SlipsTips casts his eye over the Bet Builder market ahead of Celtic and Rangers Old Firm Scottish Cup semi-final showdown at Hampden on Sunday.
Celtic vs Rangers (Sunday, 14:00)
Old Firm rivals Celtic and Rangers will go toe-to-toe for the chance to take on Hearts in next month’s Scottish Cup final when they square off in Sunday’s semi-final at Hampden
Celtic gained the upper hand in the race for the Scottish Premiership title a fortnight ago with a hard-fought 2-1 win at Ibrox, a triumph that could turn out to be a decisive blow to the Teddy Bears’ hopes of retaining their crown.
However, Rangers will arrive in Mount Florida in buoyant mood after advancing to the semi-finals of the Europa League with a 3-2 aggregate win over Braga on Thursday night.
It’s often said that form goes out of the window in Old Firm clashes, but I’m going to head to Bet Builder market with a view to getting the Bhoys onside by combining Celtic Double Chance, Celtic to score and over three Celtic corners at 4/5 (Bet 365).
Celtic are understandable favourites, having won the last two derby dust-ups, not to mention they have been afforded the luxury of a full week off to prepare following last Saturday’s 7-0 shredding of St Johnstone.
What’s more, Ange Postecoglou’s side remain unbeaten domestically since September, with a whopping 28 of those 32 league and cup contests ending in victory.
As such, I’m more than happy to side with in-from Celtic to avoid defeat inside 90 minutes at Hampden, but I’ll also back the Hoops to hit the back of the net at least once.
Postecoglou has the most potent attack in the Scottish Premiership at his disposal, with his free-scoring side averaging a shade under 2.4 goals per-game, and it’s also worth pointing out that Celtic have scored at least once in 29 of their last 32 assignments on Scottish soil.
Whist last season Rangers were known as a defensively astute side, such solidity has disappeared this term, with Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team leaking at least one goal in 18 of their 33 (54.5%) league games to date, including five across their last last two fixtures with their fierce foes.
With that in mind, I’ll include Celtic to score, and following Rangers’ extra-time exertions in Europe on Thursday night, I’ll round off the Bet Builder with over three Celtic corners.
The high-energy Hoops have been attacking relentlessly all season, averaging an eye-watering 9.42 corners per-game in the Scottish Premiership, covering the 4+ line in all but one of their last 29 top-flight tussles.
It’s also worth noting that the above-mentioned combination has clicked in each of the last two Old Firm derbies and that only adds to the appeal of supporting the same formula during Sunday’s semi-final showdown at Hampden.
Recommended Bet
- Celtic Double Chance
- Over 0 Celtic Goals
- Over 3 Celtic Corners
- Bet Builder – 4/5 (Bet 365)
Freelance Sports Writer and Betting Analyst with over five years experience. I’ve written football and darts betting content for some of the biggest betting websites and newspapers in the UK. With a strong passion for the fascinating world of Scottish football, I also regularly feature in Nutmeg, the much-loved Scottish football magazine. Falkirk season ticket holder and avid watcher of football and darts, whether it be UK-based or further afield. Feel free to follow me on X @SlipsTips
