Let’s get right to our selections for this week.

James Wade Vs Adrian Lewis:

Wade really hasn’t been great so far in the Premier League, whilst Lewis looked good in the first two weeks, then got done last week by Terry Jenkins when putting in a very average performance by Lewis’ high standards that he’s shown this year. Still, Lewis is showing the potential, whilst Wade seems to be “doing a Barney” and coming back to the chasing pack.

Both players are excellent on their day and if they both bring it, we could get a fantastic start to the night. However, I still question whether Wade’s head is in the right place, even if he’s doing OK in the floor tournaments. The 180s line is exactly where I would put it and there is no value to be had there. Both players can take out big outs on their day, but they’re also known to blow hot and cold on their double, so we’ll leae the highest checkout alone. We have to take Lewis, but the draw no bet option is out best bet, as the price is still very, very nice.

Adrian Lewis to beat James Wade (Draw – no bet): Evens @ Stan James and Blue Square.

Recommend: 2 units @ Evens.

Ronnie Baxter Vs Simon Whitlock:

Whitlock finally got his first win in the Premier League last week by defeating Raymond van Barneveld and he’ll be hoping to keep his impressive start to his PDC career going by doing Ronnie Baxter. Baxter is no pushover, having defied the bookies last week and took out the undefeated Mervyn King after two reverse in floor tournmaments the weekend before.

Whitlock is a short enough price and Baxter is almost worth a punt at the odds. However, Whitlock’s finish against Van Barneveld was out of this world and there are very few players (maybe only one) that can live with a player taking about shots like Whitlock does. That being said, both Whitlock and Baxter can take out some big outs, as Baxter proved last week, having the highest checkout of the night. The 180s line is a tad skinny, as Baxter isn’t always a power 180s scorer in the vein that Whitlock is. Again, it’s been set perfectly.

Highest checkout in Whitlock Vs Baxter match over 121.5: 5/6 @ Stan James and Blue Square.

Recommend: 1.5 units @ 5/6.

Mervyn King Vs Terry Jenkins:

Terry Jenkins continued his strong start to the Premier League campaign with a good win over Adrian Lewis last week. Last week saw Mervyn King lose his undefeated status and he’ll obviously be hoping to bounce back against Mr Consistently Inconsistent. That being said, the same title could also apply to King. This will be a tight match and it’s price up like that, with King around Evens, which is a fair enough price. However, Jenkins isn’t a mug and if King plays like he did last week, Jenkins could wipe the floor with him. Again, we’ll have a dabble in the draw-no bet market for this one.

Terry Jenkins to beat Mervyn King (Draw -no bet): 5/4 @ Blue Square.

Recommend: 1 unit @ 5/4.

Phil Taylor Vs Raymond van Barneveld: I think it’s safe to say that the days of this being the marquee match are almost dead and buried. Barney seems to have given up the ghost, while Taylor is constantly finding new ways to improve his game. Now, while The Power hasn’t been at his mercurial best, he’s undefeated and put in two great performances in floor tournaments over the weekend (winning one and finishing second in the other) to show he’s still the one to beat.

As with most Taylor games, the win market is justifiably shocking. 2/7, anyone? I thought not. We won’t get rich backing those ones. The handicap at -3.5 shows just what the market thinks of Barney’s form. It isn’t worth a job, but neither is the handicap market. Taylor destroyed the so-called “Heir Apparent” last week and he should do the same to Barney. However, let’s just watch this one and see if we can see something fantastic.

Recommend: No bet.

So, enjoy the darts tonight if you’re going or if you’re staying at home watching it on Sky Sports. But, most importantly, happy betting.

Also, if you haven’t already, get yourself on over to Stan James. They’ll sort you out with a free bet and you can stick it on one of our selections! Just click on the banner below (after having a look at the markets, of course) and set up an account. Don’t forget to tell them we sent you.

Mervyn King Vs Ronnie Baxter.

We start off the night with a rematch from both the Swindon Players Championship event on Saturday and the UK Open Qualifier on Sunday in the shape of King Vs Baxter. King won 6-1, then 6-3 on the Sunday. There is definitely nothing to point to King letting up, as his start to the Premier League has been just as impressive as his floor results. Baxter played exceptionally well against Phil Taylor last week, but his consistency isn’t as good as King’s and I can see a comfortable win for Mervyn King. Yes, his average last week against Wade was way below his best and Baxter was averaging in the high 90s against Taylor, but sometimes your average can all depend on your opponent.

