Who will win the Ashes 2025/26? Favourites, latest odds, early predictions and betting for Australia vs. England

The greatest rivalry in cricket is set to ignite once more as England travel Down Under for the 2025/26 Ashes series this winter.

Following a thrilling 2-2 draw in the 2023 series, Ben Stokes’ England side - playing their aggressive brand of cricket - will be desperate to reclaim the urn on Australian soil, a feat no England side has achieved since 2010/11.

Australia, however, remain the holders and - crucially - will enjoy a formidable home advantage. Here is a full breakdown of the favourites, the current betting and our early predictions for the series winner.

The Ashes 2025/26: Latest betting odds

The bookmakers have picked out a clear market leader, with Australia's dominant home record making them the odds-on choice to retain the Ashes despite Pat Cummins being ruled out of at least the first test with a back injury and Josh Hazlewood now joining him on the sidelines. 

Odds accurate as of 29/10/2025 and subject to change.

MORE: How to bet on cricket in the U.K. - a complete beginners' guide

Who are the favourites to win the Ashes 2025/26?

Australia odds to win the Ashes

The market suggests a difficult tour ahead for England, with Australia installed as the firm favourites at a best price of 8/13 despite the injuries affecting their bowling attack.

This price reflects the historical challenge of winning an Ashes series away from home, particularly given England's track record in Australia over the last decade.

Since winning the 2010/11 series 3-1 under the captaincy of Andrew Strauss on their way to becoming the world number one Test team, Ashes series' in Australia have finished 5-0, 4-0 and 4-0 - with the vast majority of Test matches, if not all, being extremely one-sided affairs, too.

The core of the Australian team including the batting consistency of Steve Smith ensures a settled and high-quality unit but they will be without captain Pat Cummins for at least the first test through injury. 

Their home pitches are known to be quick and bouncy, conditions that traditionally play right into the hands of the Australian fast bowlers.

However, Australia have an ageing side, albeit a high quality one. Their pitches have also begun to favour more orthodox swing bowling, with pitches given a bit more juice for bowlers to worth with.

England odds to win the Ashes

England are the clear underdogs at 23/10.

The drawn series in 2023 was a massive moral victory, showcasing the fighting spirit of the "Bazball" era under Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.

However, the question remains whether this aggressive style can successfully adapt to the tougher, faster and less-seaming conditions Down Under. It also remains to be seen whether Stokes and McCullum will opt for Ollie Pope or Jacob Bethell at first drop.

The so-called 'Bazball' style has brought about the most extraordinary Test matches in the last few years and it has been thrilling to watch - and yet results have more or less remained the same in the big series against Australia and India. They have just gone a more scenic route to get to the same outcome.

The English bowlers will need to be fully fit and firing to contain the hosts' batting line-up, and key performers like Joe Root and Harry Brook will need to deliver monumental series with the bat.

Odds for a drawn Ashes series

The odds for a Drawn Series in 2025/26 (meaning a 2-2 result as Australia are the current holders) are priced at 9/1.

This outcome proved to be the final result in the 2023 series and is not to be discounted, especially if a Test or two are affected by weather, as happened at Old Trafford last time out. A draw means Australia retain the urn.

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When does the Ashes start?

The 2025/26 Ashes series will start in Perth on November 21. The five-Test series runs through to the New Year's Test in Sydney. You can find the key dates below.

Ashes prediction: Why England can reclaim the urn

The raw facts are stark: England have not won an Ashes Test in Australia for 14 years.

But this tour is different. The revolution under Stokes is not just about scoring quickly; it’s about erasing fear and dictating play, regardless of the conditions.

We've picked out three reasons to believe in a history-defying triumph for England.

The Archer and Wood x-factor

England's hopes rest squarely on the pace battery.

The potential return to fitness and full pace of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood gives England a genuine, high-velocity strike attack they have lacked on recent tours.

These bowlers, alongside the emerging firepower of Gus Atkinson, are made for the hard, bouncy Australian decks.

If they can remain fit and consistently clock 90mph, they have the capability to 'blow teams away', a tool previous English captains could only dream of.

Australia's ageing attack

The Australian fast-bowling unit has massive mileage on the clock.

Injuries to both Cummins and Hazlewood means Mitchell Starc will be under immense pressure to bowl high-volume spells while maintaining peak intensity.

If England's aggressive batting forces long days in the field, the veteran attack could be vulnerable to wear and tear as the series progresses. Scott Boland, one of the likely deputies in Perth, averaged 115.50 across two matches in the 2023 series.

The unsung heroes in batting

While much attention will focus on Joe Root's search for an elusive maiden Ashes century in Australia, the real difference-makers from previous series could be in the middle order.

Harry Brook is a world-class talent perfectly suited to fast tracks, and his strike-rate will challenge the Australian captain's field settings.

If the foundation is set by openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, the ability of Brook and Stokes to dominate sessions could lead to rapid momentum shifts that turn draws into wins.

What is the overall record in The Ashes?

The first ever Test match between England and Australia took place in 1877 in Melbourne but the Ashes feud and rivalry didn't begin until half a decade later as Australia defeated England at The Oval in 1882. This sparked the so-called 'death of English cricket', with the return 1882/83 series down under beginning with captain Ivo Bligh vowing to 'regain those ashes' of English cricket'.

Since then, there have been 73 series between the countries with Australia winning 34 and England winning 32, with the other seven series' ending up in a draw.

There hadn't been a drawn series since 1972 before the 2019 2-2 draw, which was followed up by another 2-2 draw four years later in England. England haven't held the Ashes since 2017 when they were hammered 4-0 in Australia, with their last series win being a bizarrely forgettable 3-2 victory in 2015 in England.

What were the results of recent Ashes series in Australia?

As mentioned, England's performances and results have been fairly embarrassing when playing down under, with the English often falling into the Steve Waugh spoken trope of 'mental disintegration'.

In the last 35 years, Australia and England have played 45 Test matches in Australia. England have won six of them - and three of them came in just one series.

Those results may read quite badly - but the performances have also been abysmal, with England very rarely ever in the match, too, as shown by the final scores.

Here is a look at the results of England's last three trips down to their old enemy.

When did England last win the Ashes in Australia?

England's last series win in Australia came in 2010/2011. The 3-1 success (wins for Andrew Strauss' side came in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney) featured as many English wins as in the 2021/22, 2017/18, 2013/14, 2006/07, 2002/03, 1998/99, 1994/95 and 1990/01 Ashes series' combined.

The Ashes verdict: England to end the drought

This England side is psychologically different.

They are built for big challenges, and their attacking intent is the best possible defence against the hostile Australian atmosphere.

Against the odds, the depth of their renewed pace attack and the sheer talent of their young batting stars will be enough to achieve the near-impossible.

England to win the series 3-2 and bring the Ashes home.