For the first time in 22 years, Arsenal headed into a new Premier League season as defending champions. Retaining the title is the objective for Mikel Arteta’s men this term, but Arsenal will have a target on their backs and must try to conquer the fact that they have not successfully defended the championship since the 1930s.The latest Arsenal odds nevertheless have Arteta’s team down as favourites to finish top. There are other ways to bet on the Gunners too: there are Arsenal betting odds for numerous different markets, many of which we explore in this article. Odds on Arsenal to win the leagueHere is the lay of the Premier League land according to the bookies:Arsenal – 4/7 with BetwayMan City – 4/1 with bet365Chelsea – 12/1 with Sky BetBrighton – 18/1 with Star SportsLiverpool – 20/1 with BOYLE SportsMan United – 150/1 with AK BetsAston Villa – 500/1 with Paddy Power*Odds correct at time of writing, and are subject to change.Having finished as runners-up in each of the three previous seasons, Arsenal finally got over the line in the Premier League title race in 2025/26. There were a few nervous moments along the way, but in the end Mikel Arteta’s charges finished seven points clear of Manchester City. Their success was built on a rock-solid defence, with Arsenal conceding the fewest goals and keeping the most clean sheets.Arsenal have not won back-to-back titles for almost a century, and the fact they are desperate to make up for last season’s defeat in the Champions League final could affect their Premier League campaign. But Arsenal’s squad is the strongest in the division and they showed last season that they are able to compete on multiple fronts.One positive for Arsenal is that all their title rivals are in transition to varying degrees. Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have all changed their managers in 2026, whereas Arteta is approaching seven years at the Emirates Stadium.Having added to a title-winning team, Arsenal are favourites to retain the Premier League, and they started the way champions are supposed to – with four wins and three clean sheets. They came unstuck at Brighton just before the extended international break, and Man City took advantage to go three points clear.Arsenal have won both league games since, 2-1 against Leeds and 1-0 at Nottingham Forest. City have kept winning too, though, and remain three points clear after seven games. We’re still at a stage where the picture can change quickly, however.Over at Coral, new customers can score boosted odds of 50/1 on the Gunners to finish in the top two – paid in free bets if it lands. As we get into below, a top-two finish should be the bare minimum for the North Londoners this season. How Arsenal can retain their Premier League crownThese are some of the factors that will determine whether or not this is a successful season for Arsenal. Arsenal’s current squad and managerArsenal won the Premier League title last season because they had the meanest defence in the division, and because they developed a knack for grinding out results and edging tight matches. They scored plenty of goals from set-pieces, with their routines often smart and inventive.There is a good amount of depth in virtually every part of the Arsenal squad. Keeping the likes of Declan Rice, David Raya and Gabriel Magalhães fit will be important, but the Gunners showed last season that they can still pick up points when some key men are either out injured or off form. They also did a good job of sharing the goals around, with Viktor Gyökeres their top scorer with a relatively modest return of 14.Pep Guardiola’s departure from Manchester City leaves Arteta as one of the longest-serving managers in the division, and his continued presence in the dugout gives Arsenal an advantage over their fellow title competitors in terms of continuity and familiarity. Transfer activity – ins and outsKey arrivalsBruno Guimarães CM Age 28From Newcastle£75mKey stats +Midfield profile · Premier League · Newcastle UnitedApps29Goals9Assists5G+A / 900.51Ezri Konsa CB Age 28From Aston Villa£55mKey stats +Defensive profile · Premier League · Aston VillaClearances / 903.97Interceptions / 900.65Aerial duels won56.6%Duels won67.1%Piero Hincapié CB Age 24From Bayer Leverkusen£34.5mKey stats +Defensive profile · Premier League · Arsenal (2025/26 loan)Tackles won / 901.31Interceptions / 901.31Clearances / 904.77Goal involvements3Christos Tzolis LW Age 24From Club Brugge£34mKey stats +Attacking