Sat 15.00: An 11/4 favourites treble (Stan James) and a narrow Aberdeen win are two of our four Scottish Premiership picks this week.
Last week, this column suggested that although they were all odds-on, backing Aberdeen, Celtic, Inverness and Motherwell to win made sense as supporting the quartet in an accumulator would return at odds of almost 11/2 with bet365.
A similar case can be made for supporting three home wins this weekend in a £10 win treble at Celtic (1/5), Inverness (4/5) and Motherwell (3/4 ) – all odds are available at Stan James. Were all three to prove successful the gross return would total £37.80, aggregate odds of approximately 11/4.
The bet appears attractive because despite winning just three of their six league encounters against Ross County (17/1, BetVictor.com), it would be a major surprise were Celtic to secure anything other than three points on Saturday.
Similarly, although three of their last five meetings have ended all square, Inverness rightly assume the mantle of favourites when hosting St Mirren (4/1, Skybet) as the visitors have won only once on their last ten visits to the Caledonian Stadium. As insurance, however, punters might consider Ladbrokes’ 13/5 for it to end in stalemate as worthy of further attention.
Motherwell too appear accurately priced to overhaul Kilmarnock (4/1, Winner.com), even though four of their last nine meetings have finished level.
Punters anticipating another clean sweep for home sides on Saturday might be tempted by Betway’s even money chalked about Aberdeen beating Dundee United (29/10, Paddy Power) at Pittodrie. Two of the pair’s last five have finished level, with the other three being settled by a single goal; William Hill chalk 10/3 about the Dons enjoying a one-goal margin of victory.
At McDiarmid Park, St Johnstone kick off as Stan James’s even money favourites to register three points. Partick, by contrast, open as Skybet’s 3/1 underdogs, even though their hosts have endured a run of indifferent form since the beginning of January.
Finally, at Tynecastle on Sunday, Hearts and Hibs meet for what could be the last top-flight Edinburgh derby for some time. The Jambos won the corresponding fixture 1-0 in August, although Betway consider a 1-1 outcome most likely on this occasion, pricing the score at 6/1, while bet365 post a lengthy-looking 9/1 against a goalless draw and bet365 rate any stalemate at 5/2.
Recommended Bets:
Treble on Celtic, Inverness & Motherwell – 11/4 (Stan James)
Aberdeen to beat Dundee Utd by one – 10/3 (William Hill)
St Johnstone to beat Partick – evens (Stan James)
Hearts and Hibs to draw – 5/2 (bet365)
Compare all Scottish Cup and Premiership odds and bet at the best price.
