The 2025–26 Scottish Premiership odds are already drawing interest as the league prepares for its 13th season since the 2013 merger of the Scottish Premier League and Scottish Football League. With 12 clubs battling through 38 games each, fans can expect another year of fierce rivalries and dramatic twists.
Celtic enter as reigning champions, but Rangers and others will be eager to disrupt their dominance. For bettors, this campaign brings no shortage of storylines and potential upsets to track from day one.
The full schedule for the 2025–26 Scottish Premiership season has been released, with the campaign kicking off on August 1, 2025, and running until May 17, 2026. The opening match sees Kilmarnock host Livingston at Rugby Park on August 2. Twelve teams will once again compete for the title in Scotland’s top flight, with fans eager to see if Celtic can defend their crown.
| ℹ️ Tournament: | Scottish Premiership Season 2025/26 (William Hill Premiership) |
| ⚽️ Venues: | Stadiums Across Scotland |
| 🗓️ Dates: | 2 August 2025 – 17 May 2026 |
The Scottish Premiership sticks with its 12-team structure, where each club plays 33 matches before the league splits into two groups of six. This “split” format prevents a 44-game schedule and keeps late-season fixtures competitive. Teams in both groups face each other once more, taking the season total to 38 games.
Points are awarded in the standard 3-1-0 system, with goal difference and goals scored used as tiebreakers. If positions for the title, European spots, or relegation remain tied, a one-off play-off decides the outcome. The bottom club drops to the Championship, while 11th place faces a two-legged play-off to retain its spot.
The 2025–26 campaign kicks off on August 2 and runs until May 17, offering plenty of storylines for bettors scanning football sportsbooks with season odds.
Scotland’s top football competition’s roots date back to 1890, when the Scottish Football League was launched with 12 founding clubs. Over time, the structure shifted several times, introducing the Premier Division in 1975 and later the Scottish Premier League in 1998. These leagues became precursors to the modern Scottish Premiership, formed in 2013 after the SPL and SFL merged.
Celtic have been the dominant force, while Rangers are always there as the fiercest rivals. The 2025–26 campaign will be the 13th season under this current format, which retains the split-league system to keep late-season matches competitive. 25/26 Scottish Premiership season predictions, however, will not be as straightforward as they seem, and we can expect everything.
As you’ll see in the list of recent champions, the dominance of Celtic might make the Scottish Premiership look predictable at first glance. But anyone who follows the league closely knows it’s a very different story on the pitch. That’s why 2025/26 Scottish Premiership season predictions remain anything but straightforward.
Here is the rating of the top-5 contenders to grab a new Scottish football crown:
Celtic remain favorites in the 25–26 Scottish Premiership predictions after four straight titles. They lost Nicholas Kuhn (€19m to Como) and Kyogo in January but strengthened with Callum Osmond, Kieran Tierney, and Hayato Inamura. Rodgers’ stability and smart signings keep them top of the bookmakers’ odds.
Rangers enter the new campaign under Russell Martin, who faces a big rebuilding job in his first season. Seven new players have joined so far, but departures for Hagi and Lawrence leave room for further reinforcements. Cyriel Dessers and Hamza Igamane could still leave, adding uncertainty around their squad.
Hearts locked down captain Lawrence Shankland with a new contract after his strong 23/24 finish. Derek McInnes, backed by Jamestown Analytics, is identifying key targets to strengthen their top-three ambitions. Their transfer activity has been limited so far, but squad depth remains a priority.
Hibernian enjoyed a stunning rise last season under David Gray, climbing from the bottom to third. They’ve added Jamie McGrath and Josh Mulligan to strengthen creativity and depth. McGrath scored 4 goals with 6 assists in 23/24, while Mulligan brings versatility across midfield and defense.
Aberdeen opened last season with promise under Jimmy Thelin but struggled in the second half. The arrival of Adil Aouchiche from Sunderland brings creativity to midfield, and his breakthrough year in Ligue 1 suggests untapped potential. Punters checking the best online bookmakers in Scotland will see them as long shots, but not without intrigue.
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Celtic remain firm favorites to claim a fifth straight title. Their pre-season has been flawless—beating Queen’s Park, Sporting CP, and Newcastle convincingly, including a 4–0 win where Tierney stood out on his return. Key summer additions like Inamura and Tierney have already started reshaping the backline. Their strong squad and excellent form make them the top choice in the 2025–26 Scottish Premiership winner odds.
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Hearts enter the 25/1 bracket after a turbulent 2024–25 campaign, finishing seventh under three different managers. Derek McInnes has since been appointed, with strong backing from Tony Bloom’s Jamestown Analytics. The club added Christian Borchgrevink, Claudio Braga, and Stuart Findlay this summer, while targeting Nigerian striker Uchenna Ogundu. A reshaped squad and data-driven strategy make their long-shot odds worth watching.
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Daizen Maeda comes off a stellar season, bagging 33 goals and 12 assists while winning PFA Scotland’s Player of the Year award. Featured in the 25/26 Scottish Premiership season betting guide, Maeda’s pace and finishing ability make him a likely candidate to top the scoring charts again.
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Kilmarnock had a tough last season, as they couldn’t qualify for the League Stage of the European Cups and looked poor in Scotland. Their 9th place after 4th in season 23/24 led to the sacking of Derek McInnes, but they replaced him with a doubtful choice of Motherwell (finished 8th) coach Stuart Kettlewell.
Livingston travel to Rugby Park with solid pre-season form and a fully fit squad after their return to the top-flight division. They added depth in attack and will have enough motivation to start the new season with a surprise win, which looks like good value at 3.75 (11/4).
The 2025–26 William Hill Premiership is set to deliver drama, surprises, and fierce battles for the title. From outright winner odds to top scorer predictions, we’ve covered the key markets shaping this season. All that’s left is for the action to begin.
