Leeds United best-backed club to win Premier League

Leeds United are bet365's best-backed team to win the 2025/26 Premier League.

After an excellent season in which they repaid their plentiful ante-post backers, Leeds will now attempt to do what none of the last six promoted clubs have done - stay in the Premier League.

While survival would be a superb achievement, many of their more optimistic fans have much bigger things in mind, with more than a quarter of bets placed on Daniel Farke's men winning the title.

bet365's Sports and Trading expert Steve Freeth said: "Leeds are one of the greatest teams in recent history to grace the Championship, and while this is a huge step up in class, it hasn’t stopped punters from backing the Elland Road side to enjoy a fairy-tale season by winning the title on their return to the Premier League.

"Clearly, the liabilities have been building after laying substantial amounts of bets at our opening show of 1500/1 and now at 1000/1. However, all things considered, I would be astonished to see Leeds challenging at the top of the Premier League."

Best-backed Premier League teams

After narrowly missing out on promotion in the 2023/24 season, losing the play-off final to Southampton, Leeds were tasked with dusting themselves down and going again, all without Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter. Despite a late wobble, Farke's men went up with a game to spare.

While the club replaced the key men they lost the previous summer, with the likes of Joe Rodon, Jayden Bogle and Ao Tanaka all arriving, the Whites will need significant reinforcements in order to stay in the Premier League.

According to Capology, Leeds' wage bill is currently lower than that of lowest spenders Ipswich Town - though that will likely increase with promotion payrises - and they'll need to attract more expensive players if they're to have a real shot at survival.

Newly promoted clubs now find themselves between a rock and a hard place. They can either plan ahead for a potential relegation - as Ipswich did, which could stand them in good stead next year but gave them no chance of survival this - or be more ambitious, splashing the cash on players who may not work out, prompting a more drastic overhaul if they do suffer relegation.

While Leeds' shrewd scouting has seen them unearth gems like Tanaka, they'll need plenty more of it if they're to avoid the dreaded drop in 2026.

Liam Williams

• Leeds United F.C.
• Premier League
• • 
  •