An engine starting apparatus including a starter including a motor configured to generate a rotational force, and a pinion configured to transfer the rotational force of the motor to a ring gear. The starter is configured to crank an engine at a specific revolution-speed increase rate to increase a revolution speed of the engine to a predetermined revolution speed equal to or greater than 450 rpm. The apparatus further includes an ignition-timing setter configured to set an ignition timing at which fuel in a combustion chamber of the engine is ignited while the revolution speed of the engine is increased during cranking of the engine by the starter or during coasting of the engine after termination of cranking of the engine by the starter, and an engine-speed predictor configured to predict a revolution speed of the engine at the ignition timing based on the specific revolution-speed increase rate.