The Carabao Cup Round One action offers football punters their first full English domestic slate of the season on Saturday afternoon, with no less than 29 fixtures taking place.
Odds Now’s Matt Hill picks out a five-fold accumulator to hopefully help punters get their new season up and running!
Carabao Cup betting tips for Saturday August 8th, 2026
West Ham to beat Portsmouth - 6/11
It’s been a while since West Ham had to enter the Carabao Cup at round one but I’m expecting the Hammers to take care of fellow Championship side Portsmouth here.
Made the clear favourites for next season’s second-tier title, there are sure to be a few bumps in the road for Nuno Espirito Santo’s men but I do think they are worthy favourites on the basis of possessing a high-quality squad – spearheaded by England ace Jarrod Bowen who has admirably opted to stay put in East London.
Whether Bowen and Co play here remains to be seen but I think it’s imperative that they make a good start here, to get fans back on side after what was a bitterly disappointing 2025-26 season.
Pompey are a tough side to gauge in terms of the new campaign with both a play-off push and a relegation battle hard to rule out entirely.
It’s silly to read too much into pre-season results but going winless against the likes of Bristol Rovers, Wycombe and Darmstadt is hardly ideal preparation and fans seem concerned that John Mousinho is still working out his best team this summer.
All told, neither side is likely to be at full throttle but I’d be shocked if the hosts don’t come through here.
Burnley to beat Notts County - 1/2
Another relegated Premier League side are next on my list, with a transitional Burnley side still likely to have too much quality for League One’s Notts County.
It’s great to see the Magpies back in the third tier, with over a decade having passed since their last campaign at the level. They needed four seasons to navigate their way out of a tricky National League but exited League Two in only three when smashing Salford 3-0 in last term’s play-off final.
Expectations for the season appear mixed among fans and pundits alike, and I think when all is said and done, most would settle for a steady lower-midtable finish.
The Clarets, meanwhile, have their eyes on a quick return to the top flight and they certainly know the blueprint. Their last five seasons read; Premier League relegation, Championship promotion, Premier League relegation, Championship promotion, Premier League relegation.
So, you could certainly make a case that the 100/30 on them going up this season is quite attractive. There has been a lot of churn though, including in the dugout, where it’s fair to say Belgian boss Nicky Hayen’s appointment has the potential to go either way.
Still, I think there’s a real quality gulf between these two squads and with home advantage added in, Burnley should be capable of getting past their stubborn opponents.
Salford to beat Shrewsbury - 8/15
Salford have arguably been the plunge of the summer’s ante post markets in the EFL thus far, trimmed from an initial price of 11/1 into a best quote of 11/2 as I type.
The Ammies have broken punters’ hearts on many occasions in recent seasons with near misses and blowing promising positions, but their big spending this summer – led by the capture of Millwall forward Macauley Langstaff – suggests they are throwing everything at the title this term.
Langstaff has already found the net four times in pre-season and the 3/1 favourite for League Two’s Golden Boot will be keen to get his campaign up and running here against fellow basement outfit Shrewsbury.
Salop needed a late-season rally to avoid a dreaded double relegation into the non-league last term and Gavin Cowan deserves credit for securing safety. But it’s not an appointment that screams excitement and the Shrews seem to be a club treading water currently.
Both sides will be keen to lay down a marker here and I find myself agreeing with the market that Salford have the tools to navigate their visitors and book a spot in round two.
Blackburn to beat Burton - 13/10
Finally, we head over to the Midlands, where Blackburn look an attractive price to get past their League One hosts Burton.
There’s a feel-good factor around Rovers this summer after the return of popular boss Tony Mowbray. The experienced 62-year-old enjoyed a successful stint at Ewood Park between 2017 and 2022 so his rapport with the club’s fanbase is strong – a major advantage, one would suggest.
Priced at 9/2 for relegation, bookmakers think a tough campaign lies ahead. I actually feel more optimistic than that with Mowbray at the wheel, however. He knows the division inside out and is a great developer of young talent, so I can see me wanting to get with Rovers in these early weeks.
Burton are set for a season of struggle themselves, which has become the norm for the Brewers in recent times. They are 6/4 for the drop in League One and if they are to stay up, it’s only likely to be down to their excellent boss – ex-Blackburn man Gary Bowyer.
The hosts have financial issues, having lost a projected £5.5million last term according to their owners. This year, the target is to lose only £2.75million, so exits for key players have been sanctioned and overall, I’m feeling quite cold on their prospects.
At the prices, I’m more than happy to back the higher-tier side to win this.
Matt Hill’s four-fold accumulator for Carabaro Cup Round One
2pts - West Ham to beat Portsmouth, Burnley to beat Notts County, Salford to beat Shrewsbury + Blackburn to beat Burton - 7.08/1 (PricedUp)
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Matt Hill is Odds Now's Head of Content and leads our digital operation, while also offering his insight as a tipster across darts and football.
Having worked in the industry for the best part of a decade, including extended stints with Betfred and LiveScore, Matt joined the project in May 2024 with the sole aim of making Odds Now a key player in the betting content space.
He has also forged a reputation as a respected darts tipster, landing numerous three-figure outright winners over the years, while his love for lower league football also helps him pick out the odd obscure winner in that space.
When not at the editorial desk, Matt enjoys travelling the country supporting his beloved Carlisle United FC, chucking a few arrows and spending time with his young family.
Matt Hill is Odds Now's Head of Content and leads our digital operation, while also offering his insight as a tipster across darts and football.
Having worked in the industry for the best part of a decade, including extended stints with Betfred and LiveScore, Matt joined the project in May 2024 with the sole aim of making Odds Now a key player in the betting content space.
He has also forged a reputation as a respected darts tipster, landing numerous three-figure outright winners over the years, while his love for lower league football also helps him pick out the odd obscure winner in that space.
When not at the editorial desk, Matt enjoys travelling the country supporting his beloved Carlisle United FC, chucking a few arrows and spending time with his young family.
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