Leeds United's promotion odds, weekend permutations and the best insurance bet in case Whites DON'T go up

Championship front-runners Leeds know that a maximum of four points from their final three games will guarantee automatic promotion, even if second-placed West Brom and third-placed Brentford win their remaining games.

Thomas Frank's Bees have now won eight straight league games after Wednesday evening's 1-0 success at home to Preston North End.

The victory put Brentford one point behind West Brom and three points behind Leeds who now take in their game in hand in this evening's 5pm kick-off at home to the Championship's bottom-placed side Barnsley.

Gerhard Struber's side are 12-1 to take away all three points with even the draw on offer at 21-4.

Leeds are no bigger than 2-7 and with the Whites firmly expected to record another victory, United are no bigger than 1-40 for a top-two finish and 1-12 to win the division.

Should United take all three points tonight, Leeds would be promoted on Friday evening if West Brom fail to win at Huddersfield Town, or if Brentford fail to take a victory in Saturday's lunch-time kick-off at Stoke City.

United, meanwhile, then visit Derby County on Sunday for a 2pm kick-off knowing they can seal promotion even with a draw if beating Barnsley.

The final day of the season next Wednesday then sees Leeds host Charlton Athletic with West Brom at home to QPR and Brentford at home to Barnsley, all in 7.30pm kick-offs.

The Baggies now have no margin for error and Slaven Bilic's side are now as big as 4-7 for a top-two finish with Brentford only 13-8.

West Brom are 12-1 to win the division with Brentford 28s with the bookmakers basically believing United are home and hosed.

That, though, is because tonight's Yorkshire derby is seen as a banker three-point haul with Patrick Bamford 7-2 favourite to score first and only evens to net any time,

Cauley Woodrow is rated Barnsley's main threat but still 12-1 to net first and 4-1 any time with Conor Chaplin and Patrick Schmidt next in the Tykes pecking order at 14-1 and 16-1 to score first respectively and the duo both 5s to net at all.

But the layers envisage a comfortable evening for the Whites with a 2-0 home victory favourite in the correct score market at 23-4 followed by 3-0 at 7s.

Even a 1-1 draw is on offer at 11s with a goalless draw 14s and a 1-0 win for the Tykes as big as 30s.

Essentially, Leeds are expected to be promoted by Sunday afternoon, if not before, and Whites fans looking for an insurance bet might want to look at SkyBet where Leeds are 16-1 NOT to go up.

Would a 16-1 winner soften the blow if the worst came to the worst?

Not really.