West Ham vs. Aston Villa prediction, odds, time: 2024 Premier League picks for Aug. 17 from proven expert

Teams that struggled down the stretch last campaign look to begin the 2024-25 English Premier League season on a positive note as West Ham United host Aston Villa on Saturday. West Ham won just one of their final six matches in 2023-24 and finished ninth in the Premier League table with a 14-10-14 record. Aston Villa were fourth in the league, going 20-8-10, but ended with a four-game winless streak (0-2-2). The Lions got the better of the Hammers last campaign, defeating the Hammers 4-1 at home for their first victory in 11 meetings between the clubs before playing to a 1-1 draw on the road.

Kickoff at London Stadium is set for 12:30 p.m. ET. The Hammers are +150 favorites (risk $100 to win $150) in the latest West Ham vs. Aston Villa odds, while the Lions are +165 underdogs. A 90-minute draw is priced at +250 and the over/under for total goals scored is 2.5. Before locking in any Aston Villa vs. West Ham picks, you need to see what proven SportsLine soccer insider Jon "Buckets" Eimer has to say .

Eimer is a high-volume bettor who has vast knowledge of leagues and players across the globe. Since joining SportsLine, he has covered the English Premier League, Serie A, the FA Cup and much more. In 2023, he was red-hot, going 248-234-12 for a profit of $2,593 for $100 bettors. That included an 86-59-5 record in the Premier League for a $3,463 profit.

Now, Eimer has broken down West Ham vs. Aston Villa from every angle and has locked in his picks and 2024-25 Premier League predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Eimer's picks . Here are the betting lines and trends for Aston Villa vs. West Ham:

• West Ham vs. Aston Villa money line: Hammers +150, Lions +165, Draw +250
• West Ham vs. Aston Villa over/under: 2.5 goals
• West Ham vs. Aston Villa spread: Hammers -0.5 (+135)
• WH: The Hammers went 1-4-1 in their last six home games in 2023-24
• AV: The Lions are winless in their last nine EPL road matches against West Ham
  
• West Ham vs. Aston Villa picks: See picks here

Why you should back West Ham

The setback at Aston Villa last October is the Hammers' lone loss in the all-time series since May 2015, when they dropped a 1-0 decision. Since suffering a 2-1 defeat in February 2013, West Ham have held the Lions to fewer than two goals in 15 of their 16 meetings, posting six clean sheets in that span. They were on their way to a seventh in their matchup this past March but allowed the tying tally in the 79th minute of the contest.

Jarrod Bowen finished 2023-24 as the Hammers' leading scorer for the third consecutive season as he scored 16 goals in 34 contests. The 27-year-old winger, who netted 12 tallies in 2021-22 and six the following campaign, was the only member of West Ham to convert in their loss to Aston Villa last season. German forward Niclas Fullkrug should take some of the offensive burden off of Bowen's shoulders as he begins his first campaign with the Hammers after scoring 12 goals for Borussia Dortmund of the Bundesliga in 203-24. See which team to pick here .

Why you should back Aston Villa

The Lions had one of the top goal scorers in the Premier League last season in Ollie Watkins , who tied for fourth place with 19 tallies. The 28-year-old forward also was the best set-up man in the league as he led all players with 13 assists, matching the amount he totaled over his first three campaigns with Aston Villa. One of Watkins' goals in 2023-24 came in the victory against West Ham.

Winger Leon Bailey also reached double figures last campaign, setting a career high with 10 tallies. The 27-year-old Jamaican, who also scored in the win over the Hammers, recorded nine goals twice in his five seasons with Leverkusen of the German Bundesliga. Winger Jaden Philogene joins the Lions after converting a team-high 12 times for Hull City of the EFL Championship in 2023-24. See which team to pick here .

How to make West Ham vs. Aston Villa picks

Eimer has broken down Aston Villa vs. West Ham from every possible angle and is leaning Over on the goal total. He also has locked in a pair of confident best bets, including one that offers a plus-money payout, and is offering a full breakdown of this match. He's sharing his 2024-25 Premier League picks and analysis only at SportsLine .

So who wins West Ham vs. Aston Villa on Saturday, and where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see which wagers in Aston Villa vs. West Ham have all the value, all from the soccer expert who was red-hot in 2023 , and find out.

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