It's the biggest sporting event of the Winter. Read the best bets for the PDC World Darts Championship.
It’s that time of the year again. The sight of 3,000 rabid Darts fans shuffling out of Wood Green Tube station and walking up the hill to reach the mecca of Alexandra Palace. Yes, the PDC World Darts Championships are nearly here and the event goes from strength to strength. Now a true staple of the winter sporting calendar, tickets were sold out months in advance as punters eagerly await two and a half weeks of drama, tension, tungsten and fun.
This year’s edition looks to have it all: Dominating names like MVG, players with points to prove like Gary Anderson, potential dark horses like Rob Cross and of course the biggest elephant in the room: Phil Taylor’s last hurrah. When looking at the betting, it can be a minefield when trying to find value, so let’s see what we can find.
It’s no surprise to see Michael van Gerwen at the top of the betting and his odds-on price is justified after another dominating 12 months on tour. He is so hungry to win here, saying before that “Nothing else, no other tournament matters.” It’s difficult to look anywhere else, but mercifully most bookmakers are offering each-way placing, so with that in mind, the bottom half of the draw is intriguing.
And that’s where we find ADRIAN LEWIS (best price 40-1). He finds himself in the same quarter as World #2 Peter Wright, but with the adopted Scotsman’s health issues this week, it has not been confirmed if he will be appearing at the tournament. Lewis has showed little form over the last 12 months, but has showed no frustration or nerves in recent interviews. He absolutely loves the Ally Pally stage, winning it all twice in 2011 and 2012 and made the final in 2016 when his form was similar to what it is now. His previous tournament experience counts for so much and if he can get in the Semi Finals, he has the game to challenge anyone, which he showed when he made the mother of all comebacks six years ago when he beat James Wade 6-5 in the last four after being 5-1 down. He’d have to have the game of his life to beat MVG, but I love the odds he currently is to get get there.
Phil Taylor will look to bring down the curtain on his glittering career with one last crown. It will be sad to see the stalwart go, but I believe that although he has every chance to go far, it will be too much of an ask for ‘The Power’ to win the lot. By his own admittance he is an “Old man” and the gruelling best of 9 and 11 sets format in the later stages could take their toll, especially if he runs into a Gary Anderson or fit Peter Wright who would be itching to take down the grand old master.
But as one player fades, another star is growing ever brighter and ROB CROSS (best price 14-1) has gone from not qualifying last year to the fifth favourite in 12 months. ‘Voltage’ has made a bigger impact and risen more rapidly in that time than any other player I can remember. His potential path to the final is challenging (and that’s putting it mildly), with Michael Smith, Daryl Gurney, Mensur Suljovic and of course MVG as possible opponents, but I actually see that as a benefit. That draw coupled with the fact that it’s his debut at the Worlds means that he will either reach new heights or wilt and the character he has already showed on stage this year favours the former. He is so confident in his abilities and I believe he will be able to thrive in the longer format. MVG has Cross on his radar and that should tell you everything. It will be a rollercoaster, but one that is worth backing.
We didn’t get a nine-dart finish in last year’s tournament, the first time that had occurred since 2013. The sport has more quality now that at any time in the history of the PDC and with the plethora of matches across the tournament, it would be unbelievable if there isn’t one player that achieves perfection this Winter.
Finally, don’t listen to Sky when they try to tell you that anything can happen. When it comes to the First Round, most seeds get through comfortably thanks to the kindness of the draw. Very occasionally you will get an upset, but the odds are as imbalanced as they are in the straight match ups for a reason. With that in mind, I’ve put together a First Round seven-fold at 9-2 that will hopefully give you some money to play with for the later rounds. It could be useful if one of the above lets us down massively!
