Analyzing the psychological toll of the Championship playoffs and how to bet on them

The Championship playoffs can either be seen as a Hail Mary opportunity for teams that surged into the top six during the season's run-in or they can represent a potential car crash for clubs that narrowly missed out on automatic promotion.

Indeed, the fact that the third-placed side accumulated 20 more points than the club in sixth no longer holds any significance. What matters now is who turns up to win the richest game in soccer. So, with this potential minefield ahead in terms of predicting the right outcome, what should bettors keep in mind?

The tortuous task of winning soccer's richest game

With $470 million on offer to the winner of the final, the playoffs are notorious for teams choking under the pressure to deliver a new prosperous dawn for their club. This is why teams that are tipped to win beforehand often struggle to perform as the severe consequences of having an off-day take hold of everyone from top to bottom at a club.

This was most evident when Leeds United played Derby County in the 2018/2019 playoff semifinals. Boasting a 7-1 season aggregate, the Whites had established complete superiority over the Rams in the three matches they played leading up to the second leg at Elland Road. However, the wheels spectacularly came off for Leeds with the Wembley arch in sight, eventually going on to lose 4-2 on the night as Derby progressed.



Leeds’ tendency to fold under pressure to one side, the wider point is that it pays to consider a club’s historical response to tension because there is nowhere to hide in the playoffs where any weakness is brutally exploited.

Minimizing the risk of betting on an outright winner

To that end, backing a good team with a psychological vulnerability has the potential to be a surprising and ultimately painful process as the demons of the past come back to haunt the present.



In the event you are certain that a team with a dubious relationship with pressure can overcome the here and now, then it might be wise to use a free bet as an insurance policy to minimize your risk.

If your current bookmaker isn’t offering any ongoing promotions during the playoffs, then you could go down the route of signing up with a new bookmaker who will offer some type of free bet as an incentive for opening an account with them. If you are not familiar with this process, it is very similar to any casino sign up bonus offer where you are given free spins which essentially, let you take a free hit at winning the jackpot. Much like the playoffs, if you aren't successful, there’s no harm done.

Focus on goals

You might then ask what to bet on if the match-winner market is fraught with uncertainty. Most of the time, it’s prudent to capitalize on the goal market during the playoffs. This can either mean using the both teams to score or the over/under goal markets. In essence, you want to take advantage of what might either be a cagey or chaotic tie without nailing your colors to the mast.

Furthermore, the first legs are normally watchful encounters while the second legs can lead to more of a basketball match as clubs throw caution to the wind as they chase the game. The actual final is typically a low-scoring affair with only two of the last 11 editions of the Championship final seeing over 2.5 goals scored.

Cracking the Championship's playoff code

In a series of matches as complex as the playoffs, you have to be a brave bettor to categorically say who might win them. However, you can stay clear of any sting in the tail by focusing on goals, or lack thereof, while the teams fight it out to win the most lucrative tournament in soccer.