Express & Star

Baggies to be champions? Wolves or Walsall in the Premier League? How to cash in with the best odds on our teams

After a 5,000/1 footballing success in the East Midlands, Pete Cashmore takes a look at where the best value bets are to be found in the west side of the region.

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In the aftermath of Leicester City's improbable Premier League triumph, which saw some lucky fans very much quids in after taking advantage of odds as high as 5,000/1 on their team winning the title, it's understandable that high street bookmakers are being a little cautious with their football odds for the near future.

Even so, there are still some enticing odds on offer for any West Midlands fans who fancy backing up their love for their football team with a flutter or two.

For example, any West Bromwich Albion fan who feels that their team could 'do a Leicester' next season and win English football's top prize, should be advised that Ladbrokes are currently offering odds of 1,000/1 on the Baggies bringing home the title.

Obviously, Wolves will not be winning the Premier League next season, but if they can find a way of getting promoted and then win the League by 2020, the juicy odds of 1,000/1 could reap some rich rewards.

Out of darkness cometh cash, it seems.

  • West Bromwich Albion to win the Premier League in 2016/17 - 1000/1

  • Wolves to win the Premier League by 2020 - 1000/1

  • Aston Villa to gain immediate promotion, and then win the Premier League the following season - 2000/1

  • Aston Villa to suffer 'double drop' relegation - 20/1

  • Walsall to win the Premier League by 2020 - 2000/1

  • Gabby Agbonlahor to be 2016/17 Championship top scorer - 20/1

  • Tony Pulis to be next England manager - 66/1

  • Steve Bull to be next Wolves manager - 50/1

  • Tom Bradshaw to win Euro 2016 Golden Boot - 500/1

  • Saido Berahino to be future captain of England - 10/1

  • Wolves to win Championship in 2016/17 - 20/1

  • Wolves to be promoted - 4/1

  • Villa to be promoted - 9/2

  • Walsall to win promotion from Championship - 9/1

  • Wolves to be relegated to League One in 2016/17 - 25/1

First, though, they have to win promotion from the Championship, and on the evidence provided this season, their odds of winning the Championship next season - 20/1 - may seem somewhat optimistic.

Interestingly, Ladbrokes believe they are roughly as likely to be heading in the opposite direction, with the odds on their relegation to League One being 25/1.

If you REALLY want to take a big money flutter, then it's worth sticking a fiver on the West Midlands' feelgood club, Walsall, pulling off a double-whammy and making it into the Premier League (and winning it) by 2020. That fiver you stuck on will come back as £10,000, thanks to odds of 2,000/1.

Poor old Aston Villa, as if being relegated wasn't bad enough, suffer the ignominy of being just 20/1 to suffer a 'double drop' relegation in the manner of Wolves.

This is apparently seen to be 100 times more likely than their regaining their Premier League status at the first time of asking, and then winning the Premier League the following season, at 2,000/1.

Assuming that Walsall win promotion into the Championship, there's the slightest possibility of seeing three Black Country teams promoted in one go next season.

Wolves are backed at 4/1 to win promotion, with Villa at 9/2 and Walsall at 9/1, so if you feel in the mood for an accumulator, a bet of one pound will win you £162.

If you decide to go even further and punt on Wolves winning the division, the odds become an intriguing 810/1.

However, it's much more lucrative to take the pessimistic view - an accumulator on Wolves, Villa and Walsall all being relegated is 1,500/1.

Elsewhere, you can get odds of 66/1 on Tony Pulis being named as the next England manager; an intriguing 50/1 on Steve Bull being instated as the next Wolves boss; and a distinctly short 20/1 on Gabby Agbonlahor (presumably after shedding a few pounds) firing his way to being next season's Championship top scorer.

But it seems like the bookies may know something that we don't, with the somewhat implausible notion of Saido Berahino being a future England captain enjoying odds of just 10/1.

The most attractive odds on offer, surely, would have to be those of 500/1 on Walsall's Tom Bradshaw, recently called up for his international debut, earning himself the Euro 2016 Golden Boot playing for Wales.

Alex Donohue of Ladbrokes said: "Following the Leicester fairytale we're not going to be as generous with our odds for next season. The story is an inspiration to football teams and fans across the region and country and we're sure plenty of fans in the West Midlands will be hoping some of the magic rubs off on their side."

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