As the birthplace of soccer , it’s perhaps no surprise that England is home to the oldest football league in the world. The English Football League (EFL) is made up of three divisions: The Championship , League One and League Two . You can bet on all the action here at Stake Sportsbook , with great odds and live-streamed matches.
What is the EFL League One?
League One is one of the major leagues of English soccer. It’s the second division of the EFL and the third tier of the English football pyramid. Teams compete for a chance to be promoted to the Championship and also get to take part in the FA Cup , EFL Cup and EFL Trophy .
Football teams across England and Wales are part of the football pyramid, which consists of ten tiers. The Premier League is at the very top of the pyramid, with the EFL directly below. Underneath the EFL is non-league football with the National League and its subdivisions.
No matter what tier a club is currently competing in, its position is never guaranteed. Promotion and relegation throughout the pyramid means teams can move up and down depending on their success in each competitive league. Even non-league teams have the opportunity to one day play in the Premier League if they can climb up through the divisions.
History of the EFL League One
During the early days of organised English football, teams were strictly amateur, though some teams still skirted FA rules against paying players. From 1885, professional clubs were permitted, and teams played in FA Cup games or organised matches between local rivals. However, the lack of consistent games meant that teams couldn’t generate enough revenue to sustain payments.
As a result, William McGregor came up with the idea to form an English league, giving teams a consistent fixture schedule. Twelve teams formed the original EFL, and over the years, it grew to include more teams and several divisions.
Division Three, today known as League One, was founded in 1920. When the Premier League broke away from the EFL in 1992, it became Division Two but was rebranded to its current name in 2004.
Which Teams Play in League One?
Barnsley - First Division runners-up 1996-97
Birmingham City - Championship winners 1892-93, 1920-21, 1947-48, 1954-55
Blackpool - Championship winners 1929-30
Bolton Wanderers - First Division winners 1908-09, 1977-78, 1996-97
Bristol Rovers - Third Division winners 1952-53, 1989-90
Burton Albion - League One runners-up 2015-16
Cambridge United - Third Division winners 1990-91
Charlton Athletic - First Division runners-up 1936-37
Crawley Town - League Two playoff winners 2024
Exeter City - Fourth Division winners 1989-90
Huddersfield Town - First Division winners 1923-24, 1924-25, 1925-26
Leyton Orient - Second Division runners-up 1961-62
Lincoln City - Third Division winners 1931-32, 1947-48, 1951-52
Mansfield Town- Third Division winners 1976-77
Northampton Town - Second Division runners-up 1964-65
Peterborough United - League One runners-up 2008-09, 2020-21
Reading - Championship winners 2005-06, 2011-12
Rotherham United - League One winners 1950-51, 1980-81
Shrewsbury Town - Third Division winners 1978-79
Stevenage - League Two runners-up 2022-23
Stockport County - Second Division winners 1921-22, 1936-37
Wigan Athletic - Championship runners-up 2004-05
Wrexham - Third Division winners 1977-78
Wycombe Wanderers - League One playoff winners 2020
Format & Schedule of the 2024–25 League One
League One features 24 teams, which each play a home and away fixture against every other team in the league. A win earns three points, a draw is one point, and a loss is none. Points determine league position, and the top team at the end of the season is crowned the English League One winner.
The winners and runners-up of League One are automatically promoted to the Championship for the following season. Teams in third to sixth place earn a spot in the playoffs to earn the two remaining promotions. The bottom four teams in the table are relegated to the EFL League Two.
The League gets underway on 9 August 2024, with the final game of the season kicking off on 3 May 2025.
The playoff final will take place between 24 and 26 May 2025.
Betting on League One games is simple enough. You can read through our full sports betting guide for more details on the ins and outs, but here are some quick steps to follow if you want to get started right away:
Log into your Stake.com account or sign up if you haven’t already.
Make sure you have enough funds by making a deposit using an accepted payment method .
Search for a League One team or look at the menu to find soccer > England > League One.
Select a match to see all the available betting markets.
Choose a bet to add to your bet slip, enter your stake and confirm.
Watch the match live to see if you’re a winner.
There are lots of different ways to bet on League One, with games having more than 70 pre-live betting markets available. Some of the most popular betting market options for soccer include:
Live Stream League One & Live Soccer Betting
You can bet on League 1 matches, both pre-live and live . Live betting means placing bets on games that are currently taking place, allowing you to make the most of the odds as they change. All League One games also come with live stats to help you make informed betting decisions, and there are live streams too. You can enjoy the match as it happens simply by logging into your account.
EFL League One Betting Odds & Payouts
Learn how to calculate potential payouts from the odds before you bet. There are three main types of odds:
Decimal – Calculate how much you’ll win back from this bet by multiplying the decimal number by your stake. So if you bet $40 at odds of 1.75, you’ll receive your $40 stake plus $30 profit if it wins.
Fractional – Multiply your stake by the top number of the fraction, then divide the sum by the bottom number. Betting $25 on odds of 4/1 would give you $100 profit if it wins.
American – These tell you how much you’ll need to bet to win $100 or how much you’ll win from betting $100. Look to see whether a plus or minus symbol is used in front of the odds. If it’s a plus sign, the number is how much you’ll make from a $100 bet. The odds with a minus sign is how much you’ll need to bet to win $100.
Learn more about how to read sports betting odds for all the information you need to know about the different types of odds.
EFL League One Betting Tips, Predictions & Strategies
Claim the best promos - Sports betting bonuses are a great way to get more value out of your bets. Here at Stake, we’ve got loads of great offers for you to claim, including our VIP Club , which provides regular rewards .
Use the stats and research your bets - There’s loads of data available on League One matches, including team news and form, plus defensive and offensive records. Use the data and research every bet to make informed decisions.
Bet responsibly - Betting on League One and soccer is a lot of fun, with lots of markets to choose from and plenty of games happening every week. However, it’s important to stay within your limits. Use our Stake Smart guidelines to bet responsibly and have fun while staying in control.
