Expert football betting tips for Friday, December 26th 2025

Boxing Day means a feast of football action – and though the Premier League have made revisions to their festive fixture list, there's still a full slate of EFL action for punters to get stuck into.

We've sounded the horn to call the Odds Now Punters Panel up for tipster duty. Four expert football tipsters with the knowledge and experience to provide the best football betting tips for the post-Christmas action.

Before we start this week's panel, let's take a look and see who is giving their thoughts this week.

Introducing the Odds Now Punters Panel

Matt Hill - As well as being Odds Now’s Head of Content, Matt is a vastly experienced tipster specialising in football and darts. His betting on the beautiful game has a strong lean towards the lower leagues.

Adam Drury - A regular football tipster for Odds Now, Adam enjoyed a hugely successful campaign in 2024-25, including landing three 50/1+ winners on his weekly EFL accumulator column alongside countless other top tips.

Gab Sutton - Widely renowned as one of the best football journalists around, Gab’s encyclopedic knowledge of the EFL makes him well-equipped to offer up unique betting angles for punters.

Felix Morson-Pate - Working as a trader in the industry, Felix offers up his meticulously refined data-driven insights to Odds Now readers both here and on his regular World of Wagers column.

Now, let's get into the good stuff!

Can you gIve us your best bet from across the Boxing Day football slate?

MH: Trying to get my eye back in here after 13 days of nothing but darts markets, so I'll stay close to home! Carlisle fans are fretting after another damaging and disappointing defeat to a promotion rival in Boreham Wood last weekend. Sadly, I think my lads are playoff bound this season but Mark Hughes' men are flat-track bullies who almost always outclass the lesser lights, even if they look short against the top teams. Gateshead have lost nine in a row and are in all kinds of trouble. Back the Carlisle win with over 2.5 goals at 11/10 with Bet365 – it should be an odds-on poke.

AD: I'm going to back Cardiff to beat Exeter at home with Yousef Salech to get on the scoresheet at 8/5 with Sky Bet. This bet has won in all of the Bluebirds' last five games, with Salech joint-top of the goalscoring charts and fourth for shots per game. Exeter have lost their last four away games. Salech to score alone is 6/4 with BetMGM, which may actually be even better value.

GS: Wycombe double chance at Luton at 8/13. The hosts are inconsistent and still finding a formula under Jack Wilshere, while the visitors have lost just two in 13 under Michael Duff.

FMP: Middlesbrough at home to Blackburn at around even money. The loss of Rob Edwards looks to have had little negative effect on them and Kim Hellberg has got things purring in the north east straight away.

Which favourite should punters steer clear of on their festive accumulators?

MH: Peterborough have won three on the bounce but I'd still be loathed to rely on them. Those victories came against pretty poor opposition in Reading, Northampton and Port Vale and I'd much rather be with a dangerous, if unpredictable, Leyton Orient side at nearly 5/2 rather than Posh at 6/5.

AD: Salford are one of those teams I struggle to trust. There always seems to be a dip just around the corner, as shown by any run of three wins in a row this season being followed by at least two without one. They've won their last couple but at shorter than 1/2 at home to Harrogate, I don't fancy backing them – even though the visitors are in awful form.

GS: Tranmere. Not a massive favourite at 13/10, but I still think that's too short. Fleetwood have taken 18 points from their last ten games, they have one of the best midfields in the league, a top striker in Ryan Graydon and some attacking wing-backs. I'd much rather back them at 2/1.

FMP: At 11/10, I’ll leave Leicester well alone when they host Watford. What an odd side they are to try and guess what sort of performance they might put in on any given weekend. But it’s more bad than good for the time being, so be warned!

We all love a Christmas cracker! Can you give us a game that screams goals please?

MH: I was surprised to see MK Dons vs Swindon priced at odds against for over 2.5 goals. On paper, this is two of the best attacking sides in League Two squaring off and they are both prone to shipping a few too. It's 5/6 at the time of writing but that looks rock solid both as a single and to include on a festive accumulator.

AD: Swindon have scored at least twice in four of their last five away games and sit third in League Two for goals scored overall. I expect them to have a good go at MK Dons – who, conveniently, have scored the most goals in the division. Over 2.5 goals is surely a great play here and is being backed.

GS: Leicester against Watford. Both teams have plenty of individual quality without really being a particularly efficient or cohesive side, so I could envisage quite an open, end-to-end contest.

FMP: I fancy a load of action between MK Dons and Swindon. Two sides gunning for automatics in League Two with forwards in fine form and open, expansive football is generally on the menu for both.

Any goalscorer or prop bets taking your eye from the festive fixtures?

MH: Lorent Tolaj has served me well this season and the Swiss striker now has nine goals in as many games for Plymouth after his hat-trick vs Doncaster last time out. I'm amazed he's 2/1 anytime goalscorer (Betfair/ Paddy) at home to an average Reading side who have shipped seven in their last three outings.

AD: Oli McBurnie has scored in three straight matches since returning from injury and the former Sheffield United striker scoring at Sheffield Wednesday is a compelling narrative. The Hull City striker is available at 15/8 with Bet365, which looks good for an in-form side at the worst team in the league.

GS: Dan Udoh is 5/4 to score for Salford against Harrogate, after netting in the 3-1 victory at Barnet just before Christmas.

FMP: It’s hard to look past Davis Keillor-Dunn to inflict some festive misery on his old side Mansfield when they travel to Oakwell. He is the talisman of a side that will still harbour play off ambitions and is always a threat at this level.

Give us a treble that can spread some festive cheer to our readers please!

MH: Head to the National League, where there is a clear gap in class between the big boys and the rest of the pack. Carlisle, York and Forest Green all to win their games with over 2.5 goals scored pays just north of 8/1 with Bet365. Have an egg nog on me when that cops.

AD: I'm backing three favourites in the Championship, though all of them are odds-against. Firstly, I think Hull will win that game at Hillsborough. Secondly, I watched Stoke in the flesh at Watford the other day and thought they were decent despite defeat, so I'll chuck them in to beat Preston. Finally, Sheffield United to continue their good run at Wrexham, who look like bottom-half fodder to me.

GS: Hull, Cardiff and Salford. 3.72 best price with Coral.

FMP: Nice and simple for me. Coventry, Bradford and Salford to all win at around 3/1 to get yourself something nice in the sales!