Expert football betting tips for Saturday, August 23rd, 2025

The football season is officially back in full flow. Last weekend saw goals galore both on the domestic and European front. This weekend throws up some fascinating fixtures across the leagues for punters to enjoy.

It's that time of the week again when we turn to our Odds Now Punters Panel. Four expert football tipsters with the knowledge and understanding to offer the best football betting tips for the upcoming action.

Before we get stuck into the betting chat, let's take a look and see who is giving us their tips 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.

Steve Day - Experienced punter and football tipster. Steve has 15 years of experience writing football betting previews covering competitions both domestically and abroad.

Punters Panel: Football betting tips for Saturday 23rd August, 2025

What is your NAP from across the Saturday football slate?

MH: Chesterfield suffered their first defeat of the season at Gillingham in midweek, but are capable of producing a quick reaction when they visit unbeaten Harrogate. The Sulphurites have surpassed expectations thus far, but are a bottom-half squad and their positive results, combined with the visitors’ midweek loss, mean we’re getting a very generous quote of 17/20 about Paul Cook’s men showing their class.

AD: I've had two draw no bet winners from two so far, and I see no reason to change a winning approach, particularly when one price jumped off the page at me. Charlton are going to be awkward to play at The Valley this season, and to get them at 11/8 in the DNB market (Betfred) at home to Leicester is very appealing. Nathan Jones' side are yet to concede in two matches back at this level, while the Foxes scraped past a depleted Sheffield Wednesday before losing at Preston last week.

GB: Birmingham to win to nil against Oxford. Nice and simple but if you want my full reasoning, check out our EFL Betting Show over on X!

SD: It's a tough week of matches. I'll back Swindon to beat Shrewsbury. The Robins may have lost their last home league game 2-0 to Barnet, but I expect Ian Holloway to demand a reaction. Their opponents, meanwhile, failed to pick up a win this season and has conceded eight goals in their two away league matches this term.

Give us one short-priced favourite you are keen to oppose this weekend?

MH: I really rate Steven Schumacher as a coach, but I couldn’t back Bolton at long odds-on at home to Lincoln with any confidence. The Imps have won three out of four this term and are a tough old side to overcome under Michael Skubala. Meanwhile, the hosts have given up a worrying seven goals in five games across all competitions so far this term.

AD: Another price that made my eyes widen was Bradford at odds-on (shortest price 20/23) away at Peterborough. Based on results and underlying numbers so far this season, I get it. But it feels like we've not seen enough to have such a strong stance on the Bantams being the likely winners in a three-horse race at established League One opposition. I wouldn't necessarily back Peterborough, but I wouldn't want to have my money on their visitors at that price either.

GB: Luton. There are some bookmakers that will give you a shade of odds-against quotes for the home win, but in most places they're either evens or odds-on. I don't know if that's accurate when you look at the performance levels Cardiff are producing, under an excellent coach in Brian Barry-Murphy.

SD: Southampton are available at odds of just 8/11 to beat Stoke. Given the fact that the Potters have started the season under the experienced management of Mark Robins with back-to-back wins, scoring six goals in the process, it feels a dangerous price for the home side. Adding to the mix too that the Saints are still finding their feet under new manager Will Still, and this has high risk written all over it.

Can you pick us out a value selection from the goalscorer markets?

MH: Any time Michael Cheek is pushing 2/1 to score in League Two always tempts me in. Nobody has had more than his 13 shots so far in the basement tier, and Bromley go to a Notts County side who, whilst brilliant going forward, have yet to keep a clean sheet in four league outings.

AD: I really like Amario Cozier-Duberry to score for Bolton at home to Lincoln City at 6/1 with Unibet. Cozier-Duberry has had the second-most shots in League One so far without any of them converting into goals, which makes me believe one has to fly in soon. He had seven in the home draw against Reading on Tuesday night and has played 90 minutes in every match so far, so should give us a very good run for our money.

GB: Jamie Jellis is 9/2 to score anytime for Walsall against Salford, while Charlie Lakin is 11/2. They both seem to be landing in some good positions from Aaron Pressley's knockdowns, so I'm surprised how low down they are on the anytime goalscorer coupon. Half the names above them won't start!

SD: West Brom's Isaac Price has scored three goals in his first two league games of the season. He could arguably have scored more in those matches, too. I'd back him at 11/4 anytime scorer and 8/1 first scorer in the Baggies' home game against Portsmouth.

Any other prop bets or quirky angles you’d like to flag?

MH: Shot markets being added for the Championship is making for some excellent value opportunities this season (if you can get a stake down, that is). I really like Kasey Palmer over 1.5 shots for Hull at home to Blackburn - 11/10 with Unibet, BetMGM and LiveScore but as low as 1/5 elsewhere. He’s looked back to his best in the last couple of weeks and has an instrumental role to play behind Oli McBurnie, who is a great foil for him.

AD: I'm having a punt on Micky van de Ven shots at Manchester City. I expect a big part of Thomas Frank's strategy for Tottenham to revolve around set-pieces here, and the Dutchman has a big size advantage on the City team. He also had two shots at home to Burnley last weekend, having taken one and scored, against PSG in the Super Cup. Betway is the best price – I've had the biggest stake on 1+ at 23/10 but also dabbled in 2+ at 14/1 and 3+ at 100/1.

GB: Chesterfield win to nil is going to be a common bet for me this season. They're 2/1 to do that at Harrogate.

SD: I always like to keep an eye on the card markets. Newport County's Kai Whitmore has already picked up three yellow cards this season. The Exiles host an in-form MK Dons at home. With David Hughes' side llikely looking to suffocate the Dons midfield, Whitmore could easily pick up a fourth yellow of the season in that gritty midfield battle.

From the early action we’ve seen so far, which team do you think may be most underestimated in betting markets currently?

MH: It’s early days, but I do wonder if the market hasn’t yet caught up to Stoke being better than anticipated. Mark Robins’ track record at the level suggests their promising start could well be maintained, and they look to have some great attacking options this season. I’ll be watching closely how they fare at Southampton on Saturday.

AD: To flip the question, Liverpool look very opposable to me. Ryan Gravenberch's return at the base of midfield will help, but it's the way they set up – and Arne Slot's insistence that it will continue – that concerns me more. They simply didn't have enough players thinking about defending against Bournemouth and were very close to dropping points. To actually answer the question, Arsenal have the most solid base, and I think they are signing one of the best forward players in the country in Eberechi Eze. If they can just eke 5% more out of their attack, they remain my pick for the title at 23/10 with AK Bets.

GB: Plymouth Argyle have widened to 40/1 for promotion in some places after four games. We've not had 10% of the season yet. I'm not bullish about them, but I think it's too early to draw conclusive judgments.

SD: I think Stevenage have taken everyone by surprise in League One. Despite winning their first four league games, including an impressive 3-2 win away to Blackpool on the opening day, Alex Revell's side are listed at almost 3/1 to beat Huddersfield away this weekend. I certainly wouldn't want my club to be playing them home or away right now.