PL Darts tips: Home crowd to roar on Barney and MVG?
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Rotterdam will be bouncing this week ahead of a rip-roaring double-header of Premier League Darts.
It gets underway tonight, with another five matches completing phase one of the competition tomorrow evening.
The big story focuses on home hero Raymond van Barneveld. The Dutchman must at least one of Daryl Gurney or compatriot Michael van Gerwen to keep his hopes alive.
Gerwyn Price to beat Michael Smith
Michael Smith has been through the wars this season, and it showed last week when he threw an 85 average in a 7-2 loss to Mensur Suljovic.
Bully Boy needs to regroup, but that’s not Gerwyn Price’s concern. The Iceman has lost his last two matches, but looks good at 6/4 to beat last season’s world finalist.
If Smith is still struggling, Price won’t show any mercy, and the Welshman is 6/1 to win 7-4.
The treble 20 bed could be in for an early pummelling here. Price and Smith have combined for 46 maximums already, and we’ve got 4/5 about over 6.5 180s in tonight’s opener.
James Wade to beat Dimitri Van den Bergh
The Machine sits third in the table, and will fancy his chances of another win against tonight’s guest arrowsmith Dimitri Van den Bergh.
The Belgian is a capable thrower, one of many looking to push on and become a Premier League regular. But there’s been a clinical edge to Wade’s game this season, and the Aldershot ace is Evens favourite.
Wade’s 48% checkout rate is second only to Rob Cross, and that should see him through. 8/1 says Wade takes it 7-3.
Rob Cross to beat Mensur Suljovic
After an up and down 2018, Rob Cross has brought a real consistency to his play this season. The former world champ tops the table, having won five of his matches. He boasts the best checkout average too.
So Voltage will certainly fancy himself against Mensur Suljovic. The Gentle has crept up the standings though, after winning three of his last four games.
The head-to-head record is tight too at five wins apiece, but Cross’ recent showings have convinced our traders to make him Evens favourite. Suljovic is the 2/1 outshot.
Suljovic usually holds his own though, which will push Cross. Voltage is 7/1 to win 7-5, while there’s 3/1 about him to be King of the Oche.
Michael van Gerwen to beat Peter Wright
Mighty Mike has really been off his game lately. None more so than when 2-0 up versus Gurney last week, only to go on and lose 7-5.
Surely a home crowd full of orange will get MVG back in the zone, right? Our traders have 1/2 about the world number one roaring back into life with a win over Peter Wright.
Snakebite knows what it takes to beat the Dutchman though. MVG may lead the head-to-head 53-15, but Wright has won three of the last six, including two of the last three.
Can he win again? There’s 4/1 if you fancy Wright to silence the home crowd with a win, and 7/2 about a draw.
We should see 180s galore here, with 8/13 about over 5.5 maximums.
Daryl Gurney to beat Raymond van Barneveld
Is Barney’s Premier League journey coming to an end? A Michael Smith loss would help, but either way, the Dutchman really needs to beat Gurney tonight, given he plays MVG tomorrow.
A home crowd will surely help, but Gurney was excellent in beating Van Gerwen last time out, and is 5/6 favourite for this one.
There’s 9/4 about a brilliant Barney win to drive the fans delirious with 10/3 about a draw. The pair are bottom of the pile with 15 180s apiece so far, and 8/11 says we get under 5.5 maximums.
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All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
