Hearts, Hibs and Livingston rank on opening day of season performance in Scottish Premiership

The 2022-23 cinch Scottish Premiership begins this weekend and bettingexpert has crunched the numbers to reveal how Hearts and Hibs compare to the rest on the opening day.
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Using Opta stats from 1998-99 to last season, bettingexpert has created a league table to show the best and worst performers on the opening weekend of a Scottish Premiership campaign.

It will come as no surprise to learn that Celtic and Rangers are the usual suspects occupying the top two places in the table, but Hearts, Hibs and Livingston all have decent opening-day records.

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Celtic average 2.6 points on the opening day after 20 wins over the last 24 years. Rangers average 2.4, with Hearts and Hibs coming in third and fourth.

The new cinch Premiership season kicks-off this weekend. Picture: Ross MacDonald / SNSThe new cinch Premiership season kicks-off this weekend. Picture: Ross MacDonald / SNS
The new cinch Premiership season kicks-off this weekend. Picture: Ross MacDonald / SNS

The Jambos average 1.7 points on day one of the league season after 11 wins, four draws and seven defeats from the 22 curtain-openers they have played in the top flight since 1998.

Hibs are not far behind on 1.6 points after nine wins, five draws and six defeats from their 20 opening-day games over the same period.

The 5th ranking team in this case is something of a surprise, Partick Thistle picking up 1.43 points per game. But they are now in the Championship.

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Compared to the rest, Livingston also tend to be fast starters with an average of 1.2 points on the opening day. They are ranked seventh, just behind Aberdeen, after three wins, two draws and four defeats in their first matches of the Premiership campaign.

Ross County, who travel to Tynecastle on Saturday, are next with an average of 1.2 from their nine matches.

Gretna, who featured in the 2007-08 Scottish Premiership and struggled due to dire financial problems, have the worst record. They played Falkirk in their first ever Scottish Premiership (then the SPL) game and lost 4-0.

Hamilton are ranked second-bottom and the good news for Hibs fans is that St Johnstone, who Lee Johnson’s team face at McDiarmid Park to kick-off the 2022/23 campaign, are third bottom of the 19 teams in the table.

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The Saints have three wins, six draws and eight defeats from their 17 opening-day league matches over the past 24 years.

How the 12 Premiership clubs fare on opening day:

Celtic – 2.63 (Wins: 20 Draws: 3 Losses: 1)

Rangers – 2.35 (Wins: 14 Draws: 5 Losses: 1)

Hearts – 1.68 (Wins: 11 Draws: 4 Losses: 7)

Hibs – 1.6 (Wins: 9 Draws: 5 Losses: 6)

Aberdeen – 1.29 (Wins: 8 Draws: 7 Losses: 9)

Livingston – 1.22 (Wins: 3 Draws: 2 Losses: 4)

Ross County – 1.22 (Wins: 3 Draws: 2 Losses: 4)

Dundee United – 1.15 (Wins: 5 Draws: 8 Losses: 7)

Motherwell – 1.08 (Wins: 7 Draws: 5 Losses: 12)

Kilmarnock – 2.63 (Wins: 6 Draws: 6 Losses: 11)

St Mirren – 0.93 (Wins: 3 Draws: 4 Losses: 7)

St Johnstone – 0.88 (Wins: 3 Draws: 6 Losses: 8)