Bolton Wanderers vs Middlesbrough prediction — Championship · Fri 23 Oct · 20:00 UK

Championship · Fri 23 Oct · 20:00 UK
Bolton Wanderers 25Draw 25Middlesbrough 49
Middlesbrough or draw is at 75%, where it was 3 days ago
The call
75%
Middlesbrough or draw
Calls on the result published at 75–80% have landed 75% of the time
180 of 239 settledFull record →
2.9
Goals expected
11d 07hUntil lineups lock
Goal before half-time
82%
Both teams score
57%
3+ goals
55%

What we expect

Our forecast for this match. The tick on each bar is that side’s average over their last six.

what we expecttheir average over the last six
Bolton WanderersMiddlesbrough
1.2
Goals+0.5
1.7
avg 1.7 · 3 away · 1+ in 5/6
avg 1.7 · 3 away · 2+ in 3/6
12.7
Shots+4.1
16.8
avg 14.8 · 3 away · 13+ in 4/6
avg 16.7 · 3 away · 17+ in 2/6
4.4
On target+0.7
5.1
avg 5.2 · 3 away · 4+ in 6/6
avg 5.5 · 3 away · 5+ in 4/6
4.6
Corners+1.2
5.9
avg 5.5 · 3 away · 5+ in 3/6
avg 5.5 · 3 away · 6+ in 2/6
Bolton WanderersMiddlesbrough
0.5
Goals+0.1
0.6
5.6
Shots+2.0
7.6
2.2
On target+0.2
2.4
2.2
Corners+0.6
2.8
Bolton WanderersMiddlesbrough
0.6
Goals+0.5
1.1
7.1
Shots+2.1
9.2
2.2
On target+0.5
2.7
2.5
Corners+0.7
3.1

Each row is drawn on one scale, so a bar means the same length on both sides. Second-half goals are our full-match forecast minus our first half.

How to read this

The small bars under each number are that side’s most recent matches (up to six), home and away, against opponents of mixed strength, oldest on the left; the dashed line is the number we expect. Our forecast is for this opponent at this ground, so a favourite’s recent numbers often sit below it and an underdog’s above it.

Recent averages · last 6 matches

What each side has actually done lately, home and away — a record, not a forecast.

Bolton WanderersMiddlesbrough
Attack
1.7Goals1.7
1.4Expected goals (xG)1.6
14.8Shots16.7
5.2Shots on target5.5
2.7Big chances3.2
5.5Corners5.5
Defence
2.5Goals conceded1.7
1.7xG conceded1.2
12.0Shots faced12.5
5.8On target faced4.3
5.0Corners conceded5.0
3.2Keeper saves3.0
Style & discipline
52%Possession57%
11.7Fouls9.5
1.5Yellow cards1.7
1.8Offsides2.3

Our numbers, most likely first

Ranked by our probability, strongest first — our three strongest above the line.

MarketProbability3-day change
Middlesbrough to score82%0
Over 1.5 goals78%0
Bolton Wanderers to score69%+1
Under 3.5 goals67%−1

In plain English

Middlesbrough are more likely than not to avoid defeat, but it is close. The model expects them to create around half a goal more per game than Bolton Wanderers, and Bolton Wanderers have not beaten them in their last five meetings. The model sees around three goals in it.

What would change the call

Middlesbrough or draw, priced again from the same expected goals if the match reaches these states.

Bolton Wanderers lead 1–0 at half-time75% → 40%
Middlesbrough lead 1–0 at half-time75% → 95%
Goalless at half-time75% → 77%

Each row is the call re-priced for that scoreline at half-time. Lineups are not in it — we publish per-player shooting rates, not a squad-strength number, so what a rested front three does to this figure is not something we can honestly put a number on.

