Success! Thank you for signing up to Independent Betting
The Independent’s journalism is supported by our readers. If you click links to other sites on this page, we will earn commission. Learn More

Wolves vs Chelsea tips: Betting preview with predictions, best odds and free bets

Wolves and Chelsea will both be looking to bring some festive cheer to their supporters on Christmas Eve
Wolves vs Chelsea tips: Betting preview with predictions, best odds and free bets
Sign up to our betting newsletter

Wolves vs Chelsea betting tips


Wolves and Chelsea will contest the first Premier League Christmas Eve fixture since 1995 on Sunday (1pm, Sky Sports).

The Blues will be looking to boost their European hopes by triumphing at Molineux Stadium.

18+ New customers only. Opt in and bet £5 on football (odds 2.00+) within 7 days of registration. No cash out. Get 2x£10 Free Bets for set EPL markets and a £10 Slot Bonus for Big Bass Splash, 20x wagering to redeem £250. Bonuses expire in 14 days. Scroll down for T&Cs. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly

Gary O’Neil’s side have a good record at home, however, so this match is not easy to call.

Chelsea are the favourites with the best betting sites, but do not count Wolves out of this one.

Wolves vs Chelsea tips: Hosts can frustrate Blues

Chelsea have been inconsistent so far this season. There is something of the Jekyll and Hyde about them. Mauricio Pochettino’s men have turned in some superb showings and some dismal displays.

Given they have the youngest squad in the Premier League, it is no surprise that Chelsea can veer from the sublime to the ridiculous – sometimes within the same game.

The Blues have only won back-to-back league matches once this season. They have lost two on the bounce on just one occasion too. Chelsea seldom repeat a result.

A win here would be their second in succession in the top flight following a 2-0 victory over Sheffield United last weekend. They then eliminated Newcastle United from the EFL Cup on penalties on Tuesday.

#ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. gambleaware.org. New customers only. Available once per household. Max. FreeBet amount: £10 Minimum Deposit and wagering on sport to activate the Free Bet is: £10 Void/cancelled or cashed out bets do not count towards wagering to activate the free bet. Offer valid only to customers making a first deposit of £10 or more. Offer only applies to players who are residents of United Kingdom and Ireland.

However, this does not look like a straightforward assignment. Wolves have caused problems for numerous visitors to Molineux this season. 

They beat Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in front of their own fans, while Aston Villa and Newcastle United could only manage a point at Wolves’ home ground.

Gary O’Neil’s side have not lost on familiar territory since mid-September, when they were still finding their feet under their new manager. Wolves can avoid defeat again on Sunday.

Tip 1: Wolves or draw - 10/11 with Luckster

Tight first half to be expected

Chelsea have grown accustomed to going in at half time with the score level. That has happened in 13 of their 17 Premier League games up to now – a remarkable 76.5 per cent, by far the highest figure in the division. 

It is a particularly prominent feature of their away games – seven out of eight have had nothing separating the two teams at the interval.

We could see the same here. Wolves have looked to start home matches quickly this season. That does not necessarily mean they aim to dominate possession from the get-go, though. 

18+ New customers only. Opt in, deposit and bet £20+ on any sports market at minimum 1/1 odds within 7 days of registration. Get £20 in Free Bets for selected markets (No cash out) and 2x £10 Casino Bonus Funds for selected games (40x wagering. Max withdrawal £500). Bonuses expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply, see below. gambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly

Indeed, we could perhaps see Wolves cede control of the ball for periods of this game, but we can expect O’Neil’s men to be aggressive when Chelsea are in possession. Wolves will press high up the pitch and look to force turnovers in dangerous areas.

Yet Chelsea will be aware of Wolves’ favoured strategy and Pochettino will implore his players to avoid falling into the trap, especially early on. As such, we’re backing the first half to end in stalemate at 23/20 on betting apps.

Tip 2: Draw at half-time - 23/20 with BetVictor

Hwang can make mark against Chelsea

Wolves hope to have Pedro Neto available again soon, with O’Neil suggesting that he could be included in the matchday squad on Christmas Eve.

Wolves have missed the Portugal international, who still leads the way (alongside Mohamed Salah and Kieran Trippier) for assists with seven.

He is not Wolves’ only attacking threat, though. Matheus Cunha has scored three goals in his last five appearances, while Hwang Hee-chan has found the back of the net eight times this season and football betting sites make the latter 10/3 to add to that tally.

#ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. gambleaware.org. New Customers only. Bet £10* & Get £30* in Free Bets. Sign up, deposit between £5* and £10* to your account and bet365 will give you three times that value in Free Bets when you place qualifying bets to the same value and they are settled. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits. Min odds/bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration Required. T&Cs, time limits & exclusions apply. - Full Terms Apply

The South Korea international excels on the counter-attack, something Chelsea have struggled to deal with at times this season.

Moreover, Hwang relishes the big games – he has scored against Liverpool, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Newcastle – and he can make an impression here.

Tip 3: Hwang Hee-chan to score any time - 10/3 with bet365

Get free bets on Premier League football 

If you plan to bet on the latest Premier League odds, there are ways of obtaining free bets if you’re new to certain bookmakers. 

For example, BetMGM will reward new customers who sign up and bet £10 with free bets worth up to £40. These free bets can then be used to on bet builders, accumulators and football in general. 

New customers only. 7 days to place qualifying bet of £10+ at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x Free Bets: x1 £10 Football, x1 £10 Acca, x 1 £10 BetBuilder, x1 £10 Horse Racing. 7 day expiry. Stake not returned. 18+. Exclusions Apply. T&Cs apply.

BetMGM are an established brand in America but they’re a new betting site in the UK having recently launched here after obtaining a license to trade from the UK Gambling commission. 

Their sportsbook is of a high standard, while punters may also be interested in their new online casino with BetMGM having built their brand on the back of many years in the casino industry. 

Greg Lea for independent.co.uk

Updated by

Greg Lea

Last Updated: 14th March 2024, 07:22 AM

Share:

You might also like

This content was created in association with Gambling.com Group. We aim to offer every online gambler and reader of The Independent a safe and fair platform through unbiased reviews of the UK's best online gambling companies. The Independent editorial team fact-checks and diligently sub-edits each article published in Independent Betting. Read more about our partnership with the world's leading online gambling affiliate and our review process.
Over-18s only – underage gambling is an offence.
Gambling can be addictive, always play responsibly and only bet what you can afford to lose. Gambling sites have a number of tools to assist you to stay in control, including deposit limits and time outs. If you think you have a problem, advice and support is available for you now from BeGambleAware or Gamcare.
Gamstop Be Gamble Aware 18+ GamCare Gambling.com
Any offers or odds listed in this article are correct at the time of publication but are subject to change. Terms & Conditions apply to all offers.