Manchester City was only defeated twice last season, compiling a 32-4-2 record that was good for 100 points and clear dominance over the rest of the English Premier League to secure the championship. City is hoping to become the first team to win back-to-back titles in the EPL since Manchester United did it in 2008 and 2009.
Premier League 2018 odds: Man City among betting favorites as season gets underway
Manchester City starts its title defense on the road at Arsenal as the 2018-19 season gets underway, with the sportsbooks setting out their lines for the opening matches.
Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images
The defending league champions are going off at -150 on the English Premier League championship odds for 2018-19 at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. Given how dominant the team was last season and how intact it remains, this team should be the clear favorite to repeat, though historically championship teams have shown signs of regression the year after winning the league title.
Manchester City kicks off its season as a -110 betting favorite on the road against Arsenal (+280 to win, +275 to draw). City has won each of the last three games in this head-to-head series and has scored at least three goals in all three of those games.
The two teams expected to give Manchester City the most trouble this season are Liverpool (+400 to win the EPL Championship) and Manchester United (+750). Both squads start their season as comfortable home favorites with Liverpool (-450) hosting West Ham United (+1200 to win, +525 to draw) and Manchester United (-215) hosting Leicester City (+650 to win, +310 to draw).
Coming off of a lackluster fourth place finish on the Premier League table last season with a 21-12-5 record, Liverpool went out and made a big splash on the free agent market this summer. Liverpool significantly strengthened its midfield with the signings of Naby Keita and Fabinho as well as its goaltending situation with the acquisition of Alisson Becker. If everything clicks, this team could push for the title this season.
Rounding out the top five teams on the futures board to win the England Premier League are Chelsea at +1200 and Tottenham Hotspur at +1600, with Arsenal at +2500. Both of these teams start their season off on the road as Chelsea (-180) visits Huddersfield Town (+500 to win, +280 to draw) and Tottenham (+105) faces Newcastle United (+285 to win, +240 to draw). Chelsea is 10-4-1 in 15 matches against Huddersfield Town since 1967.
English Premier League Betting Lines
Arsenal (+280) vs. Manchester City (-110), Draw (+275)
Liverpool (-450) vs. West Ham United (+1200), Draw (+525)
Manchester United (-215) vs. Leicester City (+650), Draw (+310)
Huddersfield Town (+500) vs. Chelsea (-180), Draw (+280)
Newcastle United (+285) vs. Tottenham Hotspur (+105), Draw (+240)
For more odds information, betting picks and a breakdown of this week’s top sports betting news check out the OddsShark podcast with Jon Campbell and Andrew Avery. Subscribe on iTunes or listen to it at OddsShark.libsyn.com.
