Scottish Division 1 betting

Scottish First Division betting this season promises to be a wide open affair with a number of managerial changes promising a fascinating campaign full of perils and pitfalls.

Inverness Caley Thistle’s spell in Scottish League Division 1 lasted just a season and they are back in the Scottish Premier division with Falkirk taking their place.

Predictions the Bairns will be in the mix come the end of the season appear safe, but there are any number of clubs who will be in the mix when the sole promotion place is handed out in Scottish Division One.

Dundee were the overwhelming favourites for promotion in the betting last season, but the wheels fell off in spectacular fashion after the worst winter in Scotland for more than half a century.

Jocky Scott’s team coped with bets they would be top of the Scottish League at the end of the campaign. They had spent big to head the betting and Scott ultimately paid for failure with his job, but with a new manager in place in former Dundee United boss Gordon Chisholm and a wave of financial sense sweeping through Dens Park, expectations will be reduced although the canny predictor will believe they will be at the top end of the standings come May.

Ross County were the wonderful surprise Scottish league package last season. The town of Dingwall, from where they hail, has a population of little more than 5,000, but they upset the odds by producing a succession of results which kept them up at the top of the table until the spring.

While Scottish First Division betting on County was rewarded, their greatest results came in the Scottish Cup where they upset the odds and mighty Celtic in the semi-finals before eventually falling to Dundee United in the final.

Expect the Staggies to be well backed in the Scottish Division 1 betting again this season.

Most UK-facing online bookmakers will have any number of free bets specifically for Scottish league division 1, so it’s worth checking the form of any number of clubs who will be well placed in Scottish Division 1 betting in order to take advantage of a free bet offer.

Raith Rovers shocked once mighty Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup last season, Partick Thistle have the supporter base and stadium to be among the favourites in Scottish First Division betting, while Dunfermline are another club with recent SPL experience before they fell down the tables.

Two clubs unlikely to figure highly in Scottish Division 1 betting are Stirling Albion and Cowdenbeath.

Albion have a new manager in place in John O’Neil, but are a part-time club and it could be worth placing a free bet, available at several online bookmakers, wagering that the men from Forthbank will be down at the foot of the table at the end of the season.

A similar fate awaits Cowdenbeath with few bets expected that they will be among the favourites in the Scottish 1st Division betting stakes. A new manager is in place in former Northern Ireland international Jimmy Nicholl, but the Blue Brazil have lost key players and although they have a new chairman in place, the safe bet is one which suggests they will struggle to retain their place in Scottish Division One.

Those scouring Scottish first Division betting odds would be well advised to look at Falkirk and Dundee to be among the leading lights. But don’t bet against Ross County continuing their magic of last season.

As one online bookmaker said: “Bets on the lower league in Scotland can offer great rewards, but it’s worth taking a very close look at the internet before you do. A mix of part-time and full-time clubs means a free bet can well be well rewarded.”