Rangers look to quickly move on from their Europa League final defeat when they face Hearts in the Scottish Cup final. Joe Townsend selects two best bets.
Football betting tips: Scottish Cup final
2.5pts Rangers to win and Over 1.5 goals at 5/6 (Paddy Power)
1pt Rangers to win and Over 2.5 goals at 13/10 (Paddy Power)
In many ways this game could hardly have come at a better time for Rangers.
Having suffered penalty shootout heartbreak against Frankfurt in the Europa League final on Wednesday they have a near-immediate opportunity to begin to move on.
The reality for Giovanni van Bronckhorst and his side is that whatever the result at Hampden, coming so close to winning the biggest trophy in Rangers’ history will take a serious amount of getting over, but the fact they got to within spot-kicks of winning European football’s second-tier competition speaks volumes for the chasm that exists between themselves and Hearts.
The Edinburgh club are currently the best of the rest and Robbie Neilson’s team deserve huge credit for a superb first campaign back in the Scottish Premiership, securing a third-placed finish.
But being fully 28 points adrift of Saturday’s Old Firm opponents exemplifies the aforementioned gap in quality.
Having begun the season with victory over Celtic in their opening league game, Hearts lost their next four games against the now-champions. They held Rangers to a draw at Ibrox in the sides’ first meeting of the campaign, but were subsequently beaten 2-0, 5-0 and 3-1.
Against the Old Firm this season, 89% of Hearts’ matches have gone Over 1.5 Goals with 67% going Over 2.5 and they have lost seven from nine. There is no reason to think Saturday will play out any differently.
Both the 1X2 and over/under lines reflect as much, but what does look a shrewd angle is a combination of both.
Backing both RANGERS TO WIN AND OVER 1.5 GOALS as well as RANGERS TO WIN AND OVER 2.5 GOALS - to appropriately weighted stakes - looks a smart play thanks to the standout 5/6 and 13/10 on offer with Paddy Power.
- CLICK HERE to back Rangers win and Over 1.5 goals with Sky Bet
- CLICK HERE to back Rangers win and Over 2.5 goals with Sky Bet
The assumption can often be that cup finals will be cagey, low-scoring affairs but in Scotland that is rarely the case, likely due to the tendency for an overwhelming Old Firm favourite to be pitted against a huge underdog.
There have been seven Scottish Cup finals involving Rangers or Celtic since 2011 with all but one going over 2.5 goals, and all seven going over 1.5.
Only once has there been an upset - when Rangers were a Championship side. How times have changed.
Rangers v Hearts score prediction and best bets
- 2.5pts Rangers to win and Over 1.5 goals at 5/6 (Paddy Power)
- 1pt Rangers to win and Over 2.5 goals at 13/10 (Paddy Power)
Score prediction: Rangers 2-1 Hearts (Sky Bet odds: 13/2)
Odds correct 1245 BST (19/05/22)
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