It's that time of the year again. Yep - the annual post where I share with you the season handicap bets I've placed for the upcoming league year.
As per usual, I advise to read previous posts about My Season Handicap Betting Escapades to get a better understanding of what these wagers are and the main methods I use to generate my picks.
For this year's attempt, I have asked Microsoft's AI assistant - Copilot - to come up with its predicted tables for the Premier League all the way down to League 2. I then do what I've always done each year and apply the average points per that position to each team and then head over to a betting website and add the handicap points to each team.
Once that's done, I sort each spreadsheet table to create my own league rankings. Here's how it went for the 2025/26 edition.
Premier League
The AI assistant is predicting back-to-back title wins for Liverpool in the Premier League. As you'll see below, they're at the top of Copilot's table followed by Manchester City, Arsenal and Aston Villa.
Over twenty seasons, the top position in the league has done so with an average of eighty-nine points. Therefore, Liverpool will be situated in my season handicap table with 88 points. They will not have any additional points added to that number because the bookies are given them a +0 head-start.
The team which sits atop the predicted season handicap table for the 2025/26 Premier League Season is Brentford.
Copilot has The Bees finishing seventh in the league. That position has an average of fifty-nine points. The bookies have given a +38 head-start, so - added together - that makes 97.
I'm unsure whether I'll accept taking Brentford +38. That's because I find the next option, Aston Villa +22, more appealing.
As you'll see above, Copilot is projecting a fourth-place finish for Villa. That position earns an average of seventy points. Add on top the +22 and that gives 92 on the season handicap table.
I've convinced myself - Aston Villa +22 will be added to my bet.
Championship
Copilot projects Southampton as potential winners of the Championship. They're followed by Sheffield United, Ipswich Town and Leicester.
With everything tallied up, my spreadsheet also has Southampton at the top of its table thanks to the +6 head-start offered by the bookmakers.
That is a selection I am willing to take because my method is projecting a 100 point finish when all advantages and actual points are counted on the final day.
League 1
Luton Town will be declared League 1 winners of the 2025/26 season. If Copilot's predicted finish is accurate that is.
As you can see, the AI assistant has Luton ranked first. They're followed by Cardiff City, Plymouth and Bolton.
As you'll see below, with all of the handicap points added to the average position points, the four top teams remain in the same positions.
Luton is receiving a +0 head-start, Cardiff is getting +5, Plymouth has +6 and Bolton Wanderers will start of 2025/26 with +6.
I'm going with my heart for this one. Cardiff +5!
League 2
The League 2 projected table has MK Dons as the champions with an average league position score of 88 points. They're followed closely behind by Chesterfield (84), Notts County (82) and Bristol Rovers (79).
With the season handicap points applied, Notts County jumps to the top with their +20 head-start. Chesterfield remains in second, Bristol Rovers also stalls at their position of third while MK Dons falls into fourth.
I'm going with the spreadsheet's projected finish and taking Notts County plus ten.
So, to conclude,, here are the four selections I'm putting in a Lucky 15.
1) Aston Villa +22 (Premier League)
2) Southampton +6 (Championship)
3) Cardiff City +5 (League 1)
4) Notts County +10 (League 2)
It wouldn't be a Season Handicap Betting annual post without closing with this message: these kinds of bets are a crapshoot. I do them for fun and nothing more. Something to simply have in the back pocket as the season is being played out. I never expect to come out of these wagers in profit. If I do, it's just a bonus!
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