Options aplenty for punters with Old Firm blues

BOOKMAKERS in the North and Britain have become more adventurous recently with their soccer betting.

How much this has to do with the relaxation of the minimum treble rule is hard to gauge but now punters have a much wider range of punting opportunities than previously.

One of the more innovative new opportunities concerns Belfast layers Sean Graham.

For those of you sick of just having the choice of backing either Celtic of Rangers straight each season in what is an inevitable two-team race for the Premier title in Scotland Graham have come up with a novel alternative for the new season.

Their SPL book is based on three points for a win for Celtic and Rangers, and six points per win for all the other 10 teams.

Aberdeen are their 3-1 favourites, the Dons would have finished joint second with Celtic on 103 points on that basis last season, with Livingston top of the pile on 106 points.

Sean Graham spokesman Tony Naughton believes the fact that Celtic were only three points off the title event with their rivals earning twice as many points for a win means it could be competitive market, with value to be had.

He said: “Everyone is saying the divide is so big between the Old Firm and the rest, but with only three points in it last year, there’s every chance of an open race.”

Hibs, available at 6-1 this season, would have been the winners the season before last with 120 points, a full 23 ahead of Celtic.

The firm will update the league table with the extra points allocation in their shops and their teletext page every week.

One thing (most) bookmakers haven’t done however is hit the panic button once either of the big two in Jockland show any sign of weakness.

Hills did just that at the final whistle on Saturday, cutting Celtic to 2-5 after Rangers only managed to draw their opening match.

Prior to Saturday’s games Hills made Celtic their 8-13 favourites to win a third straight SPL title, with Rangers priced up at 6-5.

However, after Alex McLeish’s men could only manage a 1-1 draw at Kilmarnock, the Light Blues drifted out to 7-4 with Hills.

Rangers failure to kill teams off away from home was the main reason they finished a massive 18 points behind Celtic last season, and after Celtic opened with a 2-1 home win over Dunfermline the Ibrox men already find themselves two points behind their bitter rivals. Hills obviously believe that Ranger’s achilles heel is set to plague them again this season and have taken a machete to the prices accordingly.

In the betting without the Old Firm, Aberdeen have hardened to 9-4 favourites after a last gasp 2-1 win at Hibs. Livingston are 3-1 second favouites after an opening 3-2 home win over relegation favourites Motherwell, while Hearts remain 4-1 shots after drawing 1-1 at Dundee.

In Division One, pre-season favourites St Johnstone have been trimmed to a best-priced 2-1 with Bet365 and Ladbrokes after an impressive 2-0 win at St Mirren, while Ladbrokes have cut Ross County into 9-2 after they started their new campaign with a 3-0 win at Arbroath.

Paddy Power are refunding stakes to anyone who backed against Phil Taylor at the World Matchplay after ‘The Power’ made history with the first live televised nine dart finish.

The firm have also rewarded Taylor’s backers with a free 10 bet to mark the achievement.

Elsewhere, Cashmans make Kerry, so impressive at the weekend, the 5-4 favourites for the All-Ireland senior football championship after the weekend encounters.

Cork, who Kerry will meet in the semi-final, are second favourites at 100-30. They then go 5-1 Armagh, Dublin, 8-1 Donegal and 20-1 Sligo.

They have also priced up this weekend’s All-Ireland senior hurling semi final and go: 10/11 Clare, 11/10 Waterford and 15/2 a draw. In the minor semi final they bet: 8/11 Galway, 5/4 Kilkenny and 8/1 a draw.