Bolton Wanderers · last 6

Lv Stoke City1–230 shots
Wat Norwich City4–38 shots
Wv Cardiff City1–07 shots
Lv West Ham United2–313 shots
Lat Millwall0–413 shots
Lat Sheffield United2–318 shots

Middlesbrough · last 6

Wv Wolverhampton Wanderers1–014 shots
Dat Birmingham City2–215 shots
Dv Millwall2–222 shots
Wv Norwich City4–317 shots
Lat Crystal Palace0–316 shots
Wat Queens Park Rangers1–016 shots

First half — what we expect

Bolton Wanderers
54%
to score before half-time
Middlesbrough
60%
to score before half-time

Chance of at least one goal before half-time: 82%

Bolton WanderersMiddlesbrough
5.61st-half shots7.6
avg 5.8 · 3 away · 6+ in 3/6
avg 8.8 · 3 away · 8+ in 4/6
2.21st-half shots on target2.4
avg 2.0 · 3 away · 2+ in 3/6
avg 2.7 · 3 away · 2+ in 6/6
2.21st-half corners2.8
avg 2.0 · 3 away · 2+ in 4/6
avg 2.3 · 3 away · 3+ in 2/6

First-half chances

34%Chance of 7+ shots59%
16%Chance of 9+ shots36%
85%Chance of 1+ shots on target87%
36%Chance of 3+ shots on target41%
59%Chance of 2+ corners71%
20%Chance of 4+ corners30%

How the match splits

1st half2nd half
Shots · Bolton Wanderers5.67.1
Shots · Middlesbrough7.69.2
Shots on target · Bolton Wanderers2.22.2
Shots on target · Middlesbrough2.42.7
Corners · Bolton Wanderers2.22.5
Corners · Middlesbrough2.83.1
How to read this

First-half numbers are our full-match forecast split by how much of each side's shooting and corners usually comes before the break. The small bars under each number are that side's most recent first halves (up to six).

Second half — who scores?

At half-time we update each side’s chance of scoring in the second half from what the first half showed.

Player forecasts

How much each player is expected to threaten the goal if he starts — lineups are confirmed about an hour before kickoff.

Based on counted shooting from the 2025/26 season in this competition.

Middlesbrough
1+ shot1+ on target2+ on target
Morgan Whittaker
MF · 3.4 shots expected
97%
65%
28%
Hayden Hackney
MF · 2.8 shots expected
94%
52%
17%
Riley McGree
MF · 2.7 shots expected
93%
50%
15%
David Strelec
FW · 2.6 shots expected
92%
70%
34%
Tommy Conway
FW · 2.4 shots expected
91%
62%
25%
Kaly Sène
FW · 2.0 shots expected
86%
58%
22%

These are forecasts, not tips. A player’s rate is weighted toward the league average when it rests on fewer minutes, so a small sample never reads as a certainty.

Model inputs

Bolton Wanderers form (last 6)L L L W W L
Expected goals gap (home minus away)-0.5 / match
Head-to-head, last 5Bolton Wanderers 0 · Draws 0 · Middlesbrough 5
Middlesbrough in their league tableTop quarter

Head to head

Jul 2024Middlesbrough 3–0 Bolton Wanderers
Aug 2023Bolton Wanderers 1–3 Middlesbrough
Apr 2019Bolton Wanderers 0–2 Middlesbrough
Sept 2018Middlesbrough 2–0 Bolton Wanderers
Dec 2017Middlesbrough 2–0 Bolton Wanderers
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Common questions

Who will win Bolton Wanderers vs Middlesbrough?

Bawler's model rates this match: Middlesbrough are favoured (49% win probability vs 25% for Bolton Wanderers, 25% draw). The model uses each side’s expected goals, recent form and the strength of the opposition.

What is the predicted score for Bolton Wanderers vs Middlesbrough?

The most likely scoreline from Bawler's model is Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Middlesbrough (11.9% probability). Expected total goals: 2.9.

How does Bawler predict Bolton Wanderers vs Middlesbrough?

Bawler estimates each side's expected goals from its results and the quality of its chances, adjusted for the strength of the opposition and for home advantage, then works out the chance of every scoreline to get win, draw and both-teams-to-score probabilities. Team news and lineups are not built into these numbers. For this match that gives Bolton Wanderers 25%, the draw 25% and Middlesbrough 49%. Every prediction is published before kickoff and settled afterwards.

Will both teams score in Bolton Wanderers vs Middlesbrough?

Probably — Bawler's model gives both teams scoring a 57% chance. That is based on Bolton Wanderers expecting 1.18 goals and Middlesbrough 1.72.

Over or under 2.5 goals in Bolton Wanderers vs Middlesbrough?

Bawler's model expects 2.9 goals in total. It leans slightly towards three or more goals: over 2.5 goals is 55%.

Around this fixture

Championship table →
All fixtures & results →Bolton Wanderers form →Middlesbrough form →