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The 2026–27 Sky Bet League Two season kicked off on 15 August 2026 and runs through to May 2027. With seven games already played, below we break down the latest outright markets, including promotion and relegation odds, key fixtures and players to watch. Odds are correct at the time of writing.
League Two Promotion Odds
The promotion market has tightened after the opening weeks, with Barnet and Salford emerging as the favourites. York and Bristol Rovers sit just behind, while a tightly packed group including Grimsby, Chesterfield and Walsall also offer each-way appeal. Oldham Athletic are outsiders, but could be a decent longshot for promotion, if things go their way, but their form has dropped off a cliff recently.
Why we like them:
- Barnet are tipped as the title favourites due to an unbeaten start that has them top of the table and the presence of Charlie Lakin in midfield, who already has six goals.
- Salford are viewed as promotion contenders despite a slow start under Peter Cklamovski, particularly with Macaulay Langstaff now leading the line.
- York, Bristol Rovers, Grimsby, and Chesterfield all feature in the promotion hopefuls bracket and have squads capable of a top-seven finish.
- Walsall and Oldham are seen as potential play-off teams, especially Walsall who are unbeaten and have the meanest defence in the division.
| Team | Promotion Odds | Title Odds | Recommended Betting Site | Secure Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 10/11 | 9/2 | 10bet | Visit Site |
| Salford City | 19/20 | 13/2 | Betfred | Visit Site |
| York City | 11/10 | 13/2 | Spreadex | Visit Site |
| Bristol Rovers | 6/5 | 6/1 | Fitzdares | Visit Site |
| Grimsby | 13/8 | 8/1 | bet365 | Visit Site |
| Chesterfield | 11/4 | 12/1 | Betfred | Visit Site |
| Walsall | 4/1 | 16/1 | Ladbrokes | Visit Site |
| Oldham Athletic | 4/1 | 22/1 | NetBet | Visit Site |
| Crewe Alexandra | 9/2 | 25/1 | bet365 | Visit Site |
League Two Relegation Odds
Most betting sites have Crawley Town as favourites to drop, but there’s very little separating the bottom six on the odds board. Newport, Accrington, and Shrewsbury are also expected to struggle.
Why we’re wary:
- Crawley, Newport, Accrington, and Shrewsbury all appear in our relegation danger list. These sides are forecast to struggle based on limited squad depth or form over the opening weeks.
- Crawley, in particular, are bottom of the table with one win from seven and are rightly priced shortest for the drop.
| Team | Relegation Odds | Recommended Betting Site | Secure Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crawley Town | 13/8 | Betfred | Visit Site |
| Newport County | 7/4 | 10bet | Visit Site |
| Accrington Stanley | 11/4 | Spreadex | Visit Site |
| Shrewsbury Town | 4/1 | NetBet | Visit Site |
| Exeter City | 5/1 | Ladbrokes | Visit Site |
| Rochdale | 5/1 | bet365 | Visit Site |
League Two Top Goalscorer Odds
The top scorer market in League Two features some familiar names, with Aaron Drinan leading the betting after his 22-goal season for Swindon, and a handful of intriguing outsiders worth tracking.
Why Drinan leads:
- Aaron Drinan (Swindon) is our top scorer tip. The forward won the Golden Boot last season and should benefit from Ian Holloway’s attacking approach in what is expected to be a high-scoring Swindon side.
- Macaulay Langstaff (Salford) and Kabongo Tshimanga (Barnet) are next at 6/1. Langstaff has a proven record of 20+ goal seasons at this level, and Tshimanga plays in the division’s most potent attack.
