Mawson and Gionson do battle for right to face champ Taylor
Published:The chance to take on Phil Taylor in the opening round of the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship is a great incentive that awaits the winner of the clash between Gary Mawson and Juanito Gionson.
Mawson comes into the clash, which is one of eight preliminary round matches, as a worthy favourite in the darts betting at 4/11 based on his appearance in the UK Open final in 2008.
Taylor has already revealed that he expects the American to progress against Gionson, although neither are likely to pose him any serious troubles in the first round.
Gionson won the Filipino qualifying competition to make it to Alexandra Palace, which consisted of a regional knockout event and then a national final.
He is 2/1 to beat Mawson in the best of seven leg showdown and face Taylor, with the 15-time champion the 4/6 favourite in the overall Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship betting to take the title again.
One of the more trickier games in the first round to pick a winner from is the clash between Paul Nicholson and Steve Farmer.
Nicholson reached the quarter-finals of the event two years ago and is the 1/4 favourite in the darts betting to move into a second round clash with either Co Stompe or Peter Wright.
Meanwhile, Farmer is making his debut at Alexandra Palace but could prove one of the more livewire outsiders to make it to the latter stages of the tournament.
The Shropshire player is 11/4 to beat Nicholson, but there are a number of other betting opportunities available for the best of five set encounter.
With the match likely to be close fought, perhaps the best bet is the 5/6 on offer that one of the pair registers a checkout of at least 119, while it is also 1/1 that a minimum of six 180s are scored throughout.
A £10 bet on Farmer beating Nicholson 3-2 could lead to a payout of £65. New Ladbrokes customers can sign up here for a free £10 bet.
