Best Games to Bet in the English Premier League
The 2022/23 English Premier League season is about to get underway, with the first matches set to take place on the first full weekend in August. According to the betting markets at least, the season appears to be a race in two, with Manchester City an odds on favourite to win what would be a third consecutive title, Liverpool sitting not too far them, and a significant gap back to the rest.
While the odds don’t always prove accurate, they are generally a good way to get a gauge on how things are likely to pan out both over the course of the season, and within individual matches. And for the punters out there, these betting markets will be scoured over the coming days for any value. With so many different betting agencies providing EPL markets, this value is invariably a little different from bookmaker to bookmaker, while other features can also help to make one betting site preferable to punt on the EPL with over another. For example, according to mybettingaustralia.com PlayUp review, PlayUp offers solid odds and a great betting experience with a slick website and great mobile app, making them one of the best options for seeking out Premier League value.
But regardless of who you choose to bet with, or whether you bet at all, it’s shaping up as another massive year in the biggest domestic football league in the world. With that in mind, let’s take a look at a couple of the biggest games set to take place over the first week of the 2022/23 season, and see how the bookmakers think they might play out.
Crystal Palace vs Arsenal
The very first game of the season will see Crystal Palace host Arsenal at Selhurst Park in a game which, on the surface, appears to present the Gunners with a great opportunity to get their season off to a winning start. Though Arsenal is expected to be a long way behind the top couple of sides this season, there is still plenty to be excited about, with a number of new players potentially making their debut under manager Mikel Arteta. The club has more depth than it did last season and will enter this year with a fit and ready to fire squad, and as the $1.75 are expected to begin their season with a win.
Crystal Palace, however, cannot be underestimated. The perennially mid-table club continued the trend that has emerged over the past near-decade last year in finishing 12th, though they were tough to beat at home, losing just four games at Selhurst Park all year. It’s also worth noting that last time they met, The Eagles were dominant on their home turf, demolishing the Gunners 3-0. With former gunner Patrick Vieira at the helm, they have improved their defence over the past year and should prove difficult to get past this season, particularly in Selhurst.
Despite that 3-0 drubbing last year, the home side is still paying $4.00 to win this game, with a draw viewed as slightly more likely at $3.75 and an Arsenal win the most probable outcome at $1.75. And it’s easy to understand why – the Gunners are undoubtedly the better team, and while Crystal Palace are likely to remain a mid-tier club this year, Arsenal will have hopes of finishing inside the top four. At the odds, however, and given the expectation that Crystal Palace should be improved defensively this year – combined with their record at home last year – there could be a little bit of value for a different result. A draw at $3.75 looks particularly tempting, and might be a better bet than the Gunners to win outright.
Fulham vs Liverpool
After alternating between the Championship and Premier League over the past few seasons, Fulham will be back playing with the big boys this year on the back of a Championship title. And what a way to be welcomed back. The step-up to the top tier will be about as palpable as it could be when they face Liverpool in the season opener, who are coming off one of their most successful seasons in history in terms of points scored and will be spurred on by the fact that, despite losing just two games, they weren’t able to lift the title last year.
Unsurprisingly, this incredibly talented squad is one of the favourites to do just that in 2022/23, though they are sitting behind the reigning back-to-back champions in Manchester City. Jorgen Klopp will lead much the same squad as he did so well last year, and with the Reds having won 16, drawn three and lost exactly zero of their last 19 Premier League games, it’s no surprise that they will head into this game as very heavy favourites.
In contrast, Fulham’s last appearance at this level came two years ago, a year in which they failed to win any of their last ten games – with eight of those resulting in losses. Incidentally, their last victory at this level did in fact come against Liverpool, but it’s very difficult to imagine that happening again here. And it’s safe to say that the oddsmakers agree; the Reds are paying just $1.25 to come away from Craven Cottage with a win, while the home side is at a whopping $9.50 and the draw at $5.25. There’s not a lot of value to be found for a Liverpool win, but it’s for good reason.
West Ham vs Man City
The most dominant team in English football over the past few years, Manchester City enters the 2022/23 season as the odds on favourite to take out the title; little surprise considering they have now won four of the last five after sneaking over the line against Liverpool last season. They were virtually unbeatable throughout much of that campaign, losing just one of their last 28 and winning 23 of them. It’s not a bad record, and one which would strike fear into almost any opponent.
Indicative of just how dominant Manchester City is the ease with which they are expected to win this game. West Ham are certainly no slouches – they finished in seventh last season and actually caused City a few issues in their two matchups, losing the first 2-1 before drawing the second 2-2, the latter of which forced the title race to the final day of the season. This season, the Irons sit in eighth in terms of title favouritism, and though it’s worth noting that’s only enough to have them at $151, it does still indicate that they should be a competitive team throughout the season.
But despite that, they are given very minimal chance of winning this game, even on their home soil – on which they boasted a 9-5-5 record last season. The home side is paying $7.75 to earn a victory in their first outing of the year, while a draw is at $5.25. Unsurprisingly given they won 23 of their last 28 games last season, there’s not a whole lot of value around Manchester City, who are at $1.28 for a win. Like with Liverpool, however, there is a good reason for those short odds.
It’s only been a few months since Manchester City memorably scraped over the line on the final day of the 2021/22 season to win their second title in a row, but for football lovers that has been more than enough. The 31st season of the EPL, and 124th of top-level English football, will kick off on the 4th of August with a game between Crystal Palace and Arsenal, before the two nominal favourites to battle it out for this year’s title get their respective campaigns underway over the following couple of days. As always, there are plenty of storylines to follow heading into the season and many more which will develop over the coming weeks and months, and it’s sure to be yet another fascinating season of English Premier League action.