Mervyn King to beat Ronnie Baxter: 1/2 @ Stan James.

Recommend: 4 units @ 1/2.

Adrian Lewis Vs Terry Jenkins.

The second match of the night could end up being a classic, with both Adrian Lewis and Terry Jenkins capable of high scores and almost as high checkouts. Jenkins has made a decent start to his 2010 Premier League Campaign, coming back from the brink of defeat in his two games against Whitlock and Baxter to salvage a point from both. Lewis lost to the in-form King in his first match, then destroyed Barney, putting in one of his finest televised performances to date.

The prices on Lewis are skinny enough, considering he has the ability to blow hot and cold and you never know what Jackpot will turn up. I’d be confident enough of a Lewis victory, but I wouldn’t want to be playing at too short a price. However, I can see this being a high scoring game and the 180 markets are where we want to be playing.

Over 7.5 180s in Lewis Vs Jenkins match: 5/6 @ Blue Square and Stan James.

Recommend:2 units @ 5/6.

Simon Whitlock Vs Raymond van Barneveld. Is Barney on his way out? Is Whitlock the next big thing? Well, it’s probably no to both, but you never know. Barney hasn’t been playing anywhere near his best darts over the past 2 years or so, while Whitlock’s performance at the Ally Pally announced a huge new arrival on the darts scene. Whitlock has been made favourite with most books, but he’s yet to win in the Premier League, while Barney has the scalp of James Wade. However, Whitlock has made his excuses (jet lag and then an injured heel) and he no claims he’s ready to go. This was proven over the weekend where he made a run to the last 16 in Swindon on Saturday, then made the final on Sunday, losing to Mervyn King. However, what this game hinges on is what mind-set Barney is in. If Barney can put in one vintage performance, or even just a few vintage legs, Whitlock might buckle like he did against Jenkins. I’ve not seen enough from Whitlock to justify backing him against Barney. However, I think this match will have a lot of legs in it, so I’m going for the 180 scoring again.

Over 7.5 180s in Whitlock Vs van Barneveld match: 6/5 @ Blue Square.

Recommend: 2 units @ 6/5.

Phil Taylor Vs James Wade:

Mr Premier League versus the 2009 Premier League Champion. Sadly, James Wade hasn’t been playing anywhere near his best darts and seems to be lacking some confidence. Facing Phil Taylor will most likely not help this. Simply put, Taylor should win this and win it comfortably. I have no interest in backing Taylor at skinny odds and Wade’s form is enough to put me off backing him, even with counterfeit. Simply put, as it’s the last match on, I might even call it a night once the walk-on girls have left the stage.

Recommend: No bet.

So, that’s your Premier League Darts Week 3 tips. I hope you enjoy the matches and if you’re going, have a great night, have some winning bets and you can toast us here at Darts Betting Tips with one of those giant beers they sell. If you’re not and you’re at home watching it, toast us with whatever your poison is! Happy betting!

His win on the Saturday was his first tournament win in 2008, but he had a decent 2009 and his start to 2010 has been nothing short of brilliant, with a closely fought defeat to Paul Nicholson in the Players Championship Final at the start of February to add to his two wins out of two in the Premier League.

Saturday.

King outlasted 155 other players to claim the Players Championship title on Saturday. He started with a 6-5 win over Steve Evans, before beating Andy Callaby 6-2. His first “name” player came in round three, but by then King had hit his stride and he defeated Vincent van der Voort quite comfortably 6-2. The same scoreline gave King the victory over Steve Hine. He then took on an in-form Adrian Lewis, but Jackpot was sent packing 6-4. Another Premier League face in the shape of Ronnie Baxter stood in the way of King and the final, but Baxter proved no match to the red hot King and Baxter was sent home with £1,500 after a 6-1 defeat.

So, all that stood in the way of King and the title was Andy “The Hammer” Hamilton. Both men scored heavily, but it was King’s consistent finishing that allowed him to run out a 6-3 winner.

So, quite comfortably scorelines after the first round and it really shows how well King is playing with his new darts, which he seems to love at the moment.

On the Saturday, Jamie Caven got back on track with his consistent form in floor tournaments getting him to the semi-finals, where he narrowly lost to Andy Hamilton 6-5. Simon Whitlock also made it to the last 16, as he tries to eek out the wins on his start on the PDC ProTour.

