Start vs Bodo/Glimt Prediction & Betting Tips (20 May)

The upcoming Eliteserien clash at Sparebanken Sør Arena brings IK Start back in front of their home fans against high-flying Bodø/Glimt, with the game now set for 20 May 2026 after the earlier 10 May fixture was postponed. Start enter the match sitting 15th in the table, still searching for momentum in their return to top-flight action and trying to turn narrow draws into wins. The Kristiansand side recently shared the points 1-1 at home with Tromsø, showing more defensive discipline after some heavy defeats earlier in the campaign.

Recent weeks have underlined just how steep the learning curve is for Start. In the last month they have been beaten 2-1 away at HamKam and 3-1 at Lillestrøm, but also held Molde to a 1-1 draw in Kristiansand, a result that hinted at resilience and work rate in midfield. The most painful result, though, came on 30 April in Bodø, where they were overwhelmed 5-0 by Bodø/Glimt at Aspmyra Stadion, exposing gaps in their defensive structure and the need for better protection in front of goalkeeper Jacob Pryts Larsen.

Bodø/Glimt, meanwhile, arrive in Kristiansand as one of the league’s early pacesetters, sitting 4th with a strong goal difference and a reputation for relentless attacking football. Their last six league matches show both power and vulnerability: a 3-0 home win over Aalesund, a 2-0 victory away to Lillestrøm, and that emphatic 5-0 win against Start, but also a 5-0 collapse away to Viking and a recent 1-0 home defeat to Molde. Even so, with players like Kasper Høgh and Andreas Helmersen contributing regularly, they remain heavy favourites with bookmakers.

Form lines and recent meetings give this fixture a clear narrative. Start have not won in their last twelve league outings, often conceding multiple goals, while Bodø/Glimt’s attack has produced at least two goals in most of their recent victories and dominated possession in the reverse fixture. The hosts will hope that lessons from the 5-0 loss and the improved showing against Tromsø translate into a more competitive performance, but on balance the visitors’ firepower and league position point toward an away win and a likely final score of