2022-23 Premier League odds: Punters supporting Premier League new boys Forest

Analysis of the market movers before the start of the Premier League and Football League 2022-23 seasons.

They were the last team admitted to the 2022-23 Premier League yet are the first name on many punters' shortlist of potential champions, as bookmakers report an "unprecedented" show of support for Nottingham Forest for the title.

Ladbrokes, bet365 and many other layers have seen a flood of cash for Steve Cooper's men, who needed to navigate their way through the Championship playoffs to stamp their pass to the promised land yet are being supported on a remarkable scale.

Even though Manchester City are odds-on to retain their crown and fend off a clutch of world-class, big-spending rivals, there are clearly lots of football fans up and down the land who are piling into 1000-1 shots Forest to create a huge shock.

Ladbrokes say Forest are their second-most popular outright bet behind Manchester United while bet365 have seen more bets for the Tricky Trees than either Manchester City or Liverpool.

"It's honestly eye-opening," said bet365's Steve Freeth. "Top four, top six, top half, top promoted club and outright – we've seen so much interest. It's unprecedented.

"There's a statue of Brian Clough in Nottingham. They'll need to make room for another one of Steve Cooper if he can pull this off."

Memories of what Forest's bitter rivals Leicester achieved at odds of 5,000-1 in 2015-16 have got everyone believing the impossible is now possible, but even Ladbrokes spokesman Alex Apati admitted the weight of bets has left their traders "scratching their heads".

Forest were pretty much 1,000-1 across the board when the prices went up but now Paddy Power and Betfair are going 375-1, and the tremors are reverberating through other markets.

Betfred had opened up 11-10 that Forest stay up and have seen that backed into 8-11. They were 100-1 in several places to finish in the top six – they are now as short as 33-1 with bet365 and Hills.

Bet365 report, like Ladbrokes, that Manchester United are "all the rage", backed in to 28-1 from 33-1 and they have also seen plenty of interest in both Tottenham and Arsenal.

BoyleSports have also cut Spurs to 12-1 from 25-1 while Betfred are 14-1 from 25-1 and reporting wide-scale interest in Antonio Conte's troops.

"What has raised eyebrows at Betfred has been the amount wagered on them," said spokesman Peter Spencer.

"Not necessarily for the Premier League – although we have had large bets on that – but on Spurs to pick up either the FA Cup or the Carabao Cup, which are now 8-1 for either."

Coral's John Hill says there is evidence that punters are basically looking to oppose City and Liverpool.

"Punters seem happy to take on the big two from last season," he said. "Spurs and Manchester United are attracting a lot of support to break Manchester City and Liverpool's grip on the title."

Interest in City might be cool but interest in their ace marksman Erling Haaland in Golden Boot betting is anything but. Betfred were filled in at 5-1 and he's now a top-price 3-1 across the board.

"One of our biggest liabilities, which is well into six figures, surrounds Haaland winning the Golden Boot," said Spencer.

Bet365 have also laid Gabriel Jesus to score 20 goals or more for new club Arsenal, while the Brazilian has been backed to 11-1 from 22-1 at Paddy Power.

Norwich's yo-yo reputation has made them a warm order for Championship glory, the early 7-1 having long since vanished, while bet365 saw money for Cardiff when rumours of Gareth Bale signing were doing the rounds and are taking more and more bets on Hull.

"The takeover, all the new signings - they reckon owner Acun Ilicali is Turkey's Simon Cowell so punters believe Hull have got the X-factor," said Freeth.

League One is all about the Big Three with money seemingly exclusively for Sheffield Wednesday, Ipswich and Derby.

"Wednesday have been one of the best supported teams across the whole of England and Scotland," confirmed Hill at Coral, who are 4-1 the Owls from an opening 11-2.

And League Two is all about the top two with Betfair cutting Stockport to 6-1 from 10-1 thanks to a volume of support mirrored by the other firms.

Crawley, 40-1 to 20-1, are the one side from further down bet365's book who have been on the end of plenty of business.

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