Sunday.

Sunday’s UK Open Qualifier started off in a similar fashiong for King. He again started with a hard-fought 6-5 win, this time over Anastasia Dobromyslova. Then it was time for King to go into overdrive, picking up consequtive 6-3 wins over Peter Wright, Ronnie Baxter, Jamie Caven and Wayne Jones. It was the second time in two days that King defeated Baxter and surely it looks ominous for when they meet in the Premier League.

King then faced James Wade in arguably his toughest match of the weekend, but Wade was dealt with much in the same way as he was dealt with in Bournemouth in the Premier League on Thursday.

Then all that was left for King to do was beat Simon Whitlock to claim the £6,000 and complete a famous double. He did it quite easily, winning 6-1 thanks to some heavy scoring and, most importantly, clinical finishing at the important times.

King joins an elite group of men who have won both tournaments when two ProTour events have been hold over one weekend: Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis and Robert Thornton. Definitely some esteemed company for him to be in.

What else was notable on the Sunday was Simon Whitlock’s impressive start to his PDC ProTour career, after his last 16 on the Saturday. However, what might be even more impressive was Aaron Monk’s, simply because he beat his father Colin 6-5 in the third round, before losing to Wayne Jones in the fourth round.

So, King is clearly in top form at the minute, which is reflected in his prices for upcoming tournaments:

He is currently 9/1 second favourite with Blue Square to win the Premier League thanks to his great start to 2010.

He is currently 1/2 with Stan James to keep his good form against Ronnie Baxter in the Premier League on Thursday.

Stan James go an extremely generous 33/1 for Mervyn King to win the 2011 World Championship and if he keeps this form up for the whole year, that price is going to look like some of the greatest value of all time come December.

If you are looking to start your ante-post betting on the PDC World Championship, check out the prices below, head on over to Stan James and claim your £25 free bet when you sign up:

Let’s recap the Premier League results from the 18th.

Adrian Lewis 8, Raymond van Barneveld 3.

Will the real Barney please stand up? Now, it’s not exactly fair to say that Lewis winning was a result of Barney being poor, far from it. In fact, Lewis averaged 105 to Barney’s 99. But you have to wonder what the craic with Barney is. He didn’t convince in his first match against James Wade, where he averaged around 6 points less, yet he still won. But let’s not take anything away from Lewis. Adrian Lewis put up one of his finest televised performances to date and looked like the player he’s always had the potential to be. He took out a couple of nice outs and didn’t buckle under the pressure of closing out a great win.

Lewis looked a far superior player to Barney and the 14/1 @ Stan James and Blue Square is the best price available on the youngster from the Potteries. It’s a very, very fair price on Lewis and you could do worse than have a few quid on him each-way, because if he continues to play like he did on Thursday, it will take a special performance to beat him.

Barney is 12/1 with Stan James and Blue Square, however there is 14/1 available @ Betfair, so if you think Barney can re-find his form, he could be worth a dabble at the price at Betfair.

Terry Jenkins 7, Simon Whitlock 7.

Simon Whitlock picked up his first point of his debut Premier League campaign, whilst Terry Jenkins picked up his second. Whitlock will feel like he should have won this, missing one dart for the match at double 16 and giving up a 7-5 lead. Jenkins fired in a 100 average, while Whitlock hit a 96, with both men taking out at least one 100+ finish. Jenkins’ Premier League experience shone through at the end and this should be a good stepping stone for him with some difficult games coming up for him. Whitlock should have an easier couple of weeks and was unlucky to find Jenkins in the kind of form that helped him reach the final of this event in 2007.

Jenkins is priced up at a very big 33/1 with most of the major firms, so head on over to Stan James if you want a dabble on him at a fancy price for someone that’s undefeated in the competition thus far.

Whitlock is still around 14/1, so check out Blue Square if you think the World Championship runner-up can find the form that took him to the final at the Ally Pally.

Phil Taylor 8, Ronnie Baxter 6.

Well, what can be said? Ronnie Baxter went 4-0 against Phil Taylor and still lost. Baxter is in his comeback season in the Premier League after a few years out in the wilderness and after a draw against Terry Jenkins, most people thought he would roll over for The Power. But no, Baxter averaged 96 and if it wasn’t for missed doubles at crucial moments, the result could have been a lot different. Taylor averaged just below 100 and both men didn’t take out a 100+ finish.

