Expert football betting tips for Saturday, December 13th 2025

The domestic football schedule is starting to crank up a gear or two over the coming weeks, as teams prepare for the busy festive period. There are plenty of games to consider, both on the home front and abroad.

We've sounded the horn to call the Odds Now Punters Panel up for tipster duty. Five expert football tipsters with the knowledge and experience to provide the best football betting tips for the upcoming weekend's 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.

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

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!

What is your NAP of the football weekend?

MH: I'm backing Birmingham to win to nil against Charlton at 8/5 with William Hill. Blues are struggling to crack the code away from home this term, but have looked rock solid at St Andrew's and Nathan Jones' Addicks are on a rotten run with injuries at the top-end of the pitch taking their toll.

AD: I'm really surprised to see Cardiff so backable at home to Doncaster. The Bluebirds have won their last four home games 4-3, 2-1, 3-0 and 3-2 – yet we can back them at 1/1 to win with over 1.5 goals against Donny, who have lost eight of their last 12.

GS: Stevenage to avoid defeat at Stockport is my NAP, with the double chance available at 10/11. Yes, the Boro have got on the right side of fine margins this season, but so have Stockport - they’ve not been hugely convincing either. Alex Revell’s side might have dropped in form slightly, but they’re not losing many.

SD: Bolton to beat Exeter with a clean sheet at 6/4 with Bet365 feels like the pick of the week for me. The Trotters have the only unbeaten home record in League One. On the flip side, the Grecians have the worst away record in the division.

FMP: 21/20 for Huddersfield to beat Wigan at home. It does feel like Lee Grant's side are starting to show the odd sign of clicking, and Wigan are just a very mediocre team in my view. This should be an odds-on shot for the Terriers to win.

Which favourite would you advise punters against backing?

MH: They might win, but I can't really see the case for backing Liverpool at 7/10 currently. Confidence remains fragile on the red half of Merseyside, and Brighton have plenty of attacking threats that could cause a vulnerable home backline issues.

AD: As much as Manchester City look ready to push Arsenal for the title, I still see a real vulnerability there. They bafflingly let a 5-1 lead slip to 5-4 at Fulham last time out and have only won three of seven on the road in the league. They are odds-on at Crystal Palace, who have won their last three games and only been beaten once at Selhurst Park in the league this season.

GS: I don’t know if punters need much caution to avoid backing Plymouth Argyle at EVS, but the season they’re having, there’s not a single fixture you could give me where I would place that bet right now - and they’re hosting mid-table Rotherham without Lorent Tolaj.

SD: I wouldn't feel comfortable backing Chelsea at 4/6 with Bet365 at home against Everton. The Blues are without a win in 4 competitive games and possess patchy home league form. The Toffees have won four of their previous 5 league games, keeping a clean sheet in each of those victories.

FMP: Despite a recent uptick in both results and performances, I wouldn’t be going near Monchengladbach to beat Wolfsburg on Saturday at 19/20. It feels like they’re riding the crest of a Tabakovic wave, which may come crashing down to earth in the next month or two.

Give us a game that screams goals, please!

MH: Maybe try my lads! Carlisle are away to high-flying Harborough Town in the FA Trophy, and all the ingredients are there for goals. The Cumbrians have shipped seven in their last two games; changes are on the cards, and the hosts should fancy their chances. But one thing Mark Hughes' side does have is plenty of quality in forward areas. Over 3.5 goals appeals at 13/10.

AD: Norwich host Southampton in the Championship, having seen BTTS land in all of their last seven matches. That run has included 4-1, 3-1 and 3-2 scorelines. The Saints are on an even more goals-y run, with at least one team scoring three goals in their last six matches. Both teams have netted in five of those, and we can back BTTS & over 2.5 at 10/11 with Coral and Ladbrokes.

GS: Chesterfield against Barnet, I think, will be BTTS - it’s two of the most creative sides in the league facing off and should be an entertaining affair.

SD: I'm going to back Coventry versus Bristol City for goals. The main reason being that eight out of the last 10 matches involving Coventry have seen both teams score. The Robins have also scored in four of their last 5 away league games.

FMP: I like action in the League Two early kick-off between Salford and Colchester. It’s two sides with a bit of momentum on the relevant home/away splits, and both have exciting attacking options (Udoh, N’Mai, Mbick and Lisbie) that could be primed to make this game explode. Over 2.5 is 17/20.

Any goalscorer or prop bets taking your eye this weekend?

MH: Blackpool face a tough trip to Lincoln, but I do think the Seasiders are slowly improving – and they have an in-form forward in Ashley Fletcher. The powerful striker has four goals in three games across all competitions now, and given his streaky nature, the 13/5 on him to net anytime here appeals.

AD: I have to go back to Cardiff and back Yousef Salech at 6/4 with BetMGM. He has scored in his last four home league games, including a brace last weekend against Huddersfield, and I'm surprised he's available at odds-against as a prolific forward too good for the level. I might also chuck a couple of quid on Piero Hincapie for Arsenal, who is priced at a huge 28/1 with Betway to score at home to Wolves. He's not much of a goal threat, but that just seems big for a team so good from set-pieces against the bottom of the league.

GS: Dom Ballard is 5/2 to score anytime for Leyton Orient at Barnsley. He and Aaron Connolly have a great understanding, and the Reds defensively aren’t quite the finished article.

SD: I'm looking at the discipline side of things for the Chelsea versus Everton game. The Blues have picked up 28 yellow cards and 4 red cards so far, with the Toffees receiving 33 yellows and 1 red thus far. I like the price of total cards over 4.5 with BetMGM at 5/4.

FMP: It’s a touch short at 5/4, but Ifeanyi Eze has had an excellent start to the A-League season for Wellington Phoenix, who seem overpriced to turn over Newcastle Jets at home this weekend. If they’re to win that game, he is undoubtedly their biggest threat in front of goal.

Can you give us a big price from any division’s top goalscorer market that could be worth chancing?

MH: Feel like I mention him every week on here, but Michael Cheek looks rock solid at 7/2 to be League Two's top marksman. Bromley are having a great season, so he's getting plenty of chances, and he's only one behind current leader Aaron Drinan of Swindon, who has cooled off after eight goals in his first 10 outings and does have a patchy history with injuries.

AD: George Hirst of Ipswich has made a fairly slow start to the season but is still in the mix with six goals. He ranks sixth in the league for xG and leads the line for an Ipswich side that is quickly growing into title contenders. I like him at 28/1 with William Hill.

GS: A bit boring perhaps, but I think in League One, it will be Yousef Salech at Cardiff. He’s playing in such a creative team, so you’re confident he’s going to get tonnes of chances, and he keeps sticking them away with regularity.

SD: I have to back my boy Yousef Salech at 7/2 with William Hill to finish top scorer in League One. He's starting to find his feet in this physical division, and Cardiff are hitting a run of decent form. The only risk is if he's sold in January. If that's the case, then I'd be looking at Adam Armstrong at 5/1 with Betway to finish as the Championship's top scorer. He's already leading the way with 11 league goals, and Southampton have only just started to pick up some results. Watch him fly now!

FMP: Officially, my answer is 33/1 on Tyrese Campbell for the Championship Golden Boot now that the Blades are kicking back into the sort of form they should have been producing all campaign. Unofficially, it’s a request a bet on Gift Orban of Hellas Verona. They’re really not as bad as the table makes out, and he has been on a cold finishing streak despite generating the third-most Expected Goals in the league. It feels a little disrespectful that he’s not even priced up, so let’s see if we can sneak a place at a stupid price.