Irish Fans Love Betting on Scottish Football

With the World Cup now a distant memory (unless you enjoy eating Tapas and Paella, and washing it down with a glass of Sangria, that is), all eyes will now be fixed firmly upon the start of a new football season. Whilst it’s the EPL (English Premier League) that steals the limelight and attracts the big bets, across Ireland, there’s a different league in favour at the moment, one which is played in Scotland. 

Yes, the SPFL (Scottish Professional Football League) isn’t just a hit across Scotland, it’s also attracting a lot of attention from across the Emerald Isle too. This is especially true when it comes to betting fans and bookmakers alike. 

With popular Irish bookmakers including Betfree.ie, Quinnbet, Paddy Power, and BOYLE Sports all covering the SPFL and offering very generous odds in the process, it’s clear the demand is there. But why is it that the Irish are now embracing Scottish football with open arms, and shunning the EPL and the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City in the process?

Here are several reasons why Irish fans love betting on Scottish football.

More Irish Footballers Playing in Scotland

One of the most noticeable things about Scottish football, is the fact that more players from outside of Scotland are making their way over to the SPFL, particularly from Ireland.

In recent years, Irish footballers have been making the short journey east and signing for various Scottish football teams with aim of honing their craft and playing more first team football.

Stars such as Ross Tierney for example, opted to sign for Scottish teams such as Motherwell, play a season or two of competitive football, and then return to Ireland with more minutes under their belts, and more experience in playing against world-class opposition.

Liam Scales and Johnny Kenny of Celtic are other prime examples. Celtic, who are one of the biggest clubs in the world, have benefitted hugely from talents such as Scales and Kenny, who are also beloved back at home. The more Irish footballers sign for Scottish teams, the more Irish bettors the sport is likely to attract.

Safer Bets and Competitive Odds

Without sounding too disrespectful to the other teams playing in the SPFL, there are two teams who are far more likely to win the league than any others, and they are of course Glasgow Rangers, and Celtic.

Yes, we know last season went down to the wire, and Hearts almost, almost pulled off the upset of the century, but typically, it’s either Celtic or Rangers who are most likely to win the league. Because of this, Scottish football offers up plenty of safer betting opportunities for Irish punters.

If you realistically know who is most likely to win, you know that betting on them will give you a great chance of winning. Yes, the odds won’t be as favourable as those associated with an outsider, but they’re still very competitive.

Speaking of odds, as more Irish bookmakers are covering Scottish football, Irish gamblers can enjoy more favourable returns and more competitive odds and markets than in days past. Paddy Power, BOYLE Sports, and Quinnbet for example, all offer a wide range of SPFL betting markets, with great odds, even on the favourites. As last season showed, Celtic and Rangers are not invincible, and if you do back an outsider, there’s a chance you could win a heft chunk of money, and who wouldn’t want that?

The Celtic Affinity

More casual football followers, particularly those from overseas, would be forgiven for assuming that Celtic were in fact a popular Irish football team, rather than one of the SPFL’s most dominant teams.

Ireland and Celtic have an affinity with one another with historical ties that can be traced back centuries. Celtic is a team which has a huge Irish following that can be traced back to Glasgow’s Irish immigrant community. The team itself, which was founded in 1887, was founded by a Marist Brother from Ireland’s County Sligo by the name of Brother Walfrid. The initial aim of the team was to help feed poor Irish immigrant families.

Over the years, a number of prominent Irish footballers and managers have journeyed across the Irish Sea to sign for the club. One of the most prominent names is Celtic legend Martin O’Neill. O’Neill, who hails from Northern Ireland, is currently enjoying his third stint in charge of The Hoops, after guiding them to the title last season.

The Quality and Style of Football

There’s a reason why the Irish are affectionately referred to as the ‘Fighting Irish’ which is due largely to their heart, courage, and passion. They aren’t afraid to stand up for what they believe in, and to charge in the face of adversity. They also love a good scrap now and then. The more physical the sport, the more exciting.

Watch a typical EPL football match and you’ll see footballers with expensive haircuts, wearing diamond earrings, constantly diving on the floor looking for a foul, or rolling around in agony if an opposing player so much as coughs in their general direction. Watch a typical SPFL footy match however, and you’ll get none of that.

Scottish football is more like football of the 80s and 90s. It’s competitive, it’s passionate, it’s raw, it’s physical, and hardcore Irish football fans love that style of play. There’s a reason why some of football’s hardest players, the likes of Big Duncan Ferguson, Graeme Souness, and Roy Keane, hail from Scotland and Ireland.

This physical style of play makes for a much more exciting viewing experience, plus it opens up more betting markets as you can bet on free kicks, penalties, yellow cards, and red cards.