The result keeps Phil Taylor well at the head of the market @ 1/3 with Blue Square and Stan James and it might be a very fair price considering the fighting spirits Taylor’s shown in the first two weeks of the season.

Baxter is a huge 100/1 with Stan James and Blue Square and considering he has the same amount of points as Simon Whitlock, yet is around 7-times the price of him (both have also played Phil Taylor), then the price does seem a bit ridiculous in comparison to Whitlock. Baxter can hopefully build on this, take some confidence out of it and more up the table.

Mervyn King 8, James Wade 4.

The start of a great few days for Mervyn King with a hard fought win over James Wade. The scoreline doesn’t really reflect the match, as Wade has numerous chances to take legs that King won, but his average of 89 reflects the poor performance he put in. To be fair, King wasn’t at his best and his A-game failed to turn up, with an average of 91. However, he hit the checkouts while Wade faltered and that’s what darts is all about. The fact that there was only 5 180s in the match sums up how below their high standards both these big scorers were playing. However, King kept marching on with his great start to the year and, in the end, deserved the win that keeps him at the top of the Premier League.

King is now a deserved second favourite for the Premier League and you can snap up 9/1 @ Blue Square before it’s all gone.

Wade really has looked poor in his first two Premier League matches and is now 12/1 across the board for the Premier League. Check out Stan James if you want to have a bet on him.

Stan James currently have a market up for the tournament “without Phil Taylor” and the current prices are:

King – 11/4
Barney – 100/30
Wade – 7/2
Lewis – 4/1
Whitlock – 4/1
Jenkins – 12/1
Baxter – 50/1

King is also 12/1 to win the league outright with Stan James. That doesn’t mean he has to win the tournament, just the league stages. If he keeps up his form and can beat Taylor like he did in the semi-finals of the tournament last year, it could turn out to be a supremely huge price.

Now, the problem with this is you have to factor in the draw in Premier League matches, but the prices reflect this, so it’s not too much of a problem. However, it’s wise to tread carefully, because as we’ve seen in the past, this competition throws up some screwy results. Some seriously screwy results. But we’re going to avoid them, get some nice winners and get our 2010 off to a fantastic start.

Adrian Lewis Vs Raymond van Barneveld:

Lewis would have been hoping to start the 2010 Premier League with a bang, but ran into a seriously in form Mervyn King, losing 8-5. But Lewis averaged just over 96 and put in a great showing, hitting 4 180s in the process. Barney, on the other hand, averaged just over 92 and hit 3 180s in dispatching James Wade 8-5. The thing is, this has never been Barney’s favourite tournament. He travels between The Netherlands and that week’s venue and it could be one of the main reasons he doesn’t perform week in, week out, like Phil Taylor in this competition.

This will be a close match and the prices reflect it. The 6/5 @ Blue Square is the best price available for Barney, but this match is too close for us to call.

Recommendation: No bet.

Simon Whitlock Vs Terry Jenkins:

A very interesting match. In their first games, both didn’t play anywhere near their best, but Jenkins got the point with a draw with Ronnie Baxter. Now, while not the greatest result in the world for Jenkins, it was still a point. Unfortunately for Whitlock, he came up against Phil Taylor, who was in no mood for a gracious welcome to the Premier League for the Aussie. Taylor roughed him up after a slow start and Whitlock averaged 84, missing chances to break Taylor early on, then collapsed and played some shocking darts. Now, maybe the venue got to Whitlock – the O2 did seem very intimidating. However, he’s up against a Premier League stalwart in Jenkins.

The thing with Jenkins is he can blow hot and cold and hasn’t impressed on a regular basis on TV. He’s consistently inconsistent, if you pardon the expression. However, we think Whitlock will have found his footing and starting against Taylor wasn’t the easiest way to being your Premier League career. So, we’re banking on the Aussie to find the form that got him to the World Championship Final and Jenkins to go back to his wonderfully inconsistent self.

Simon Whitlock to beat Terry Jenkins – 11/10 @ Blue Square.

Recommendation: 1 unit @ 11/10.

Phil Taylor Vs Ronnie Baxter:

The “ill” Phil Taylor turned up at the O2 and humbled Simon Whitlock last week. Ronnie Baxter made his return to the Premier League with a deserved draw against Terry Jenkins. The simple fact is, Baxter didn’t set the world alight and Taylor eventually did, picking off the bullseye for checkouts like it was single 1. Taylor didn’t have the perfect build-up to his match against Whitlock, so expect his performance against Baxter to be even better.
Now, as with most Phil Taylor matches, the odds are skinny and they reflect the nature of the match. Expect this to be a blow out, with a few 180s, some respectable checkouts and a Phil Taylor victory. Because of this…

Recommendation: No bet.

