Championship Accumulator

Opening day always throws up some odd results and we’re hoping to capitalise by taking on expectant home sides in two of the three matches in this treble. Victories for Middlesbrough, Bolton and Bournemouth comes in at a best price of 19/1 with BetVictor.

Middlesbrough (3/4) to win at home to Birmingham City:

We start with what should be our banker. The Blues stayed up in miraculous fashion last season after a 93rd minute strike on the final day kept them up on goal difference. It triggered scenes of jubilation, but it also shows how close they are to being League One quality. When all said and done, Lee Clark’s boys lost five of their final six outings and drew the other one; they are lucky to be here.

In contrast, Boro won six of their final eight fixtures of 2013-14 to signal their intent to challenge properly this term. Aitor Karanka has also brought in summer reinforcements and three points for the hosts should be a given here.

Bournemouth (7/4) to win away to Huddersfield:

To the casual observer there may not appear to be much between these sides, but on closer inspection, the seaside club definitely should have the edge. The Cherries finished last season with the third best record from the final 15 matches in which they accrued 30 points and scored 30 goals. That suggests Eddie Howe is building a side that may even challenge for promotion before too long.

In contrast, Huddersfield finished with just two wins from the final 13 games of the campaign and could find themselves in a survival scrap this time around. The Terriers are likely to miss striker James Vaughan on Saturday and a home loss looks on the cards.

Bolton (16/5) to win away to Watford:

The Hornets endured a miserable 2013-14 which culminated in four straight defeats which means that head coach Guiseppe Sannino is under pressure from the outset here. The return of Matej Vydra on loan has dramatically raised expectations but he won’t improve a defence which conceded 64 times last season.

Visitors Bolton will arrive thinking that the future is also looking brighter for them, and perhaps with greater reason. The Trotters only lost one of their final 10 matches last season and finished looking like genuine play-off contenders in waiting, at the very least. At long odds, Freedman’s boys could put down a marker.