Scottish Open snooker predictions, betting tips and odds: Home hero Higgins can strike

Where to watch the Scottish Open

Eurosport 1, from 1pm & 7pm Monday

Best bets for the Scottish Open

John Higgins
2pts each-way 14-1 Hills

Scottish Open predictions

Edinburgh plays host to the Scottish Open this week and home hero John Higgins looks capital value. 

The Wizard of Wishaw is a two-time runner-up of the tournament in its current guise – he twice won the title when it was known as the International Open in the 1990s – and the four-time world champion, who reached the semi-finals at the Meadowbank Sports Centre last year, will seldom have a better opportunity to win his home open.

The absence of UK Championship winner Judd Trump is a major boost to Higgins’ chances, as are the recent struggles of market leader Ronnie O’Sullivan. 

Higgins was beaten by Trump in the second round of the UK Championship, but the veteran Scot took Trump all the way to a deciding frame in York and there were certainly no concerns about Higgins' level of performance.

The four-time world champion made five major semi-finals last term, he reached the final of the British Open earlier this season and it’s clear to see that the 49-year-old can still contend for ranking prizes.

Trump’s withdrawal from the third quarter of the draw has handed Higgins a nice path through the event and Barry Hawkins looks to be the only cueman of note standing between him and a place in the semi-finals.

Ian Burns is unlikely to stop the Scot in their Edinburgh opener, which would then set up a likely second-round tie with Hawkins and a potential quarter-final clash against either Ishpreet Singh Chadha, Wu Yize or Farakh Ajaib.

Hills go 14-1 that Higgins can become a home hero in Edinburgh this week and that looks cracking each-way value, with half the odds for a final appearance. 

Click for more free bets and betting offers from the Racing Post

Commercial notice: This article contains affiliate links. Offers are handpicked and come from operators our experts have first-hand experience of. Opening an account via one of these links will earn revenue for the Racing Post, which will be used to continue producing our award-winning coverage of horseracing and sports betting.