James Wade Vs Mervyn King:

A tasty, tasty match, especially after last week. King puts in a 101 average against the dangerous Lewis, takes out 124 and fires in 4 180s in winning 8-5. Wade loses to Barney 8-5, averaging 90, taking out 84 and hitting 5 180s.

Now, King loves this event, as does Wade. This is a repeat of the 2009 Premier League Final, where Wade defeated King. Both men were inconsistent throughout 2009 and some were questioning Wade’s commitment to the game at one point. However, King seems to be hungry, as ever. Wade, on the other hand, seems to be lacking interest. King is also using new darts that he apparently feels comfortable with. The prices here seem a bit skinny on Wade and a bit too big on King. We believe King will do a number on Wade. If King takes an early lead, Wade’s head will hopefully go down and the demolition can commence.

Mervyn King to beat James Wade - 11/8 @ Blue Square.

Recommendation: 2 units @ 11/8.

We also have one more recommendation to see you through the whole night. The beauty of this competition is the number of market the bookies put up for specials. We think James Wade Vs Mervyn King will produce a LOT of 180s and thanks to Stan James, we can get a very generous 5/2 on this match having the most 180s of the evening.

James Wade Vs Mervyn King to have most 180s of the evening – 5/2 @ Stan James.

Recommendation: 1 unit @ 5/2.

That’s all for now. Enjoy the darts, soak in the atmosphere if you’re going and, most importantly, happy betting!

Phil Taylor retained the PDC World Championship in spectacular fashion, beating Simon Whitlock 7-3 in an entertaining final. Martin “Wolfie” Adams then won the BDO World Championship, beating Dave Chisnall 7-5 in one of the most entertaining finals in years. While both finals were entertaining, we have to say that the BDO served up more drama than the PDC, even if the PDC produced higher averages. It might not always be about the averages, as long as there’s drama there, we’re happy.

To retain his title, Phil Taylor is currently 1/2 with Stan James. Raymond Van Barneveld and James Wade are next at 12/1, with Gary Anderson and Simon Whitlock at 14/1.

Ladbrokes can’t match the prices on those at the head of the market, except they go 16/1 Simon Whitlock.

Blue Square aren’t any better, really, but they do go 20/1 Adrian Lewis.

There are no markets up for the BDO yet, but once they are, we’ll report on them.

The next tournament up for the PDC is the Players’ Championship at the Circus Tavern between the 28th and the 31st of December. The top 32 earners from the Players Championship Order of Merit compete, so if you’ve done well in the floor tournaments in 2009, you get an invite. So, due to the fact he plays very few floor tournaments, Raymond Van Barneveld won’t be competing. The seedings here are completely out of whack with what you’d expect, but Phil Taylor still sits on top after his great 2009. Again, Taylor looks favourite to win, as he has a relatively easy passage to at least the semi-finals, where he could meet Gary Anderson, provided Anderson finds some kind of form. Unfortunately, the major bookies have let themselves down by not pricing up the event yet, but again, we’ll report back once we get some prices.

Now, the Premier League starts next month at the O2 Arena in London on February 11th. Phil Taylor is a hot favourite to win back the title he lost to James Wade last year. “The Power” is 1/3 with Stan James to claim back the title. James Wade is 2nd favourite at 15/2, Barneveld is 11/1, Mervyn King is 14/1, Adrian Lewis is 16/1, while Premier League debutant Simon Whitlock is 18/1. Terry Jenkins and Ronnie Baxter round off the betting at 20/1 and 66/1 respectively.
Other books have still to price this up, but the value might lie in Simon Whitlock e/w at 18/1, so grab that at Stan James wile you can. The tournament favours quick starters and with his power scoring and high checkouts, added to the fact he’s now based in the UK, Whitlock could be there comes finals night.

So, that’s the new rounded up, now that Whitlock and Lewis have been confirmed as the wildcards for the Premier League.

We’ll have more news as and when it happens and our tipping will resume for the Players Championship and the Premier League.

Happy betting!