| Player | Top Scorer Odds | Recommended Betting Site | Secure Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Drinan | 9/2 | bet365 | Visit Site |
| Macaulay Langstaff | 6/1 | Ladbrokes | Visit Site |
| Kabongo Tshimanga | 6/1 | Betfred | Visit Site |
| Ollie Pearce | 12/1 | Spreadex | Visit Site |
| Paul Mullin | 12/1 | NetBet | Visit Site |
| Lee Bonis | 16/1 | 10bet | Visit Site |
| Andy Cook | 16/1 | bet365 | Visit Site |
| Charlie Caton | 16/1 | Ladbrokes | Visit Site |
| Aaron Pressley | 20/1 | Betfred | Visit Site |
| Fabrizio Cavegn | 20/1 | Spreadex | Visit Site |
| Josh March | 25/1 | Spreadex | Visit Site |
| Alex Newby | 25/1 | bet365 | Visit Site |
Our Betting Insight and Predictions
Find some of our betting tips and football predictions for the season below:
- Title favourites: Barnet – unbeaten and the most dangerous attack in the division
- Promotion hopefuls: Salford City, York City, Bristol Rovers, Grimsby, Chesterfield
- Play-off contenders: Walsall, Oldham, Crewe, Colchester (outsiders)
- Relegation danger: Crawley, Newport, Accrington, Shrewsbury
- Top scorer tip: Aaron Drinan (Swindon) – reigning Golden Boot winner with a proven record
- Top 7 finish: Walsall and Grimsby offer strong value for finishing in the play-offs
- Value punt: Alex Newby (25/1) – York’s winger is already among the leading scorers
Our Predicted Final Table – League Two 2026/27
This prediction is based on outright winner, promotion, and relegation odds published across major bookmakers, combined with insight from our League Two season preview:
| Pos | Club | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barnet | Promotion favourites. Top of the table and top of most outright markets. |
| 2 | York City | Backed strongly in both promotion and title betting after a record-breaking National League season. |
| 3 | Bristol Rovers | Steve Evans knows how to get out of this division. Promotion-tipped again. |
| 4 | Salford City | Slow start, but the strongest squad on paper and Langstaff up front. |
| 5 | Grimsby Town | Unbeaten, defensively strong, backed for top 7. |
| 6 | Walsall | Unbeaten with the best defence in the league. Close to play-off pricing. |
| 7 | Chesterfield | Play-off contenders again. Dangerous in attack. |
| 8 | Oldham Athletic | Quietly backed for a promotion push in the market. |
| 9 | Gillingham | Strong start under Gareth Ainsworth, but not fancied by the bookmakers. |
| 10 | Crewe Alexandra | Solid, consistent team. Unbeaten but too many draws. |
| 11 | Colchester United | 9/2 for promotion, Danny Cowley has them competitive. |
| 12 | Cheltenham Town | Better than expected start, Charlie McCann scoring freely. |
| 13 | Tranmere Rovers | Mid-table projection under Darrell Clarke. |
| 14 | Fleetwood Town | Comfortable finish likely. Balanced squad. |
| 15 | Swindon Town | Drinan’s goals should keep them safe, low ceiling otherwise. |
| 16 | Rotherham United | Relegated from League One, rebuilding under Alex Bruce. |
| 17 | Port Vale | Another League One dropout with a completely new squad. Unpredictable. |
| 18 | Northampton Town | Only three goals scored in seven, but organised enough to survive. |
| 19 | Rochdale | Newly promoted, expected to fight but stay up. |
| 20 | Exeter City | League One relegated side, little market optimism at 5/1 for the drop. |
| 21 | Shrewsbury Town | 4/1 to go down, defensive concerns but should have just enough. |
| 22 | Accrington Stanley | 11/4 for relegation, leaking goals, in the bottom two in most odds. |
| 23 | Newport County | New manager in Hayden Mullins, one win from seven, 7/4 for the drop. |
| 24 | Crawley Town | Relegation favourites in multiple books. Bottom with one win. |
Season Preview
The 2026/27 League Two campaign promises to be one of the most open in recent years. With two strong National League sides coming in and four clubs dropping down from League One, there is plenty of competition at the top.
Barnet and Salford are considered the strongest sides on paper, but several others have quietly strengthened. York have carried their record-breaking form up a level under Scott Lindsey, while Bristol Rovers and Grimsby look stable and well-organised under experienced managers. Walsall also look like dark horses, with Lee Grant’s side yet to lose and conceding just four goals in seven games.
Salford have added Macaulay Langstaff and Joe Powell to a squad that reached last season’s play-off final, and Barnet are banking on continuity after their return to the EFL, with Charlie Lakin and Kabongo Tshimanga providing the goals. Oldham are another potential outsider for the play-offs.
At the bottom, Crawley and Newport will need to defy expectations, and the four relegated sides have all started slowly. Port Vale have turned over almost their entire squad, and Exeter and Northampton have managed just seven goals between them. Expect early volatility before the league table starts to settle.
Key fixtures: Salford vs Barnet at the Peninsula Stadium on 7 March will be a major test of promotion credentials. Likewise, the return meeting between Bristol Rovers and York later in the season could offer clues about the play-off race.
Football League Previews: Full Coverage
We’ve previewed all three tiers of the English Football League for the 2026/27 season. Check out our full breakdowns and betting predictions below:
League Two club previews:
