The third round of the Premier League of darts was notable for three top tungsten tossers – Peter Wright, Phil Taylor and Dave Chisnall – all bounding back to form with winning performances.
We move on to round four in Brighton and you suspect that trio will be looking for back-to-back victories: Chizzy takes on the point-less Jelle Klaasen, The Power battles Kim Huybrechts (one point from six) and Snakebite tackles Raymond van Barneveld in the last game of the evening.
Aside from that set of fixtures, the meat in the sandwich sees Michael van Gerwen take on the out-of-sorts Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson go toe-to-toe with James Wade.
Here are the pick of this week’s Premier League Darts betting tips:
Chizzy to Get Busy in Brighton
An excellent player, it was good to see Dave Chisnall find some form in Leeds. He averaged 101, with 41% on his doubles and five 190s, in a 7-4 win over Huybrechts.
You always fancy Chizzy to go well when his doubles are flying in, and the confidence from last week’s win will stand him in good stead for this week’s meeting with Jelle Klaasen.
The Cobra is yet to pick up a point in this year’s Premier League, but he’s not playing badly as a tournament average of 96 attests. But he’s at just 28% for his checkouts, and the pressure of being without a win will surely be getting to the Dutchman.
As such, and sorry Jelle, but it’s the Chisnall win for us at 20/21.
Dutch Demolition Job
Another night, another easy victory for MVG in Leeds, who is disappointed when his average dips below 105. My, what Adrian Lewis would give for such a number.
Jackpot is visibly struggling at the moment, and that theme continued against James Wade last week where he averaged just 88 in a 4-7 defeat. He’s hit just six maximums in this tournament – only Taylor has less – and without any power scoring a checkout success of one-in-three simply isn’t good enough.
There is no way we can see Lewis winning this one, and the handicap mark of -3.5 in MVG’s favour at Evens looks princely.
Beware the Flying Scotsman
Gary Anderson has taken just three points from as many games and averages over 103 in the tournament! That’s because he ran into a pair in inspired form in MVG and Peter Wright, so we have no qualms about his confidence or abilities at present.
James Wade is doing what he’s been doing for the past decade: averaging around 98 and taking out around 50% of his darts at double. If you’re off your game, he will beat you.
But Anderson is very much on the boil at present and simmering nicely. Let’s back him to be leading after six legs at 10/11.
Power Undimmed by the Hurricane
Sport is about momentum; ascendancy beats regression 99 times out of 100. So, with Taylor playing his best darts of the tournament last week and Huybrechts his worse, there’s no surprise where our money will be going in Brighton.
The only problem is that The Power is 4/9 with the bookies, so there’s no value there, and we’ll instead plump for Huybrechts in the most 180s market at 11/10. He leads Taylor 7-3 in the maximum stakes so far.
All Wright on the Night
Peter Wright’s outstanding form in ‘behind closed doors’ tournaments finally found its way to the big stage in Leeds – and how. Snakebite averaged the thick end of 110 in taking down Gary Anderson, who himself was excellent at 103. The confidence that Wright will take from that is immeasurable.
Raymond van Barneveld will have been hugely disappointed with his efforts against his old nemesis Phil Taylor, and in an interview with the Telegraph last week he bemoaned the fact that he is playing the best darts of his life but not winning trophies.
Well, Barney has won just one of three in the Premier League, and we expect that success rate to fall yet further against an opponent in blistering form. Wright is excellent value at 20/21.