Live on Sky Sports 2: Sat 12.45: A 9/1 treble (Betfred) is one of our four Scottish Premiership picks on Saturday.
Drama is a virtually guaranteed feature of football’s Easter weekend, a time of great tension when matches are often decided by late goals or controversial decisions. With this in mind, backers may fancy taking advantage of Paddy Power’s even money odds for the final goal in Saturday’s fixture between St Johnstone and Dundee United to be scored after the 73rd minute.
Only one side has scored in each of the pair’s last four meetings – including the Saints’ 1-0 win at Tannadice last month; their previous three encounters ended all square. Not surprisingly, St Johnstone welcome their Scottish Cup final opponents priced as Stan James’s 13/8 favourites to secure maximum points.
Prior to this cup final practice run, Celtic (8/11, William Hill) travel to Motherwell for a lunchtime kick-off priced at 7/4 (Winner.com) to retain a clean sheet. Given that in the pair’s three meetings this term Celtic have scored ten goals without reply, those odds look particularly attractive.
Goals appear to be on the agenda at Tynecastle where Ross County face Hearts. Three of the duo’s last half dozen encounters have finished 2-2 and a fourth in seven is priced at 14/1 by bet365. The Staggies kick off as Skybet’s 7/5 favourites, but perhaps as insurance, punters may fancy BetVictor’s 12/5 for the match to produce more than 3.5 goals – the pair have rattled in 24 between them in their last six contests.
Online bookie Betway post 9/2 against both halves in the match involving Kilmarnock and Partick finishing with honours even and Ladbrokes’ 3/1 for it to end as a score draw has attracted plenty of support. This is because two of their three meetings this term have ended one apiece, while the third was won 1-0 by Killie who open as BetVictor’s 13/10 jollies to secure maximum points.
Finally, St Mirren are backed to hold their nerve (again) against Hibs on Saturday. The Saints (7/5, Ladbrokes) raced to a 3-0 lead inside 26 minutes when the pair met at Easter Road in January but were left holding on to a 3-2 lead as Hibs launched a spirited fightback.
The Edinburgh team are 21/10 (bet365) to register three points this time, but backers expecting a straight forward Saint Mirren victory can get 8/1 (Winner.com) against them recording a 1-0 win, while a 2-1 home success is priced at 9/1 by BetVictor.com.
Recommended Bets:
Over 3.5 goals in Hearts v Ross County – 12/5 (BetVictor)
Celtic to keep a clean sheet – 7/4 (Winner.com)
Kilmarnock v Partick score draw – 3/1 (Ladbrokes)
Treble on St Mirren, St Johnstone & Celtic – 9/1 (Betfred)
Compare all Scottish Cup and Premiership odds and bet at the best price.