Ray Barneveld v Mark Webster:

Webster Tourney:
Legs Played: 113
180’s: 12
HC: 136
Highest Ave: 98.54

3rd place play off has been re-introduced as an appertif for the final and it might prove to be an interesting match. Barney produced his best performance in 12 months on TV, but just missed crucial doubles in the final set when it really mattered. He might be encouraged by it, but is the desire there for effectively a game that means nothing? Webster, on the other hand, may have been hammered by Taylor, but he’s not the first that’s happened to and won’t be the last either. This is a big game for him though as the 20k extra for finishing 3rd is the difference between a top 32 spot for next year or being 33rd ( I think he is provisionally 29th if he makes 60k). However, we think Barney might have a bit too much for him and the prices are about right.

Recommendation: No bet.

Phil Taylor v Simon Whitlock:

Whitlock Tournament:
Legs Played: 132
180’s: 47
HC: 170
Highest Ave: 105.37

Final match of the tournament which sees the master take on a very hungry opponent. Taylor has systematically destroyed so many good players over the years and the worry here is that Whitlock could be another one. Phil has been in magnificent form again all week and his last 2 matches show he is bang on form. The question is how will he react if pushed? We think personally he will just raise his game further, but that’s obviously subjective. Whitlock has had a great run and win or lose this week will change his life forever. Hopefully he now relaxes as he is there and sees this as an opportunity to make history. He does have the game to compete as shown in the QF match but if he scores as he did vs Barney in the SF, then we do fear for him. We think Taylor will win this 7-2 or 7-3, but the bet of the match has to be a check over 136. Both of them are more than capable of this and as long as the match goes about 30 legs+ then we would be very confident that this will oblige.

Highest checkout over 138.5 in the Taylor Vs Whitlock match: 5/6 @ Blue Square.

Recommendation: 3 units @ 5/6

Summary: Final day of a really good tournament and hopefully it gets the final it deserves. If it is 7-0, though, with a winning bet, we’re sure we can all live with that.

Thanks for joining us for our tips during the world championships and we hope you come back for the upcoming tournaments in the darting calendar.

Happy betting!

Bets made: 25
Winners: 12
Profit: -2.44 units.

Phil Taylor v Mark Webster:

Webster Tournament:
R1 – Mark Walsh 3-2 90.75 2 maxes
R2 – Peter Manley 4-2 89.52 0 maxes
R3 – Kirk Shepherd 4-1 97.41 4 maxes
11 180’s (91 legs) – 1/8.27 legs

First game of the evening sees a clash between the greatest player there’s ever likely to be and the former BDO champ. We thought Taylor was sensational last night versus Lewis as he knew he had to up his game and he did it in spectacular fashion. At one point he won 11 straight legs going out in 11 and 12 darts as a matter of course. If he plays like that again then who can stop him? We think this has been a great week for Webster as he has got progressively more comfortable on stage and is finally showing the form that won him a BDO title. It also will give him a big boost in the rankings which can only aid his development. To compete here he has to add about 5 points to his average though and check out at 50% and the problem is doing that while Taylor stands behind you. We personally can only see a comfy Taylor victory but the h’cap of -4.5 at odds on doesnt do much for us. As such, we will sit back and probably witness another masterclass.

Recommendation: No Bet

Ray Barneveld v Simon Whitlock:

Whitlock Tournament:
R1 – Colin Osborne 3-1 101.02 6 maxes
R2 – Wayne Jones 4-0 99.24 5 maxes
R3 – Terry Jenkins 4-2 100.6 8 maxes
34 180’s (85 legs) – 1/2.5 legs

Second match of the evening sees the stuttering Barneveld take on the big aussie Whitlock in what could prove to be a pivotal match in both players’ careers. Barney has got to this stage not playing his best by any means, but he is here and its not his fault if his opponents have all underperformed against him. He just seems to be struggling for consistency as he is hitting nowhere near the same number of maxes and isn’t doubling as well as he can, either. The question here is, can he up it when needed? Whitlock has been magnificent in his march to the semi finals though and it seems a combination of new darts, security in finding a sponsor and binning his wife has led to a massive form surge. He has everything in the respect of scoring heavily, doubling brilliantly and taking out high shots when needed. He performed superbly versus Wade, but he literally broke his opponent’s heart when checking out 170 and 150 back to back and Wade never won another leg from that point on. Thats a mark of real class for us and we think if he plays to his usual form he will win. Prices look a bit skinny to us, though as we was hoping for Evens, so that is a disappointment. However, there is a worthwhile bet if the stats show us anything. On the max bets we had Whitlock about 4/7 or 8/15 given how he hits them and how bad Barney has been on them. A carrot has been tempted, though, by Ladbrokes, as they have him at 4/6 which looks generous, given he is hitting 2 to every 1 of Barney’s this week.

