2025/26 EFL Cup Betting Odds & Lines - Bet on Carabao Cup (League Cup) Online
The EFL Cup, also known as the League Cup or Carabao Cup, is one of the main domestic trophies in English football. Teams from across England and Wales can take part in the League Cup for a chance at glory.
The EFL Cup, also known as the League Cup or as its sponsored name, the Carabao Cup, is an English soccer tournament open to all teams in the top 4 levels of the English Football League (EFL). This means all 92 clubs from League Two, League One, the Championship, and the Premier League. While it doesn’t share the same prestige as the FA Cup, it’s still a prized trophy for teams across the top four divisions of English football. Additionally, winning the League Cup opens up qualification for the UEFA Conference League.
History of the EFL Cup
The League Cup was first formed due to disputes between the Football Association (FA) and the EFL over revenue sharing. League attendances were dwindling, and clubs wanted to add evening weekday fixtures after fitting pitches with floodlights in the 1950s. The League Cup was introduced for the 1960-61 season, with Aston Villa lifting the trophy for the first time. Since then, it’s been played annually for every season alongside tournaments such as the EFL Trophy and FA Cup. From 1967-68 onwards, winners have qualified for one of the levels of European competition.
There have been a total of 24 League Cup winners over the years, with Liverpool holding the record for the most titles, having lifted the trophy 10 times in their history.
2024/25 EFL Cup Results
Newcastle United were crowned the Carabao Cup winners in the 2024/25 season, winning the trophy for the first time. They beat Chelsea, Brentford and Arsenal on their way to the final, where they beat Liverpool 2-1. The match was won by goals from Burn and Isak on either side of the half-time break before a late consolation goal in injury time for Liverpool from Chiesa.
When is the 2025/26 EFL Cup?
The 2025/26 EFL Cup begins in August 2025 with the new season as the first round gets underway. The Final will likely be held in March 2026.
Which Teams Play in the EFL Cup?
Some of the most successful clubs to play in the EFL Cup include:
Liverpool – 10 titles
Manchester City – 8 titles
Manchester United – 6 titles
Chelsea – 5 titles
Aston Villa – 5 titles
Tottenham Hotspur – 4 titles
Nottingham Forest – 4 titles
Leicester City - 3 titles
Arsenal - 2 titles
Norwich City - 2 titles
Birmingham City - 2 titles
Wolverhampton Wanderers - 2 titles
Format & Schedule of the Carabao Cup 2025/26
The Carabao Cup is split into seven rounds, with the first three rounds organised so that the top clubs have to play fewer games. All of the rounds up to the semi-finals are played as single knockout games, with the winner progressing to the next stage in the competition.
Teams playing in European competitions such as the Europa League and Champions League get a bye to the third round, while the remaining Premier League teams play their first League Cup games in the second round.
August 2025 - First Round
All League Two and League Clubs, as well as 22 clubs from the Championship
August 2025 - Second Round
35 winners from the previous round are joined by 2 clubs from the championship and 13 Premier League clubs that aren’t playing in European competitions.
September 2025 - Third Round
25 winners from the previous round, along with the 7 remaining Premier League clubs.
October 2025 - Fourth Round
16 winners from the third round.
December 2025 - Quarter-Finals
8 winners from the fourth round.
January-February 2026 - Semi-Finals
4 winners from the quarter-finals. The semi-finals are played over two legs, with the aggregate score used to determine the winner. If scores are level, the tie is decided on a penalty shootout.
March 2026 - Final
2 winners from the semi-finals. The final is a single match played at Wembley, with extra time and then penalties following if the scores are level after 90 minutes.
How to Bet on the EFL Cup & Soccer/Football Bet Types
There are lots of different soccer betting types to choose from, with our EFL Cup games featuring over seventy pre-live markets. Some of the most popular options include:
Both pre-live and live betting markets are available on all EFL soccer matches at Stake. To bet on a game live, simply log into your account when the match is being played and place your bets as normal. The odds and markets available will change depending on what’s happening on the pitch, and you can use the live stats and live streams to make informed betting decisions.
EFL Cup Betting Odds & Payouts
Decimal – To calculate your payout from decimal betting odds, all you have to do is multiply your stake by the odds. The result is how much you’ll win back, including your original stake. For example, if you bet $10 on odds of 4.5 and win, you’ll receive $45. That’s $35 profit plus your $10 stake.
Fractional – Work out your potential payout by multiplying your stake by the first number in the fraction and then dividing the answer by the second number. This reveals how much profit you’d make from a winning bet. So if you bet $10 at 1/2 and win, you’d make $5.
American – If the odds have a minus symbol in front, the number is how much you’d need to bet to make a profit of $100. If the odds are displayed with a plus symbol, they show you how much you’d potentially win from a $100 bet.
Don’t just bet on the biggest team – While the top teams will often win the tournament, many big teams go out in the earlier rounds due to fielding weaker sides. Teams that are competing in multiple competitions won’t usually prioritise the Carabao Cup, using it as an opportunity to rest key players.
Northern dominance – Interestingly enough, since 2016, the League Cup has only been won by clubs in the North of England. Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Newcastle United are the only recent winners, with Chelsea the last Southern club to win in 2015. Before last season, the last club outside of the traditional “Big Six” to win was Swansea in 2013.
Make the most of all the stats available – Research is crucial when betting on sports, and there’s no shortage of data when it comes to football. Make sure you check all available stats, including team news, fixture lists, current form and more, before making your bets.
