The 20 teams who compete in the English Premier League (EPL) are ranked in a league table, which lists their performance over the course of the season.
The league table normally includes the following columns:
Pld: Games played
W: Games won
D/T: Games drawn/tied
L: Games lost
GF/GS: Goals for/scored
GA/GC: Goals against/conceded
GD: Goal difference
Pts: Points
Teams are ranked in the EPL league table according to how many points they have. If they have the same total, they’re separated by the following:
Goal difference (goals scored minus goals conceded)
Goals for/scored
Results and away goals scored in head-to-head matches between teams
When betting on the EPL, the league standings can give you a quick indication as to how a team have been performing in relation to their opponents, as well as how many goals they have been scoring and conceding. While a team near the top of the EPL aren’t guaranteed to beat a team near the bottom, it would suggest they are favorites for the match.
There are key sections of the EPL league table to look out for, and matches between teams in and around these positions are highly anticipated:
The teams who finish first to fourth in an EPL season qualify for the following season’s UEFA Champions League, so it’s normally treated as an important aim for the league’s best teams. Teams not challenging for the title but aiming to finish within the top four are normally said to be in the "top four race".
The team that finishes fifth qualifies for the following season’s UEFA Europa League. Depending on which teams win that season’s FA Cup and EFL Cup, the teams that finish in sixth and seventh may also qualify for either the Europa League or Europa Conference League the following season.
The bottom three teams in an EPL season are relegated to the Championship.
The bottom three places in the table are often described as the “relegation zone,” while the teams within and just above them are described as being in a “relegation battle.”
BET.CA's soccer guides are written by our in-house team, all of whom are passionate and knowledgeable soccer fans. They actively follow soccer throughout the season, meaning they can help you out with improving your understanding of betting on the EPL, World Cup, and MLS.