Celtic vs Hearts Prediction, H2H Stats & Statistical Bets 18 October 2026
🔊 Celtic and Hearts go into this meeting in the first third of the season, both in the upper reaches of the table and carrying a moderate level of competitive motivation. Celtic lead after eight rounds, with Hearts five points behind in third. The key contrast is between the defensive stability of the hosts and a visiting side who score freely but are less reliable at the back. This match looks set to test both teams' defensive lines against the backdrop of high average scoring in recent weeks.
Celtic’s total dominance
Celtic and Hearts went into the break level at 1-1, but the Premiership match ended with Celtic winning 3-1. With shot counts fairly close at 14-12, Celtic significantly outperformed their opponents in expected goals - 2.57 to 0.77.
📊 In 62 official meetings, Celtic have won 48 times, Hearts 11, with three draws. Even at Hearts' ground, Celtic's dominance holds: 20 wins from 28 games.
Head-to-head statistics Celtic - Hearts
Celtic: recent dip in form
Celtic's last Europa League match ended in a 1-4 defeat away to Benfica, with the score already 0-3 at half-time. Despite an equal number of shots on target (7-7), Benfica had almost twice as many attempts overall - 26 to Celtic's 14.
Celtic have made a strong start to the season, winning seven of their eight opening matches and posting the best defensive record in the division - conceding an average of just 0.5 goals per game. Their form over the last five rounds has dipped, however, with four defeats and one win, which may point to a local rough patch or a difficult run of fixtures, though their overall record across ten matches remains level - an equal number of wins and losses. Their defensive solidity is backed by a decent attack, averaging two goals scored per match across the season. Their objective is to hold on to top spot, and for now they have a small cushion over the teams chasing them.
Match Results: Celtic
Hearts are a high-scoring side.
Hearts' home Conference League match against Nordsjælland ended 1-1, despite Hearts leading at half-time. This came with Hearts holding an advantage in shots - 20-11 overall and 7-3 on target - and in expected goals: 1.89 to 0.84.
Hearts are comfortably placed in the upper part of the table, driven by an attacking style: they are scoring 2.38 goals per match this season and frequently play with ambition away from home - as shown by eight consecutive away matches in which they have both scored and conceded. Defensively, though, they look considerably weaker, conceding an average of one goal per game, and their form over the last five matches has been inconsistent - two wins, one draw and two defeats, with no clear run of results in either direction. Their objective is to close the gap on the leaders while maintaining a balance between attack and defence.
Match Results: Heart of Midlothian
Match Result Prediction
Celtic have won 18 of their last 20 home head-to-head meetings with Hearts, which is a very strong trend. This season Celtic have won 3 of their 4 home matches, with an overall record of 7 wins from 8. That said, Hearts are in decent form, having lost just 2 matches this season, and are on a 12-match unbeaten run. Despite this tension between the two sides' form, Celtic's strong home record in head-to-head meetings and their solid home statistics this season point towards a home win at odds of 1.58*.
Total Goals Prediction
Total Goals - Under 3.5 has landed in Celtic's last 6 Scottish Premiership matches, pointing to a consistent tendency towards relatively low scoring. Seasonal averages support the same picture: Celtic score 2 goals per match on average, while Hearts average 2.38, and both sides have been relatively solid defensively, conceding 0.5 and 1 goal per match respectively. Over their last 10 matches, Celtic's scoring rate has dropped to an average of 1.3 goals, and they have been conceding slightly more, though the combined numbers do not push the match clearly towards a high-scoring outcome. On that basis, a bet on Total Goals - Under 3.5 at odds of 1.6* looks reasonable.
Corners Prediction
Hearts have taken more than 3.5 corners in 18 of their last 19 Premier League matches. This is a consistent trend across a solid sample, which makes the bet on Hearts Team Total Corners - Over 3.5 at odds of 1.65* quite well-founded.
Reliable Bet
Celtic have gone unbeaten at home in 24 of their last 26 head-to-head meetings with Hearts, a trend backed up by their current strong home run. It is a very consistent pattern with a long history behind it. The Double Chance - 1X at 1.16* therefore looks as safe as it gets.
Correct Score Prediction
Based on statistics and probability distribution, the algorithm identifies three most likely scorelines for this match: 1-1 (10.04%), 1-0 (10.03%) and 2-1 (9.85%). All three outcomes have very similar probability values, with a 1-1 draw carrying the highest chance. This reflects a balanced expectation for the match, where a narrow win for either side or a scoring draw are both possible.
*Odds are approximate and may vary across different bookmakers.
⭐ Editor's Prediction
The case for a cautious outcome is supported by Celtic's run of six consecutive Premiership matches with under 3.5 goals: even against attacking opponents, the hosts rarely feature in high-scoring games. Hearts have regularly contributed both goals and defensive errors away from home, but the key trend is Celtic's limited goal output at home. The hosts' attacking output combined with their solid defence, set against Hearts' moderate defensive reliability, reduces the likelihood of an open match with plenty of chances. The editor's main prediction is Total Goals - Under 3.5. Predicted score: 2-1.
Will this prediction come true?
No comments
Betting Tips: Celtic - Heart of Midlothian
in 18 of last 20 home games against Heart of Midlothian.in 17 of last 19 home games against Heart of Midlothian (Premiership).in 14 of last 15 games (Premiership).in 8 of last 9 home games (Premiership)..svg)
in 12 of last 13 games.
in 24 of last 26 home games against Heart of Midlothian (Premiership).in 14 of last 15 games (Premiership).in 8 of last 9 home games (Premiership).in 24 of last 26 away games against Celtic (Premiership).Comparison of Teams Stats
Other predictions
