If one thing hasn’t been discussed much at all, it’s the race to 56.
That is, the race to 56.
As we all know, Celtic got 55 last season, with of course the obligatory asterisk.
All titles are won with an asterisk these days, suggesting the defeated side was either especially weak or the champion was invalid.
Just the way it is.
But with them securing 55, they equalled Rangers. Rangers of course nabbed 55 in 2021, but Celtic have won 3 since then to equal that number.
The title race no one predicted
It had been fully expected they would stroll to 56 first this season, but naturally, events have conspired to make the title race the most unpredictable in living memory.
It is entirely feasible that Rangers could indeed secure 56 before Celtic after all, with Danny Rohl’s side giving themselves a realistic chance of taking the crown.
Or of course Celtic get their act together and regaining their champions form of recent seasons. We hope not.
Hearts refuse to go away
But naturally there’s Hearts too. It could be that NEITHER Old Firm side gets 56 this season, and Hearts win their fifth-ever league title. That would be quite the turn up for the books.
But yes, the pressure was on pre-kick off this season that Rangers wouldn’t be able to stop Celtic getting to 56. How that one has turned on its head in the most unexpected league fight we’ve basically ever seen.
Bookies baffled by the numbers
Who is the wise money on these days?
We wouldn’t put a dime on anyone. It’s absolutely far too close to call.
The basic odds are that Rangers are currently favourites at pure evens with most of the bookies. Celtic are 2-1 which is now second favourite and despite their record versus the top 6 being the best, Hearts are 5/2.
In all fairness the odds read as:
Rangers favourite with even odds, and Hearts and Celtic more or less joint second.
It is bizarre odds, for a bizarre season. No one can call it and it will change by the week per result. Had Hearts beaten Livi they’d be joint favourites with Rangers we’d say.
As for a refresher, how do odds work? Well there’s three aspects:
Betting patterns, aka adjusting the odds based on how punters bet.
Insider knowledge, aka the bookies starting the odds based on what they know of form chance etc
And profit: overall odds that bookie will offer in order to ensure that even in the event of payouts, they’ll still profit at the end of the day.
And these numbers reflect all of those aspects.
All we know for sure is the race to 56 is nowhere near certain to be Celtic’s this season. And we can all be glad of that.