Sat 15.00: Peter Sharkey has four Scottish Premiership picks this week, incuding an 11/2 treble (BetVictor).
On the final Saturday of September last season, Dundee United topped the Premiership table, leading the pack by two clear points.
Twelve months on and United’s league status has deteriorated as they wallow in 11th place, but there’s little to suggest that Aberdeen, slashed to 11/2 (bet365) to be crowned champions this season, will suffer a fate similar to that of the men from Tannadice.
The table-topping Dons head to Inverness this weekend priced as BetVictor’s 10/11 favourites to secure three points. They won all four of the pair’s league matches last term – each by a single goal and they’re 10/3 (Stan James) to enjoy a one-goal margin of victory this time. Only one of the duo’s last 11 encounters have been settled by more than one goal, adding appeal to Skybet’s 7/1 for Aberdeen to win 1-0.
Celtic welcome Hearts to Parkhead and having won each of their last ten matches against the Jambos, their 3/10 price (Winner.com) to make it eleven looks like the weekend’s strongest banker.
Dundee and Ross drew 1-1 when they last met at Dens Park and home advantage accounts for the Dark Blues’ starting price of 11/8 (BetVictor.com), with Ross quoted at 11/5 by Stan James.
Skybet price the draw at 5/2 and there has been plenty of support for the stalemate: Paddy Power chalk 4/1 against both halves finishing on level terms, while Winner.com mark even money against the fixture producing a goal in both halves.
The weight of punters’ money has supported a Hamilton victory (they’re 5/4, Skybet) when they visit Kilmarmock, with Ladbrokes offering Killie at 5/2; Betfred’s 9/2 for the visitors to win following a drawn first period has found significant support.
Motherwell and Partick served up seven goals in a quartet of contests last season, a sequence which explains the appeal of William Hill’s 4/6 odds posted in favour of Saturday’s duel producing fewer than 2.5 goals. Motherwell, rightly installed as Stan James’s 13/10 favourites, should have too much for a side that is yet to win and has failed to score away from home.
Finally, St Johnstone have failed to keep a clean sheet this season, while their opponents, Dundee United, have been unable to prevent the opposition from scoring in their last six matches, a statistic which suggests that bet365’s 10/3 for it to end as a score draw is worthy of further consideration.
Although the correct score market’s most popular result is 1-1 (11/2, Paddy Power), Ladbrokes’ 6/1 for St Johnstone to win 1-0 is attractive enough to warrant a modest punt.
Recommended Bets:
Aberdeen to beat Inverness by one – 10/3 (Stan James)
St Johnstone to beat Dundee Utd 1-0 – 6/1 (Ladbrokes)
Motherwell, Celtic and Hamilton treble – 11/2 (BetVictor)
Dundee and Ross County draw – 5/2 (Skybet)
Compare all Scottish Premiership odds and bet at the best price.
