Scottish Football Tips & Predictions for July 2025
Kai Watson 
Will Jackson
We are with you every week of the season with Scottish football tips and predictions from Kai Watson.
He will deliver his best bets each week from the Premiership down to League Two, and everything else in between.
Kai Watson's Scottish Football Tips
Kai is back with his free tips for this weekend's opening round of games in the group stages of the Scottish League Cup.
Scottish League Cup Group Stages
Edinburgh City v Partick Thistle (11th July)
Mark Wilson will take charge of his first official game as Partick Thistle manager this Friday away at Meadowbank against Edinburgh City. This will be the first time he’ll be doing it completely without Brian Graham also but he’s got Alex Rae in the dugout to help him out.
Michael McIndoe lost Conor Young in January and then lost in-form striker, and former Love Island contestant, Ouzy See to East Kilbride at the start of the month. He’ll be hoping James Stokes and Innes Lawson can help provide them goals.
With it being the first official game of the season for both sides I expect there to be goals. Mark Wilson had Partick playing some decent football towards the end of last season and they defied the odds and put Ayr out of the Promotion Play-Offs.
Unfortunately, Livingston was a step too far but that gives them something to build on and despite being without talisman Brian Graham, Wilson will be looking for a new main man to step up to the plate and replace those goals.
They haven’t been overly active in the transfer market, yet, but still have plenty of quality players that are capable of scoring a few on Friday night. I expected there to be goals and for Mark Wilson to walk into Clyde Super Scoreboard happy on Saturday.
Spartans FC v Queen’s Park (12th July)
Spartans ended the League Two season well and finished just outside the Promotion Play-Off places. Queen’s Park, on the other hand, ended the season poorly and finished in 8th place in the Scottish Championship, narrowly avoiding the Relegation Play-Offs.
That being said, there’s still two divisions between both sides and Queen’s Park, in my opinion, have made some shrewd signings already this summer;
Michael Ruth - Striker - Nine goals and two assists for Dumbarton
Carlo Pignatiello - Right Back/Right Midfield/Central Midfield - Eight goals and five assists for Dumbarton
Matthew Shiels - Left Back - Three goals for Dumbarton
Aidan Connolly - Right wing/midfield - Three goals for Raith
These additions alongside keeping someone as important as Calum Ferrie should be enough to see off the League Two side on Saturday. It’s hard to predict the first games and the League Cup Group Stage always throws up some shocks but I don’t think this will be one of them.
Hearts v Dunfermline (12th July)
Derek McInnes will be another manager that will take charge of their first official match on Saturday. At the beginning of last season Hearts definitely wouldn’t have anticipated competing in the League Cup at this stage but a terrible start to the season saw them finish in the bottom six after some final day drama.
Hearts have already been very active in the transfer market and it’s clear to see the impact Jamestown Analytics is having on the club. They’ve signed players that were playing in Belgium, Norway, Slovakia and are linked with players currently playing in Estonia and in Italy’s Serie C.
On top of that, they already had a squad which should have had enough quality to finish in the top six last season. Dunfermline made some interesting additions last season, including Neil Lennon as manager, and are very active in the market currently.
However, Hearts just demolished East Kilbride 8-0 in a friendly (Tuesday) and that was with playing with ten different outfield players in the second half. They not only have strength in their squad now, they’ve added a lot of depth and I think they will completely blow away Dunfermline in the late kick-off.
Stranraer vs Ross County (12th July)
Famously, when Ross County get relegated, owner Roy MacGregor throws money in to help them build, normally by far, the best squad in the division to guarantee promotion.
They have made some excellent signings so far and have built a team that, on paper, should absolutely walk the Scottish Championship.
They’ve signed Ross Docherty and former Scotland international Declan Gallagher from Dundee United, Gary Mackay-Steven from Kilmarnock, Arron Lyall from Morton, ex-Motherwell man Dean Cornelius from Harrogate and Adam Emslie from Aberdeen.
The latter was a stand out for Cove Rangers last season with thirteen goals and six assists in League One, many Aberdeen fans were actually shocked that the 20-year-old was allowed to leave on a permanent deal.
As of now, County have also managed to keep the likes of Ronan Hale, Noah Chilvers, Jay Henderson (who was excellent for Ayr in the Championship last season), Akil Wright and Ross Laidlaw. All of the aforementioned players are more than good enough to contribute, or even start, for a lot of Scottish Premiership sides.
On the other hand, Stranraer finished 8th in League Two last season, so even with home advantage, I fully expect Ross County to come out swinging and Don Cowie will be looking for a big win to gain confidence which was lost last season.
Arbroath v St Mirren (12th July)
This is as close to a ‘shock’ as I’m going to predict this weekend. David Gold and Colin Hamilton’s side deservedly won League One last season and have, in my opinion, recruited well so far. They’ve added experience in Ross Callachan, Aaron Muirhead, Craig Watson and Nikolay Todorov.
All of those players have at least Championship experience and some even Premiership. The most exciting signing though is the loan deal for Findlay Marshall who scored eight and got four assists on loan at Cove Rangers last season.
Fraser Taylor will potentially appear against the team he was so key for last season but the Red Lichtie support will be hoping Marshall can attempt to fill that void.
Stephen Robinson's sides are always well set out and they’ve made some good defensive signings like Richard King and Jayden Richarson. I just think that Arbroath will still be running off the high of that League One win and will come into this game with no fear, a game against Premiership opposition is essentially a ‘free-hit’ for them.
I’m looking forward to Scottish football being back and think this could be one of the more exciting games.
Scottish Football Tips - Weekly Predictions from Freebets
Scottish football is a world full of tradition and surprises, making it an excellent focus for fans and anyone interested in betting.
Whether you follow big clubs like Celtic and Rangers as fans or are new to the Scottish leagues, having some helpful betting tips can make things more enjoyable and interesting. We may even improve your betting choices from time to time!
SPFL Betting Tips
Start by getting to know the basics. The Scottish Premiership, the top league, is often led by Celtic and Rangers. Usually too strong for the rest, but other clubs like Hearts, Hibernian, and others, can pull off unexpected wins, shocking the big two.
One point to remember is that the Scottish weather can quietly affect games a little more than in other parts of the UK, though of course, players are generally used to it. Scotland’s cold, wet, and windy, sometimes even in summer, and this can all change how matches play out.
Like any other football league, how a team has been playing recently is very important.
In Scotland’s smaller league system, teams face each other a little more often, so recent results, both in terms of last fixtures and previous head to head meetings, can tell you a lot. With this, it's important for you to be as up to date as the best betting sites with information, and recent records.
Finally, don't forget to check for things like injuries or changes in the line up. A missing key player or someone coming back can make a big difference in any football league. As you move down the footballing pyramid, injuries can often take their toll more than at the top, with smaller squads, and replacements of a lower quality the norm for many.
Scottish Lower League Betting Tips
Don't forget the lower leagues when you are looking at betting on Scottish football.
The Championship, League One, and League Two have smaller teams involved that might not get much attention. Still, these leagues can offer good opportunities for punters, especially if you become an expert in one particular league.
Alongside the league action, there are regular cup games, which add a new layer to Scottish football betting.
This can also be a minefield, though, as per other European leagues, changed teams, resting key players and how seriously these competitions are being taken by some are all additional questions that should be in your thought process before placing your bets.
Scottish Football Free Bets
Before placing any bets on Scottish football, make sure you check out the latest free bets and bonuses below, ideal for those who are looking to open a new betting account.
The brands listed below all have the Scottish leagues as part of their football service, with plenty of ways to bet on each league throughout the season.
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