What to take from MvG’s World Grand Prix Darts win in Dublin

After a truly fascinating renewal of the World Grand Prix Darts in Dublin’s Citywest Hotel, which saw dual nine-dart legs from James Wade and Robert Thornton in the second round, the betting for December’s PDC World Championship is beginning to take a familiar shape.

Michael van Gerwen, who triumphed in Ireland for the second time in three years, currently ranks a 9/4 shot to retain his Alexandra Palace title, just behind 14-time winner and 2/1 favourite Phil Taylor.

Evidently there’s value to be found back in the field with these two heavyweights taking up much of the market. Here are a few we think look decent at present.

Gary Anderson @ 9/1

‘The Flying Scotsman’ hit a 98.54 average in his 2-0 first-round win over Northern Ireland’s Brendan Dolan, which proved to be the top three-dart numbers all week at the Citywest Hotel; only Van Gerwen came close with 98.06 in the second round.

Anderson, who finished runner-up in the PDC final four years ago, has reached the last four in Dublin and at the World Matchplay Championship in Blackpool so far this year.

The 43-year-old also thrashed fellow Ally Pally 9/1 shot Adrian Lewis 6-0 in a Players Championship event last month, form which on its own suggests Anderson is currently overpriced for darts’ main event.

Mervyn King @ 100/1

Since reaching the PDC semi-finals in 2009, ‘The King’ has underperformed on the biggest stage, although a 4-1 third-round loss to Lewis last year was the Ipswich native’s best result in the last five attempts.

King saw off PDC 33/1 shot Raymond van Barneveld 3-1 in the World Grand Prix second round, before being edged out 3-2 in the quarters by the Dutchman’s compatriot MVG.

At treble-digits, with Ladbrokes.com paying 1/2 each-way odds on the first two in north London, the 48-year-old is no bad bet.

Wes Newton @ 100/1

The world number 14 may seem a fair price in the context of a 2-1 first-round knockout by King in Dublin, but Newton tends to save his best form until around Xmas time.

Three PDC World Championship quarter-final appearances in the last four years says as much, with each of them ending in narrow 5-4 losses.

The Warrior chucked away two darts to go 4-2 up on Peter Wright last December, before being beaten by his least favourite score.

Newton looks far too big at present based on such pedigree.

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

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