profile · Belgian Pro League · Club BruggeApps36Goals17Assists23Goal involvements40Illan Meslier GK Age 26From Leeds UnitedFREEKey stats +Playing-time profile · 2025/26 · Leeds UnitedSenior league apps0PL2 apps2PL2 minutes180PL2 clean sheets0Reported spend£198.5mKey departuresJakub Kiwior CB Age 26To Porto£19mKey stats +Defensive profile · Primeira Liga · Porto (loan)Apps26Starts26Minutes2,215Assists1Leandro Trossard LW Age 31To Besiktas£17mKey stats +Attacking profile · Premier League · ArsenalApps31Goals6Assists6G+A / 900.54Gabriel Jesus FW Age 29To Barcelona£8.6mKey stats +Attacking profile · Premier League · ArsenalAppearances14Starts3Goals3Minutes429Fabio Vieira AM Age 26To Hamburg£7.7mKey stats +Attacking midfield profile · Bundesliga · HamburgGoals7Assists5Appearances29Minutes2,206Christian Nørgaard DM Age 32To Everton£7mKey stats +Midfield profile · Premier League · ArsenalApps7Starts1Minutes106Goals0Ethan Nwaneri AM Age 19To Borussia DortmundLOANKey stats +Midfield profile · Premier League · ArsenalAppearances6Starts0Goals0Minutes171Reported income£59.3mNet transfer spend£139.2mFees as reported. Loan and free transfers are excluded from the totals. Key stats show 2025/26 domestic league performance unless otherwise stated; per-90 figures adjust for playing time.Arsenal have, in effect, traded the 31-year-old Leandro Trossard for a younger model in Christos Tzolis, who will celebrate his 25th birthday in January. Bruno Guimarães is an upgrade on Christian Nørgaard and has already made himself a regular in the centre of the park, scoring the opener at Sunderland.Arsenal’s business finished there. Bradley Barcola was top of their wish list for the attacking role, but Liverpool paid £123 million for the Paris Saint-Germain forward, and Arsenal did not add another attacker before the window shut. Whether that becomes a problem depends on how many goals Viktor Gyökeres and Kai Havertz can find – the German has been preferred as the central striker so far. Key fixtures in the 2026/27 seasonArsenal came through both of their early tests, winning 1-0 at Aston Villa through Bukayo Saka and then beating Chelsea 2-1 at the Emirates six days later. A 2-0 win at Sunderland followed, David Raya saving an Enzo Le Fée penalty two minutes before Guimarães broke the deadlock.After the defeat at Brighton, Arsenal beat Leeds 2-1 at the Emirates. Noni Madueke then scored an 80th-minute winner at Forest. In Europe, they have seven points from three games after a 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich on 21 October, where Declan Rice equalised eight minutes from time.Everton visit the Emirates on 24 October, and Arsenal travel to Liverpool on 31st October, with their first meeting with Manchester City taking place at the end of November. On 5th December, we will see the first edition of the North London derby.The reverse fixture against Tottenham Hotspur will be held on 1st May, but 2027 brings away games against Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea. Arsenal’s run-in looks favourable on paper, featuring clashes with Leeds United (away), Nottingham Forest (home), Everton (away) and Brighton & Hove Albion (home).Arsenal odds in other outright marketsOur favourite football betting sites are providing several different outright markets, each offering odds on Arsenal, so there are plenty of options to bet on them outside of the Premier League title question. Arsenal trophy multiplesArsenal were a penalty shootout away from winning the Champions League as well as the Premier League last term. Mikel Arteta’s side will once again be targeting success on multiple fronts, but we do not see them quite getting over the line in Europe.However, retaining the title while winning a domestic cup would make for a successful season for Arsenal, who have the squad depth to triumph in more than one competition. Arteta could target the EFL Cup, which has the advantage of being done and dusted before the run-in. A fourth-round trip to Fleetwood is the next step.Their strong start has already led to the price for this one being cut from 13/2 to 10/3. Back Arsenal to win the Premier League title and the EFL Cup at 10/3 with bet365 Arsenal to top the tree on Christmas DayArsenal are second for now, three points behind City, but the bookies make them favourites to be top on Christmas Day. BetVictor have Arsenal at 8/11, with City at evens.With the recent news surrounding Manchester City, however, who knows when and how they may be punished. If sanctions come soon, this could be an easy winner if Arsenal keep winning. Tip Arsenal to be top of the Premier League on Christmas Day at 8/11 with BetVictor Top London clubAs a result of winning the Premier League title in 2025/26, Arsenal were by default the top-performing London club. Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur will be aiming to unseat their present supremacy in the capital, but Arsenal are, for good reason, strong favourites in this market.The Premier League currently contains six teams from London, but none of Fulham, Brentford or Crystal Palace will be able to get close to Arsenal. Beating Chelsea at the Emirates was the clearest early evidence that the Blues still have some work to do to catch up, and Arsenal are now five points clear of them.Betway are, right now, offering by far the best odds in what most bookies see as an incredibly safe bet. Go for Arsenal to finish as the Premier League’s top London side at 1/3 with Betway Top scorerErling Haaland is the obvious favourite to win the Golden Boot once again, but Arsenal will hope one of their players can challenge. Viktor Gyökeres was their chief goal-getter with 14 league goals, and no other Arsenal player managed more than seven.Gyökeres remains their best hope of supplying the division’s top scorer, but Saka is the one who has started scoring. He has three league goals, including the winner at Villa Park and a stoppage-time penalty at Sunderland. His price has drifted from 25/1 to 100/1 even so, which is more a reflection of how quickly Haaland, with eight, has pulled clear at the top.Failing to sign another attacker means more of the load falls on both of them than Arteta would have planned for. Tip Bukayo Saka to finish as the Premier League’s top scorer at 100/1 with Betway FAQs about Arsenal ahead of the 2026/27 season1. Who are Arsenal’s key players as they aim to retain the Premier League title?David Raya was the Premier League’s best goalkeeper in 2025/26 and he will be integral to Arsenal’s chances of another successful season, as his penalty save at Sunderland showed.The same is true of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães, who form the division’s strongest centre-back duo, though Saliba’s back problem means that pairing will not be seen for some time.Declan Rice is the heartbeat of the Arsenal side in midfield, where Martin Ødegaard provides the creativity. Finally, Bukayo Saka is Arsenal’s standout attacking player despite a mixed season last time out.2. Who are likely to be Arsenal’s main rivals for the Premier League and other domestic competitions?Manchester City finished as runners-up to Arsenal last term and they will probably be their biggest challengers once more in 2026/27 – at least for the time being. City have lost Pep Guardiola, but their squad is strong and Enzo Maresca is an astute replacement.Liverpool will hope to get closer to top spot under Andoni Iraola, while Manchester United made vast strides with Michael Carrick in the dugout in the second half of last season. Neither has started quickly enough to be considered a rival yet.3. When are the best times to lock in the best odds for Arsenal in the markets mentioned in this article?The odds on Arsenal to win the league shift frequently throughout the season in response to on-field and off-field events, and the best of the value has already gone. Arsenal were 5/6 before a ball was kicked and are around 1/2 to 4/7 now.The pre-season argument for waiting was that Rice, Saliba and Saka were all doubtful. Rice and Saka both started at Villa Park, Saka scored the winner, and Arsenal have won six of their seven league games. The absence that has materialised is Saliba, out for months with a back problem, with Jurriën Timber also some way from returning. Read more about the Premier League during the 2026/27 seasonPremier League winner oddsPremier League top 4 oddsPremier League relegation oddsPremier League refereesGolden Boot oddsAbout the authorGreg LeaGreg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootballCommercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply.Remember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who:Establishes time and monetary limits before playingOnly gambles with money they can afford to loseNever chase their lossesDoesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressedGamcare – www.gamcare.org.ukFind our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.