I'll give the nod to the better, more experienced team who also happen to have more individual quality too.
Score prediction: Sheff Utd 1-0 Sunderland
Odds correct at 1500 BST (22/5/25)
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