Let's be honest. If you're a fan of Scottish football you already know that the Scottish Premiership will likely be a two-horse race again this season. In fact, since the advent of the Premiership era in 1975, the Glasgow Old Firm of Celtic or Rangers have won the title on 44 of the 48 completed editions.
If you're a betting person, it may help to know that the Old Firm team that didn't win the title only finished as runner-up on 29 occasions during the same time. So there's a chance you could back one of the other 10 league teams for a second-place finish more easily!
The bottom line is, unless you're willing to go out on a far-reaching limb, it's unlikely that you'll find any worthwhile odds by backing the winner of the SPL. Instead, it may be best to look at some of the other available Scottish Premiership markets to make a little extra cash.
Before looking at the markets, it helps to understand how the Scottish Premiership works. Although Celtic and Rangers are the dominant clubs, there are still 12 teams making up the league. The way the league works is more complex than most other European leagues, so take note.
The league kicks off like any other, with all teams playing each other three times during the initial part of the season. Pre-season seedings define the home/away draw, with a view to balancing out fixtures after the split happens.
The split? Yes, this is where the Premiership differs from leagues in other countries. After the competing sides finish the first 33 games against each other as above, the league splits. The teams in the top and bottom six positions split to form the "Championship Group" and the "Relegation Group" respectively.
Each team then plays every other team in its group again, resulting in the final league table. No team from the bottom group can displace a team from the top group in the final standings. What this means is that a side in the "Relegation Group" can only finish in seventh position at best, regardless of its final points total.
Bettors will do well to keep this in mind when placing positional bets. Watch the fixtures too, as the split can result in certain teams playing more home or away games over a season.
We're sure you'd like to find ways to lessen the imbalances caused by the dominant Old Firm sides. Besides futures bets on a team's final Scottish Premiership position, what other available markets are there?
Full-time Result (1X2): Celtic and Rangers won't likely offer great odds unless they're playing each other in an Old Firm derby. Punters will get longer odds on teams playing against the two favourites, however. Backing another team for a win, or even a draw, against a dominant Glasgow side, can be beneficial. Remember: the odds, a reflection of implied probability, determine what you stand to gain from backing a winner. A bigger price equals greater returns, but also means that result is less likely to occur (source: https://fairbettingsites.co.uk/).
Let's face it, Kilmarnock have already beaten Rangers in the opening 2023/24 SPL fixture. Then Killie defeated Celtic in the Scottish League Cup too, so these upsets do happen. If you think lightning could strike again, Kilmarnock face Celtic again at Rugby Park on 9 December, and Rangers at home on 28 February next year.
Watching the fixture list and backing outsider teams playing each other can also be beneficial using the 1X2 betting market.
Total Goals: The Total Goals market allows avid bettors the chance to predict how many goals there'll be in a single match. Be "on the ball" and follow the histories of specific match-ups. In this way, you'll likely be able to predict whether certain matches will generate more or fewer goals.
A lot depends on the playing styles of the teams involved. Two sides that play attacking, open football will generally score more goals against each other. In contrast, two defensively-minded sides will probably concede less. Check the stats on previous fixtures between sides to be more informed here.
Other Individual Match Markets: Besides the total goals in a match, several different markets targeting specific matches exist. You can predict which team will score first, or whether there will be goals in the first or second half. You can also bet on how many corners or free kicks there will be.
You can also forecast the number of cards issued in a match, or how many fouls will occur. Visiting different sportsbooks can give you an idea of the different betting alternatives there are available to you.
Individual Player Markets: In Scotland, it's sometimes easier to pick players that perform than teams. Top scorers, for example, generally come from either Celtic or Rangers, but this isn't always the case. In 2021/22, Regan Charles-Cook, then of Ross County, ended as joint top scorer in the Scottish Premiership, with 13 goals. Many didn't see that happening at the beginning of the season.
Besides predicting the top scorer in the league, bettors can also place bets on performances in specific matches. You can predict which player will score first, whether a player will score two goals or more, or whether a goalkeeper will keep a clean sheet. You can even bet on whether a player will receive a red or yellow card.