Premier League Player of the Season: Mo Salah Not The Early Favorite

Strong Competitors Battle For Award

For the first time in a long time, there isn’t much separating the EPL Player of the Season betting market when it comes to the odds, with just a total of +350 separating the top 7 in the market and +250 separating the top 6.

In recent seasons, the EPL Player of the Season has tended to come from the winning team, with the award handed out to a Premier League winning player for two seasons in a row (and likely three when Mo Salah gets the award in a few weeks’ time).

Prior to this recent trend, only 3 of the previous 8 had come from the winning team that season.

This year’s EPL Player of the Season award is going to go right down to the wire, we believe. With so many strong competitors, we should see a lot of fluctuation in the odds throughout the season, but who are the best bets right now before a ball is even kicked?

Best Value Bets Before the Season Begins

Erling Haaland: Still a Scoring Machine

Erling Haaland is one of the world’s most prolific goal scorers, with 279 goals in 346 club games to date. Haaland and Man City had a below-par season last time out, and the Norwegian striker still managed to score 22 goals in 31 Premier League games.

Whether or not Man City wins the title this upcoming season, one thing’s for sure, and that is that Erling Haaland will be up there with the top goal scorers in the league. Don’t be surprised to see Haaland score 25-30 goals this season and City not win the league.

At +800, we feel this is incredible value for the 25-year-old to be player of the season, considering that before last season, he was as low as +270 to win the same award.

The competition might be stronger this season, but Haaland is a natural goalscorer and a monster on the pitch. Haaland has scored 85 times in 97 Premier League games for Man City.

EPL Player of the Season: Erling Haaland (+900) at BetOnline

Declan Rice: Arsenal’s Midfield Engine

Declan Rice has quickly become one of the world’s best midfielders, helping West Ham to a European title. He has since joined the Gunners and had two fantastic seasons on the field. Without Rice, Arsenal are nowhere near as dominant in the middle of the field.

Not only is Rice a good ball winner and playmaker, but he also has the ability to score, having banged in 15 goals in 245 games for West Ham. He has since scored 16 goals in 103 games for the Gunners.

Should Arsenal win the league, it’s likely going to be Declan Rice or Bukayo Saka who win the Player of the Season award. Rice will be a key part to Arsenal’s title challenge this season, and we like his odds at +900.

EPL Player of the Season: Declan Rice (+900) at BetOnline

Market Sleeper: Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike

Hugo Ekitike made a big money move from Frankfurt to Liverpool during the summer. Ekitike could prove to be a dark horse in the EPL Player of the Season race at +1600.

Ekitike scored 26 goals in 64 career games for Frankfurt, as well as 50 in 151 throughout his career. He has represented France at the youth level and has scored 5 goals in 5 appearances. Should Liverpool win the league, Ekitike could be the reason why, especially with the service he will be receiving from players like Alexis McAllister and Mo Salah.

EPL Player of the Season: Hugo Ekitike (+1600) at BetOnline

Final Thoughts

The 2025–26 EPL Player of the Season race is wide open, with early value found on elite players like Haaland, Rice, and the rising Ekitike. While Bukayo Saka leads the betting board, the season’s narrative has yet to be written.

Player form, team performance, and unexpected storylines will shift odds rapidly, so grabbing value early can be key.

Keep an eye on the sportsbooks and track real-time updates with BMR’s betting odds tool to stay ahead.

*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.