The bookies will be as busy as the boozers and kerry-oot shops as kick-off time approaches at Hampden.
A rare 3pm start gives the punter some extra time to weight things up but when it comes to a Celtic Rangers game most fans bet with the heart rather than the head.
Celtic supporters have had a great time of it in recent weeks, watching their favourites turn on the style against Rangers then picking up their winnings.
Neil Lennon’s side are very strong favourites to win the trophy today but anyone putting a bet on has to be wary.
The attractive odds of 11/10 apply over 90 minutes with the 4/6 available on lifting the trophy outright a wiser investment.
There hasn’t been a drawn SPL match between Celtic and Rangers for over three years but cup matches are a different story.
It was smiles all round for the bookies in 2009 when the final whistle blew on a 0-0 Hampden draw in the final of the CIS Cup with Darren O’Dea and Aiden McGeady scoring in extra-time.
Six weeks ago at Ibrox the two clubs drew 2-2 in the Scottish Cup before Mark Wilson’s goal settled the replay.
For the thrill seekers you can have 11/1 on Celtic winning on penalties with an extra-time victory offering decent value at 8/1.
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Pessimistic fans can gain some insurance with Rangers at 5/2 to win in 90 minutes, to win outright and 11/1 to win on penalties and the same price for an extra time win. The chronically pessimistic ‘fan’ can get 9/1 on El Hadji-Diouf opening the scoring and 3/1 on the loan Ranger scoring during the 90 minutes.
Celtic have popped up with some unlikely goalscorers in recent derby matches with Scott Brown and Mark Wilson scoring their first goals against Rangers in the recent Scottish Cup ties.
Playing it safer Kris Commons and Gary Hooper have helped themselves to four of Celtic’s last six goals against Rangers and are strongly fancied to net today.
Hooper is an 11/8 bet to score at anytime with Commons slightly longer at 7/4. Hooper is 9/2 for the first goal with Commons priced at 11/2 to open the scoring.
To make the most of today’s betting options click on the bet365 logo below and open an account, your deposit will be followed by an email with a code which will double your deposit, turning your £10 into £20 or, if you prefer, odds of even money into 2/1.
The match betting is easy enough to reach, to get the outright odds, covering extra-time and penalties, click on Soccer then anti-post for the Co-Operative Cup, SPL, Scottish Cup or anything else.
Scott Brown’s cup final message
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