Christmas factor: The three best Christmas bets for the Premier League

Although there are no trophies awarded in December, being top of the table can give a team a mental advantage over those chasing them, and history shows that there are certain teams that often come out on top at Christmas.

Top Christmas odds

All odds are provided courtesy of 1xBet, are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Manchester United have topped the Premier League on Christmas Day a record seven times, winning the title in five of those seasons. Chelsea, on the other hand, have topped the table at Christmas five times, lifting the trophy at the end of each of those seasons.

But being top of the table at the end of December was not a good omen for Arsenal, as they have failed to win the league title on all four occasions when they have been top at Christmas, including the last two seasons. Manchester City, on the other hand, have topped the table three times and won the title each time.

With the 2024/25 Premier League season in mind, we have picked out three worthwhile tips on which teams will come out on top on Christmas Day this year.

Liverpool @ 6.00 with 1xBet

It will be interesting to see how Liverpool fare without Jürgen Klopp at the helm, but Arne Slot appears to have been a smart signing, and he arrives after leading Feyenoord to the KNVB Cup.

It will be crucial for the 45-year-old Dutchman to hit the ground running and, on paper, the Reds have had a fairly gentle start to the season with a trip to Ipswich followed by a home game against Brentford.

With games against Manchester United, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth and Wolves in September, Liverpool could pick up a lot of points early on.

December will be a little more difficult for the Reds as they still have to face Newcastle, Everton, Fulham and Tottenham before Christmas, but by this point they should be in a good position to be top of the table.

Newcastle @ 15.00 with 1xBet

Newcastle cannot be distracted by European football this season and that will be a boon for manager Eddie Howe, whose squad was decimated by injuries last season and struggled with the extra games.

If the Magpies can add further reinforcements before the end of the summer transfer window, they could be outsiders for a shot at the title – they need to be at least that far ahead at the halfway point of the season.

The north-eastern side have topped the table at Christmas twice before, in 1995/96 and 2001/02, and their fixture list for this year's festive period gives them reason to hope of picking up points.

Howe's side face Brentford, Leicester and Ipswich in the three games before Christmas and the Magpies will be expecting to take maximum points from those matches.

West Ham @ 101,00 with 1xBet

At higher odds, West Ham are worth a look at 101.00 given the fantastic transfer business they have done this summer under new manager Julen Lopetegui.

Max Kilman was brought in to strengthen the defence, and could soon be joined by Nice star Jean-Clair Todibo, while the attack was strengthened by the signings of Crysencio Summerville, Niclas Fullkrug and Luis Guilherme.

The Hammers could make a solid start to the season and if they are within sight of the top of the table in December, their fixture list should stand them in good stead. West Ham face Leicester, Wolves, Bournemouth and Brighton in the run-up to Christmas – all winnable games on paper.