EFL Championship 2024/25: The dramatic fight for promotion

With the EFL Championship play-offs now underway, Ladbrokes takes a look at the ongoing battle for promotion to the Premier League.

With Leeds United and Burnley both securing their promotion back to the Premier League with wins on Easter Monday, all eyes now turn to the play-offs, as the remaining teams fight it out for a ticket to the top flight.

The Championship play-offs are notoriously hard to call, and the inevitable drama was more than provided in the two semi-final ties.

Sheffield United and Sunderland had been sure of their play-off spots for some time, while Coventry and Bristol City did enough on the final day of the season to finish inside the top six and continue their push for the Premier League.

Last season's play-offs were won by Southampton, who are currently on track to record one of the lowest point hauls in Premier League history, and with Leicester and Ipswich also relegated already, the jump from the Championship to the top flight has proven to be too much in recent years.

Sheffield United - who ended up 10 points outside of the top two - comfortably dispatched of underdogs Bristol City to secure their spot in the Wembley final, recording the largest aggregate win of any team in Championship play-off history. Chris Wilder's Blades are the current favourites to join Leeds and Burnley in next season's Premier League, but have to get bast a buoyant Sunderland.

The Black Cats scored a dramatic extra-time winner against Coventry to book their place in 'the richest game in football', with Dan Ballard heading home to cause pandemonium at the Stadium of Light.

For Sheffield United, a Wembley win would see a Premier League return after just one year away, while Sunderland are looking to put an end to nine-year absence and finally return to the top flight.

View the latest football odds.

All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.