Blackpool v West Ham United: Championship play-off final betting special
The Championship play-off final is reportedly worth £90 million to the winner, but it could also be worth a few bob to you too.
Blackpool and West Ham United are desperate to cap an immediate return to the Premier League. The Hammers should have sealed automatic promotion, but their poor home form and a string of draws ultimately cost them as Reading went into overdrive.
The Seasiders finished 11 points behind the Hammers in the league but that doesn't mean anything now. The Premier League awaits and the top table will welcome its latest addition following 90 fraught minutes or so at Wembley.
But if you want to cash in on the play-off final then I've got all the latest betting odds for you.
The Hammers are strong favourites to win promotion inside 90 minutes. They are Evens at Coral, Ladbrokes, William Hill and Sky Bet. But if you think Blackpool will make a swift return to the top flight in regulation time then get down to BlueSquare as they are offering odds of 13/5.
With so many quality marksman on show picking the first goalscorer could be tricky. Ricardo Vaz Te and Carlton Cole are both 6/1 at Ladbrokes, while the evergreen Kevin Phillips and Nicky Maynard, who scored only his second Hammers' goal since joining from Bristol City, are 8/1. Kevin Nolan, Gary Taylor-Fletcher, John Carew and Roman Bednar are all 9/1.
Stephen Dobie, who helped Blackpool on their way with the opener in the play-off semi-final at Birmingham, is 10/1 with Paddy Power, along with Matt Phillips and Sam Baldock with Ladbrokes. Blackpool's influential midfielder Thomas Ince, who will face a torrent of abuse thanks to his old man, is 11/1 to open the scoring.
West Ham defender George McCartney, who has only ever scored twice in his professional career - both for the Irons, is 66/1 to break the deadlock.
If you think the game is too close to call and think it could go to extra-time and penalties then this past is for you. For the Hammers to win in extra-time they are 9/1 and 11/1 to win on penalties. Blackpool meanwhile are 11/1 to win in extra-time and 18/1 to win on spot kicks.
However, if you think West Ham will have it all sown up by then, this is for you. For Allardyce to lead his side back to the top flight 1-0 it's 8/1 with BetVictor, they are 17/2 at Stan James to win 2-1 and 21/2 at BetVictor for 2-0. For a 3-0 win for the Hammers it's 20/1 at BetVictor and 28/1 at BlueSquare for 3-2. Anything over that and you are looking at odds of 33/1.
If you think the sun will shine on the Seasiders though stay with BetVictor. Holloways's men are 12/1 to win 1-0, 22/1 for 2-0 and 12/1 for 2-1. If you think they can repeat their play-off final result of 2010 where they beat Cardiff City 3-2, you'll get odds of 40/1.
The game promises goals. In the two meetings already this season the Hammers have scored eight to Blackpool's one. But those games mean nothing nothing now. Can Blackpool beat the Hammers in league football for the first time since 1966 or will the Hammers squash the Tangerines?
Whatever way it finishes, it should prove to be another play-off final cracker.
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