Sat 15.00: Peter Sharkey has four Scottish Premiership picks this week including a 12/5 double at bet365.
The contrast between Hamilton’s early-season form and their recent performances couldn’t be starker. The Accies won seven and lost just one of their opening nine league fixtures, whereas they’ve lost eight and drawn three of their last 11. Had it not been for that early purple patch, Hamilton would be staring relegation in the face.
Instead, they’re preparing to welcome St Johnstone to New Douglas Park on Saturday having secured two 1-0 victories over the Saints already this season, a record which accounts for their marginal 7/4 favouritism (Paddy Power), while St Johnstone kick off as bet365’s 15/8 outsiders.
The Saints have hardly been convincing on the road. No Premiership side has scored fewer away goals (11) than the men from McDiarmid Park. It follows that backers anticipating another close encounter will appreciate the appeal of Stan James’s 4/7 odds for it to produce fewer than 2.5 goals. Such prudent thinking puts an attractive sheen on bet365’s 10/11 price for the game’s total goal minutes to be less than 110.
At Pittodrie, Aberdeen host Partick, a team they’ve defeated twice already this term without conceding a goal on either occasion. Winner.com install the Dons their 1/2 favourites, while BetVictor.com makes them a chunky-looking 6/4 chance to win without conceding and bet365 also price them at 6/4 to win when kicking off with a one goal deficit.
The last five meetings of Dundee United and Ross County have yielded 18 goals and with fourth-placed United, 7/5 with Paddy Power to win and also at home, it’s hardly surprising to see Ladbrokes chalk 8/11 in favour of them opening the scoring. Stan James’s 3/1 for them to enjoy a one goal margin of victory also catches the eye, particularly as they’ve defeated Ross by a one-goal margin twice already this season.
Inverness and Dundee drew 0-0 when they met in August and despite Dundee’s 15/4 starting price (William Hill), another goalless outcome, priced at 7/1 by BetVictor.com, cannot be discounted when the pair meet at the Caledonian Stadium on Saturday. Inverness kick off as Betway’s 4/5 jollies, but Dundee are no pushovers and the draw, priced at 27/10 by Winner.com, warrants further attention.
No Premiership side has lost more away fixtures (12) than Motherwell, which suggests that Kilmarnock, who won 2-0 when the teams met at Rugby Park earlier in the campaign, deserve punter support when they lock horns at the same venue again on Saturday. Killie are 5/4 (Stan James) to win and the most likely winning outcome, according to pre-match betting patterns, is a Kilmarnock victory – they’re 7/1 at Skybet to win 1-0 and BetVictor’s 9/1 shots to register a 2-0 victory.
Recommended Bets:
Dundee Utd to beat Ross County by one – 3/1 (Stan James)
Inverness and Dundee to draw – 27/10 (Winner.com)
Aberdeen and Kilmarnock double – 12/5 (bet365)
Under 2.5 goals in Hamilton v St Johnstone – 4/7 (Stan James)
Compare all Scottish Premiership odds and bet at the best price.
