Premier League Darts: Week 15 Preview

Results from Birmingham last week saw two more throwers qualify for the next phase of 2018’s Premier League Darts tournament and that leaves just one more play off slot up for grabs. In all probability, we will see Gary Anderson join Michael Van Gerwen, Michael Smith and Rob Cross progress to that stage but Daryl Gurney is battling to stay in touch.

Gurney needs a big win over Peter Wright to stay in the competition while Anderson just has to avoid a heavy defeat but the Flying Scotsman is playing Van Gerwen this week so that final place is by no means certain.

Outright Updates

Eight players will step up to the oche in Aberdeen this week but with three having already been eliminated, the outright betting involves just five men. Michael Van Gerwen has been at the top of this market before a dart was even thrown and the Dutchman is now available at best odds of 8/15 with SportingBet and 10Bet.

Gary Anderson remains as second favourite despite not having yet secured his place in the final rounds and the former World Champion can be picked up at a top price of 9/2 with Coral and Betway. That leaves the remaining qualified players following on with Rob Cross at 11/2 with Betway and Michael Smith quoted at 12/1 with 10Bet and Sport Pesa.

Finally, Daryl Gurney retains those faint hopes of making it through to the play offs and he can draw level on points with Anderson if he beats Peter Wright and his rival loses to MVG. However, if the players do finish level then it will go down to leg difference over the course of the tournament and Anderson currently stands at +13 as opposed to Gurney’s +1.

It would take a huge swing on the night to see Anderson eliminated and that’s why Daryl Gurney completes the outright betting at a very distant 500/1 with Ladbrokes and Coral.

Opening Up

Having rounded up the outright betting, we cross over to the individual matches from week 15 and the evening starts with Michael Smith taking on Raymond Van Barneveld. With Smith already through and Barney eliminated, it’s the type of game that can be tough to call and it’s certainly a tight market right now with odds against prices on all three outcomes.

Bully Boy Smith will start as favourite at 7/5 with Sun Bets while Van Barneveld is listed at best odds of 8/5 with Ladbrokes and Coral. The draw finishes the result betting at a top price of 7/2 with MarathonBet and there is likely to be some support for the 6-6 scoreline.

Next up is that crucial clash between Daryl Gurney and Peter Wright with Gurney likely to need a 7-0 whitewash if he is to progress to the next round. That outcome seems doubtful and the bookies have actually made Wright the favourite for the win at best odds of 7/5 with SportingBet.

That therefore leaves definite value in a Gurney victory at a top price of 8/5 with BetBright and the draw should also get some attention at a best of 7/2 with Betway.

Crunch Time

Gary Anderson now faces a formidable opponent in Michael Van Gerwen who added to his long list of titles with victory in the European Darts Grand Prix on Sunday. MVG is on another hot streak of form and is an obvious clear favourite at 11/18 with 10Bet and Sport Pesa here. Anderson may well be through by the time these players take to the oche and the Scot is on offer at best odds of 18/5 with Unibet while the draw completes this tie at a top price of 4/1 with Ladbrokes.

Completing the evening is the match between Simon Whitlock and Rob Cross and this is another game with little riding on it. Wizard Whitlock showed good form at the weekend and could cause an upset at best odds of 6/1 with Unibet while World Champion Cross is the favourite at a top price of 2/5 with Ladbrokes and MarathonBet.

Completing this game, and our result betting for the night, is the draw which is quoted here at a best of 23/5 with 188Bet.

Verdict

We argued last week that there is value in ‘dead rubbers’ and while we didn’t quite find it ourselves, there remains potential to make good profits from the matches that have little riding on them. We’ll start, therefore, with the opening game of the evening which sees Michael Smith, already through to the play offs, take on the eliminated Raymond Van Barneveld.

Odds against prices exist for all three outcomes and we saw how dangerous a wounded Barney can be as he comfortably beat Gary Anderson in Birmingham last week. Against Smith, it may be a tougher test as the Dutchman bows out of a long tournament and we’ll therefore back Bully Boy at 7/5 for the win.

Now we come to a game with plenty riding on it as Daryl Gurney looks to cling on to his faint play off hopes. The Northern Irishman takes on Peter Wright needing a 7-1 victory at worst and while that doesn’t seem likely, Gurney has been consistent enough to make him a sound bet in the straight win market at 8/5.

Finally, we’ll end with a longer option in the Correct Score betting between Michael Van Gerwen and Gary Anderson. If, as we expect, Anderson is already through to the play offs by the time he steps up to the oche, the competitive edge may well have gone from this game and a correct score of 7-2 to MVG at 6/1 with Unibet is our remaining tip for what we hope will be a profitable evening.

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