Kilmarnock and St Johnstone are locked in a battle to avoid relegation from the Scottish Premiership and the draw looks the best pick when they clash on Saturday.
Who do Bettors Favor?
Checking out the top-rated sportsbooks we can see that Kilmarnock is the favorite with bettors to win this one, given its home advantage and is rated at around Evens. St Johnstone is priced up as a +225 chance and the draw can be wagered at around the +285 mark.
| Kilmarnock v St Johnstone |  |
|---|---|
| Kilmarnock | Evens |
| Draw | +225 |
| St Johnstone | +285 |
Scottish Premier League Betting Briefing
The Scottish Premier League has a structure that is relatively unusual, though one or two countries in Europe have a similar season. The 12 teams in the league play each other three times before the league is divided in half and the teams in each half play once more.
The top six teams compete to determine the Scottish Premier League champion and European qualification spots, although Celtic has already clinched the league title. The bottom six teams compete to determine which team will face automatic relegation, while the team that finishes second-to-last drops into the Premiership playoff final, where it faces an opponent from the Scottish Championship.
Kilmarnock Finding Form
Kilmarnock entered the post-split stage in poor shape but secured a crucial victory against Livington last weekend. Both goals were scored in the second half as Derek McInnes' team won 2-0 at Rugby Park and that victory lifted the team out of the bottom two as it fights hard to remain in the Premiership.
The Killie faithful have endured a long and difficult season, but their team's home form has kept them afloat. All but one of its victories have occurred at Rugby Park, and this contest represents a prime opportunity to capitalise on that, ahead of the final two games against Ross County and Dundee United.
Currently one point above the Premiership's relegation zone, a win here would allow them to leapfrog St. Johnstone and take a giant step towards safety, while their final two games are against the Premiership's bottom two teams.
St Johnstone Has Work To Do
The first game of Steven MacLean's tenure at St. Johnstone resulted in a 1-0 victory over the league's worst club, Dundee United. This was St Johnstone's first victory in the Premiership since February, and it lifted the team out of the relegation zone.
Unfortunately, MacLean's team stumbled against Motherwell last weekend, allowing Kilmarnock to close the gap to just two points, and now it has a lot of work to do as it faces two road games, followed by a tricky matchup against Livingston, which is already safe.
The good news for St. Johnstone fans this season is that despite their team's overall poor performance, it has a strong record on the road. It has won six times away from home, so this is a squad that will be optimistic about its chances here.
SPL Betting Head-to-Head
This rivalry dates back to the 1923–1924 season and has proven to be evenly matched over the years, despite the fact that the two teams have not always been in the same division.
St Johnstone has won 18 of the last 34 head-to-head meetings, dating back to 2009, while Kilmarnock has won 16 and there have been eight draws.
St Johnstone has won four of the last six meetings with Kilmarnock, but the teams have split the three previous meetings this season. The two October games were split between the two teams, but when they met again in the middle of March, the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
SPL Betting Team News
Ben Chrisene, one of Kilmarnock's two long-term absentees, is still out with a knee injury he sustained in January. The other player, Innes Cameron, has yet to play this season and is unlikely to return for the final three games.
St Johnstone's team news is slightly worse. Nicky Clark, the team's starting striker, will be out until next season due to an ankle injury he sustained in March. Chris Kane and Murray Davidson are also likely to miss the game due to respective knee and ankle injuries.
SPL Match Betting
Both Ross County and Dundee United will be optimistic about their chances of avoiding relegation despite their relatively poor form, but neither can afford to relax until that is confirmed.
Kilmarnock's home victory against Livingston last weekend was a monumental accomplishment, and another contest on its home turf would be ideal. Still, St. Johnstone has been difficult to defeat on the road, and with neither team wanting to risk a loss, a draw is the best betting pick for this match.
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