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Celtic Odds-On Favorite to Win 2020 Scottish Premiership; Aberdeen -110 to Win Without Celtic & Rangers

Gary Gowers

by Gary Gowers in Soccer News

Updated Apr 3, 2020 · 10:15 AM PDT

Celtic Park
Celtic Park will be rocking on Thursday night as Celtic play host to Italian giants Lazio in a crucial UEL Group E clash. Photo by Brian Hargadon (Flickr) [CC License]
  • Celtic hot favorites to make it nine in a row
  • Rangers closing the gap every season
  • Aberdeen fighting hard to be the best of the rest

The start of the new Scottish Premiership season is not far away, with a full program of fixtures scheduled for August 3.

As ever, Celtic are massive favorites to add to their eight consecutive titles but it’s fair to say that over the last couple of seasons, Rangers have closed the gap. Will this be the season when the balance finally tilts back to the blue half of Glasgow?

Scottish Premiership 2019/20 Odds

Team Odds to Win Odds to Win W/O Celtic Odds to Win W/O Celtic & Rangers
Celtic -350 N/A N/A
Rangers +225 -1200 N/A
Aberdeen +2500 +700 -110
Hibs +10000 +2500 +425
Hearts +12500 +4000 +550
Kilmarnock +25000 +5000 +900
St Johnstone +100000 +10000 +1800
Motherwell +100000 +12500 +2500
Livingstone +150000 +17500 +4000
Hamilton +150000 +50000 +5000
Ross County +199900 +25000 +5000
St Mirren +200000 +50000 +5000

*Odds taken 07/17/19

Celtic are big favorites to win the league offering odds of -350, with predictably Rangers next in line at +225. Aberdeen in third are large outsiders at +2500, which pretty much tells the story of a two-horse race.

Worth noting at this stage is that we have to go back to the mid-1980s to find when a team outside Glasgow won the Scottish title; Aberdeen being the team to spoil the Old Firm party in 1984/85.

As a result of this domination, books are offering odds ‘without Celtic’ and ‘without Celtic and Rangers’, which are markets, along with the straight win, that we’ll have a good look at.

We’ve already mentioned Rangers closing the gap on their city rivals, but the question is by how much? Do they have a realistic chance of challenging when last season they finished eleven points behind them?

Rangers on the Rise

Well, 2018/19 was a major turning point for the Gers. After years of turmoil and financial irregularities that saw them relegated to Scottish League Division Two, the gradual rise back through the divisions and appointment of Steven Gerrard as manager has propelled them back into the big time.

Their progression can be measured by their proximity to Celtic in the season-on-season final tables, starting with their first season back in the top division in 2016/17, which saw an incredible 39-point gap. But they made significant strides in 2017/18 when the gap was reduced to 12, and last season saw another small improvement, with the gap down to nine points – the equivalent of three wins.

Perhaps even more significant is that their goal difference was only just behind Celtic’s (+55 compared to the Hoops’ +57) and they also scored five more goals than their city rivals over the course of the season. A further improvement would, performance-wise, draw them very close to Celtic.

New Faces Aplenty in Glasgow

Much, of course, depends on the summer transfer activity of both clubs, with Gerrard already bringing in eight new faces, including the experienced Steven Davis from Southampton and centre-back Filip Helander from Bologna.

Celtic manager, Neil Lennon has too been active in the market, spending more money than Gerrard – Celtic’s coffers are boosted annually by their usually brief campaign in the UEFA Champions League – but so far on fewer players. He has spent money on French centre-back Christopher Jullien from Toulouse and full-back Boli Bolingoli from Rapid Vienna.

Both managers have had to contend with several departures, mostly on free transfers, and so, to date, the new signings have merely filled the gaps in terms of numbers. Key will be if these new names, and others that will almost certainly come in, can add quality to their respective squads, and if Gerrard can squeeze an extra five percent out of his players.

If he can, this new season could be a very interesting one and Rangers +225 to win it could yet offer the bettor some value.

The Dons in Safe Hands

The best of the rest looks, on paper at least, to be Aberdeen, although based on last season’s performances, Kilmarnock may well dispute that. But it’s the Dons who see themselves as the leading challengers to the Old Firm with last season’s fourth-place – behind Kilmarnock only on goal difference – setting them up nicely for further improvement in the new season. Part of their success is built around the fact they have one of Scotland’s most talented managers at the helm.

Derek McInnes has been much sought after, not only in Scotland but also south of the border in England, but has remained loyal to Aberdeen and is moulding together a good, solid squad, capable of at least challenging the big two. He’s a big part of why Aberdeen, in the ‘without Celtic and Rangers’ market, is a very good shout.

We have to go back as far as 1984/85 to find when a team outside Glasgow won the Scottish title.

Second City Joy?

Kilmarnock were great last season and arguably over-achieved and will still be in the mix, but this time around it’s hard to see them finishing ahead of the Dons. If anyone is going to challenge them it looks likely to be one or both of the Edinburgh sides – Hibs and Hearts.

Hibs have already been active in the summer market and have brought in six new faces to bolster their squad, while Hearts, who have so far made fewer signings, have brought in Northern Ireland international Conor Washington from Sheffield United. Both, however, have significant ground to make up if they are to challenge in any of the three markets.

Our picks: Straight win: Rangers (+225) / Win W/O Celtic & Rangers: Aberdeen (-110)

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