Cardiff City may have suffered the disappointment of relegation from the Championship, but Welsh bookmakers DragonBet believe the Bluebirds are well placed to bounce back quickly.
The club begin their League One campaign with a home game against Peterborough United on Saturday, having been given strong odds, suggesting a serious tilt at promotion.
Despite finishing bottom of the second tier, the bookies have priced Cardiff at 8/1 to finish top of League One, making them third favourites in the race for the title, behind Luton Town (3/1) and Huddersfield (6/1).
While they aren’t outright favourites, those odds reflect a strong level of confidence that new manager Brian Barry-Murphy’s side will be competitive at the top of the table.
In fact, the Bluebirds are 11/4 to be promoted, with 7/2 offered on them finishing in the top two – both indicative of a club expected to be firmly in the mix come May. Only Luton are even money (1/1) or better to go up.
The odds narrow even further for Cardiff when it comes to a top-three finish, with 5/2 available, and even tighter at 4/5 to finish in the top six.
That means the bookies see Cardiff more likely than not to secure at least a play-off place.
That optimism appears rooted in Cardiff’s retention of much of their squad, their stature as one of the bigger clubs in League One, and the expectation that Barry-Murphy may yet be able to strengthen.
Having fallen away badly in the Championship at the end of last season, there is now a sense that a reset in the third tier could provide the platform for Cardiff to rebuild, in the same way it did for Birmingham City.
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DragonBet spokesman Luke Davies said: “We’re now getting plenty of interest in the markets on Cardiff City.
“Being a Cardiff supporter is nothing if not a rollercoaster of emotions . As a fan myself, getting relegated really hurt us last season.
“However, sometimes a step back is necessary to take two steps forward. There’s some real quality in that squad with the likes of the Colwill boys, Rubin and Joel, who could rip it up this season in League One.
“We're optimistic and we're up for bouncing straight back, stronger than ever.”
DragonBet also seem to be backing an upturn in attacking form.
The Bluebirds are 5/4 to score 70 or more league goals, and the same price to score at least once in 38 of their 46 games – that’s roughly 83% of matches.
If Cardiff do find their scoring boots, they will be in a strong position to convert narrow results into wins, and they’re 5/4 to record 25 or more league victories, which would almost certainly be enough for a top-two finish.
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Their prospects are further boosted by a head-to-head market in which they are 4/5 to finish above Plymouth Argyle, one of the other relegated clubs who will be aiming for an immediate return to the Championship.
That suggests the odds-makers view Cardiff as the better-equipped of the two to handle the challenge of League One.
Meanwhile, the likes of strikers Callum Robinson and Yousef Salech are quetly fancied to enjoy themselves against League One defences.
A price of 6/4 is being offered on any Cardiff player scoring a hat-trick in a league match this season – odds that reflect both attacking potential and the possibility of dominant performances.
However, expectations are more muted in the cup competitions.
Only optimistic Bluebirds fans may be tempted by the fact that Cardiff are 300/1 outsiders to win either the FA Cup or the EFL Cup.
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Cardiff City Specials
8/1 - To finish Top
11/4 - To be Promoted
7/2 - To finish in the Top 2
5/2 - To finish in the Top 3
4/5 - To finish in the Top 6
4/5 - To finish higher than Plymouth Argyle
5/4 - To Win 25 or more league games
5/4 - To score 1 goal or more in 38 of their league games
5/4 - To score 70 or more goals in their league games
6/4 - Any player to score a hat-trick in a league game
300/1 - To Win the EFL Cup
300/1 - To Win the FA Cup
Full Cardiff City odds here: https://dragonbet.co.uk/welshevents
