Premier League Darts: Lewis has perfect chance to kick-start campaign

Another night of exhilarating Premier League Darts action is in store this week, with a number of mouth-watering clashes in prospect in Exeter.

Tournament debutant Robert Thornton kicks off the night against 2011 champion Gary Anderson, with the more experienced Scotsman 6/5 favourite to triumph.

However, 11/8 Thornton is currently unbeaten, with a week-one victory supplemented by two draws since then, and it is 7/2 that another stalemate ensues in this all-Scottish clash.

Andy Hamilton takes on Michael van Gerwen next, and the Dutchman is understandably short at 4/9 to record another two-point haul.

7/2 Hamilton has improved to record back-to-back victories after a week-one loss, but in Van Gerwen faces a player who looked to be hitting top form in a 7-3 demolition of Raymond van Barneveld last time out.

It is 9/2 that the pair can’t be separated, which may tempt some punters considering Van Gerwen has drawn two of his three matches so far this season.

And the defending champion will be next to the stage, as Phil Taylor looks to justify heavy 1/3 favouritism to beat James Wade.

In his 5/1 opponent, ‘The Power’ meets a man with two wins from three, but he should have too much class for ‘The Machine,’ who too often is plagued by inconsistency from week to week.

Meanwhile, the only two players yet to record a win in this season’s Premier League will clash, as Adrian Lewis looks to lift himself off the foot of the table by disposing of competition newbie Wes Newton.

Lewis is 11/10 to succeed, and looks the best value pick across all of these fixtures, considering his standing within the game.

Though out of form, the two-time world champion faces a player that threw away a three-leg lead in his last outing, which should serve as a deterrent to potential Newton backers at 6/4.

In the final fixture of the night, 10/11 Van Barneveld will oppose 15/8 chance Simon Whitlock, as both aim to get back on track in the aftermath of defeats in their last matches.

‘Barney’ looked unstoppable prior to his most recent meeting with Van Gerwen, appearing particularly impressive in a 7-2 annihilation of Newton the week previous.

But Whitlock too looked strong even in defeat to Taylor last week, averaging in excess of 100, and so the draw could prove the best call in this tie at 7/2.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.