What is Relegation? Relegation Explained in 2 minutes
Mike Goodpaster Last Verified
26/06/2026
What is Relegation?
Relegation is a common term used in football and other team sports. It is when a team finishes in a position in a league system that will see them drop down to the league below. Naturally this is usually the bottom spot of a league or one of a number of lower spots in a division.
The relegation market is popular in sports betting and is available throughout a league season with the odds changing at every round of fixtures depending on how the teams have performed.
However, relegation is not limited to just football and can be used in any sports where there is a risk of dropping out of a division into one below.
Relegation is a costly price to pay for sports teams and something that they are all desperate to avoid. In football, being in the relegation zone is sometimes known as being in the drop zone.
How is Relegation used in Sports Betting?
The Premier League relegation market sees the most action of all and is a prime example of how relegation is used.
In the Premier League, 20 teams compete and the teams that finish 18th, 19th, and 20th are relegated out the division and into England’s second tier of football - the Championship.
Three teams are then promoted out of that division and often they are the three teams who are deemed favourites for relegation the following season.
However, it is important to note this is not always the case and the markets move as the season pans out.
This relegation threat has a profound impact later on in the season for punters as teams will sometimes altar how they play in order to avoid the drop.
Did you know…
Relegation first came about in a guise when the Football League was founded in 1888 and a system to entice fans of other clubs to enjoy the league was created. It was decided that the worst teams at the end of a season would face re-election over a new team wanting in in order to ensure they avoided relegation.
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