Championship title race heats up as strugglers sink - odds watch

We're approaching the midway point of the Championship season, and the races at the top and bottom of the table are heating up. The title race has no distinct front-runner and at the bottom of the table, no team is dead and buried yet.

Sheffield United lead title race, but not by much

At present, there is a disparity between the league leaders and the odds leaders. Sheffield United are currently the leaders of the pack in England's second division, and their win against Sunderland extended their lead at the top to two points. However, they are still 4/1 to go up from the Championship as league winners. For them to achieve promotion, they are at 8/11 on BetVictor.

You may be asking then, who are the favourites to win the title? Well, that would be Leeds United. The West Yorkshire outfit still remain the bookies' favourites by a considerable margin, with odds of 3/4. The loss against Blackburn this weekend will not have had much of an effect on their season, and Daniel Farke will expect his side to bounce back in this weekend's fixtures.

Going back to table order, we next have Scott Parker's Burnley, who have certainly been having an interesting season so far. The Clarets have been surrounded by rumours this season, but they have been fighting at the top end of the division and sit second currently. Their odds for winning the title certainly are not generous, though - 8/1.

Another team that is causing a lot of intrigue is Middlesbrough. In recent weeks the Teessiders have been superb and they have scored goals for fun. If there is a team that will break into the title race from the 'promotion' race, I think it could be Michael Carrick's team, and they are fourth favourites in the market at 11/1.

Sunderland and Watford will also be contesting for the title, but I cannot say I feel too strongly about their chances. Watford have progressed in recent weeks, and have been unbeaten in their last four games, and they are priced at 200/1. Things are better in the North-East in terms of odds, and the Wearside team are 20/1 to win the league.

Danger grows for Hull as Tigers fade away

There cannot be league leaders without a relegation battle, and the Championship is delivering once again.

Plymouth Argyle are the favourites to go down currently, and Wayne Rooney's Pilgrims are struggling at the bottom of the table. With 10 goals conceded in four days, things are incredibly bleak, and I cannot say I'm too confident about their chances if things stay as they are, 8/15 looks like a generous price for them currently.

Two of the sides promoted from League One follow next on the odds list - Oxford United and Portsmouth, and they are both priced at Evens. Pompey sit at rock bottom of the table currently, and life back in the second division is rather difficult. Oxford, on the other hand, sit in a slightly better position, outside of the bottom three, but not safe by any means.

QPR and Hull follow next in the odds, and both have a serious chance of relegation, especially the Tigers. The Yorkshire outfit have not won a game in two months, and there are no signs of this changing at present aside from a new manager coming in - 4/1 is a very generous price we think. The team the Tigers last won against was QPR, and they are in a difficult place. Wins are hard to come by, and odds of 7/4 are quite generous.