League One Betting Predictions, Top Scorer, 1-24, Odds 2025/26

Read our expert insights, predictions and tips for the 2025/26 EFL League One season as we look at odds for the winner, promotion, relegation and the top goalscorer, as well as a 1-24.

After a decent go at the predictions last season, we are back with this season's predictions for the upcoming League One season. I have also signed up to stick my neck out a little more with a 1-24, so stay tuned for that.

Before we get into it, I will start (and repeat throughout) that League One is a really tough task this season to predict, but I'm going to do my best anyway. I have reviewed the statistics, teams, and transfers, and I think I've compiled a decent list of odds.

League One is notoriously difficult to predict, but here we go.

Who Will Win the League One Title?

Picking the winner of League One this season is incredibly difficult, more so than last year, but I think the title will be between two teams.

Firstly, I'm going with Luton Town. The signings made by the Hatters so far have been superb, and they have added a lot of quality from the get-go. This is without even considering the talent already present at the club.

Then, you have to consider the strength of their manager, Matt Bloomfield. He massively overachieved with Wycombe last season, and I think he can provide another strong base here. However, I do have a slight concern.

Back-to-back relegations have significant effects on the mental side of a team, and this could be a massive stumbling block for the side this year. We saw how long it took for Sunderland to recover, and whilst I think the Hatters are being smarter with their business, they are not invincible against these risks.

Then, for the second year running, I am backing Huddersfield Town to do well. Last season, the club were marred with injuries and instability. A reset took place at the tail end of last season, started by the sacking of Michael Duff and later Mark Cartwright.

The hiring of Lee Grant is a questionable one, indeed. His first senior management job, definitely a risk, considering what is at stake for the Terriers. However, that does not mean that it cannot work.

Investment has been smart so far (at the time of writing this in late July), and there have not been any real casualties to allow spending. So, I think they have a fair chance of doing well next season.

Who Will Gain Promotion From League One?

Coming past those two, there are several teams that have a fair chance of promotion from League One this season. In fact, I think predicting this mix is a lot more difficult than the title, which I guess is probably expected.

I think from the relegated sides, Cardiff City are the most likely to get themselves into the play-off mix, just due to the sense of inevitability that surrounded the club at the tail end of last season. Relegation was not an unexpected event, but rather the result of a mismanaged club.

Over the summer, work has been done in an attempt to start rebuilding things; however, I do not think that everything has been done to secure an automatic spot. It is a very mixed squad, and Brian Barry-Murphy has the players to do well. Doing so is another thing entirely; again, he is untested in this capacity.

I would also put forward Stockport City at the top end of this play-off mix. Dave Challinor is a coach that I have liked for a while now, and I think he has the capability to get Stockport fighting again this season.

After losing a few key players in January last season, he adapted and got his side back into the play-offs. County are on a firmly upward trajectory and I cannot see them slowing down again this season.

Sticking in the North West, Bolton Wanderers' chances are really interesting to me, and I backed them to do well last season. So, like with Huddersfield, I am going back in with a second bite of the cherry.

With time to assess his squad in a league setting, I think Steven Schumacher has the chance to do some brilliant work outside of Manchester this season, and Wanderers have the squad to at least challenge for promotion. It is very much a new era, and Schumacher is the right man to lead it forward.

Finally, rounding off the top six, I was torn between Blackpool and Reading, though I have decided to go with the former. Steve Bruce set his side up well last season, and with some nice moves in the market so far, they look like a strong side heading into next season.

Whilst not a beautiful side to watch, the Tangerines will create issues for teams this year, and the Brucey Boys could really be a threat towards the top end.

As for Plymouth Argyle, I think the farce with former coach Miron Muslic may prove to have been costly, as planning for this season was set back a fair while. However, Tom Cleverley is a fantastic coach who will do well for the Pilgrims.

Who Will Be Relegated From League One?

With the top end of the table looked at, now we need to look at the bottom side of the division, and there are some standout teams for me in the relegation picture, once again this year.

I'm going to start with Northampton Town, who are most likely to go down, I believe. The Cobblers ended the season pretty dismally, and their pre-season campaign has not given me much hope either.

Some interesting moves have been made, but I cannot see them faring too well this season, and I am not too confident of their chances of safety.

Following them, I am going with Mansfield Town, who started last season rather well but quickly fell off into a difficult position. Of course, things can change over the summer, but their recruitment does not show much of them moving into a position of safety, admittedly.

The investments made do not look to be enough to elevate them past the levels towards the end of last season, whilst some key figures have departed for new pastures. I just don't think there is enough there.

A shock, perhaps, here is for Rotherham United to finish in the bottom four. However, I cannot look past them. The Millers have failed to hire an exciting new head coach, and this already does not fill me with hope for their season.

Business conducted so far this summer also feels like doing things on the cheap, and the main parts of the squad are not good enough to avoid a drop, I don't think. Considering they were only relegated last season, it looks like it could be two in two years for the South Yorkshire outfit.

Finally, I think a lot of questions can be asked about Bradford City, though I think they could end up in a close situation come May. The big issue I have is a lack of quality; there are definitely a few players that you look at as possible League One players.

However, defensively, there is a lot that I look at and think 'is that going to be enough', and with League One looking really strong this season, they may be an immediate casualty at the bottom end of the league.

Who Will Be League One’s Top Scorer?

I'm torn between two for the league's top goalscorer, Elijah Adebayo from Luton, and the one who I think is ridiculously overpriced, Joe Taylor, the Huddersfield Town striker.

Scoring 21 times in the 2023/24 season, we know that the Welshman can score goals at this level, and Huddersfield's decision to spend heavily on the striker in January only proves this further.

A smart forward, he should partner well with new addition Alfie May - who paired excellently with Jay Stansfield last season - and I think the marks are there for him to do well. At a staggering 40/1, with four E/W places, I think the striker could be a fantastic pick of value for us here.