FOOTBALL BETTING: Rangers are 1/5 at bet365 to win the SPL, Celtic are 4/1 at Victor Chandler and Hibs are 10/11 at William Hill without the Old Firm. David Russell previews the weekend action.
Rangers could virtually secure the SPL crown by beating Celtic on Sunday – a match they’re priced at 13/10 (Victor Chandler) to win, but punters guided by statistics and records may feel there’s an imminent twist in the title race…
Only once since 1998 has an SPL season passed without at least one Old Firm league match ending in an away victory. Furthermore, since 2003, the record books show that 46% of the time, the home side in these bitter duels fails to win. This suggests that, while Celtic have often been unbelievably poor this term, Jaxx.com’s 9/4 odds for them to win at Ibrox – or Totesport’s 12/5 for the match to end all square – are both worthy of further consideration.
Punters who concur can get 4/7 (Ladbrokes) about Celtic winning when handed a one goal start, while Paddy Power quotes 11/4 against them keeping a clean sheet. Tony Mowbray’s men are 23/20 to win in William Hill’s ‘draw no bet’ market and 888Sport chalk a massive 9/1 against a 1-0 away victory.
Aberdeen and Hearts have drawn five of their last ten league matches, hence the attraction of bet365’s 11/2 for it to finish 1-1 tomorrow; the match draw is priced at 12/5 by Betfred.
Home advantage ensures that Partybets rate the Dons their 13/10 favourites. By contrast, Hearts, who have managed just two wins away from Tynecastle, are priced at 5/2 by internet bookie Betdaq.
St Johnstone secured a remarkable 5-1 win at McDiarmid Park ten days ago, yet despite that extraordinary success, Stan James make Hibs their 10/11 favourites to beat the Saints tomorrow. St Johnstone are Ladbrokes’ colossal 10/3 underdogs to record their fourth away victory of the season, while William Hill post an attractive 5/2 against the draw.
Elsewhere, home victories appear on the cards for Dundee United (4/6, Stan James) to overhaul Falkirk and for Motherwell, offered at 10/11 (Partybets) to beat Kilmarnock.
Matters look less straight forward in the duel involving St Mirren and Hamilton where the home side are Betdaq’s 6/5 favourites and the draw priced at 12/5 by Betfred. Hamilton beat the Saints 2-0 at St Mirren Park back in October, a result which adds appeal to bet365’s 12/5 for the Accies to repeat the result tomorrow.
Compare SPL odds and bet at the best prices on every match in Scotland this weekend