Whitlock to score more 180s than Van Barneveld: 4/6 @ Ladbrokes.

Recommendation: 3 units @ 4/6.

Summary: Really hopeful of 2 high quality matches as the tournament deserves it given the standard that has been produced. Hopefully Whitlock can win the match bet on maxes though and keep us in a nice profit for the week.

Bets made: 24
Winners: 12
Profit: +0.56 units.

R3 -Webster bt Kirk Shepherd 4-1
Ave: 97.41
180’s: 4
HC: 117

Opening match sees a really intriguing match between the former BDO champ and the former BDO journeyman. Stompe has been a revelation again this week and is totally unrecognisable from the player in the BDO. Heavy scoring and good finishing and he will be very hopeful of a spot in the semis. Webby on the other hand has gotten stronger as the week has gone on and this reminds us a lot of the week that he won the Lakeside. It’s very, very close on paper, but we think Stompe might just be the more consistent over the long course, as Webby has seemed to be in and out, but does look incredibly strong, but he’s just slightly too short.

Co Stompe to beat Mark Webster: Evens @ Stan James.

Recommend: 1.5 units @ Evens.

James Wade v Simon Whitlock:

R3 -Whitlock bt Terry Jenkins 4-2
Ave: 100.6
180’s: 8
HC: 120

Second game of the afternoon sees a battle between Wade and Whitlock which could be a lengthy affair. Wade has been far from his best form and this venue doesnt seem to bring out the best in him especially from a 180 perspective. However, he does have the ability to really find a clutch finish when needed and that’s a great quality to have.Whitlock has been sensational all week, though and has consistently finished well and scored heavily when given the chance. The question is will his nerve hold if he has a chance to win probably the biggest match of his career? We can’t pick a winner here and the prices look priced spot on. The only bet we like is a bet on overs on the checkouts again as both are capable. However, having been burned twice before with Whitlock we will be having a small bet this time.

Highest checkout in Wade Vs Whitlock match over 132.5: 10/11 @ Stan James.

Recommend: 1 unit @ 10/11.

Raymond van Barneveld v Ronnie Baxter:

R3 – Baxter bt Colin Lloyd 4-1
Ave: 94.15
180’s: 2
HC: 81

We don’t know how Barney keeps getting away it. He seems unable to scrape over a 95 average on TV these days and just looks a shadow of the player he once was. It seems all his opponents are overawed by his reputation, though, as they are beaten before they even step on stage. Baxter is playing really well again this week and has continued his strong floor form of the last 12 months. He had darts to beat Barney here last year and we think if he stays on a steady average then he will win.

Ronnie Baxter to beat Raymond van Barneveld: 6/4 @ Stan James. 6/4 @ Blue Square. 6/4 @ Ladbrokes.

Recommendation: 1 unit @ 6/4

Phil Taylor v Adrian Lewis:

R3 – Lewis bt Kevin McDine 4-0
Ave: 103.63
180’s: 10
HC: 164

Tie of the round/year/decade/all time if you believe the Sky hyperbole and it should be a corker providing Lewis brings his best. We all know that Taylor is going to average 100+ over a long match and Lewis knows that, too. the question is can he maintain his strong form versus the champ? Between then they have the six highest averages of the tournament to date and if that goes on then this will be an all time classic. We’re happy to sit and hope that it is without a bet as we think if Taylor gets in front early it could be a rout. If not though then we could see a cracker, as Phil likes to say.

Recommendation: No Bet

Summary: 2 main bets on Baxter and Stompe and hopeful of a high check in the Wade match if the gods allow us some luck.

Happy new year and, more importantly, happy betting!

Bets made: 21
Winners: 11
Profit: +2.15 units.

Mark Webster Vs Kirk Shepherd

Ave: 79.35
180s: 4
HC: 109

While this doesn’t look like a classic on paper, it has the makings of a close one. Shepherd took the scalp of a woeful John Part, while Webster finished strong against a potentially dangerous Peter Manley. Shepherd hasn’t been playing great darts, but he’s been winning convincingly when you look at the scorelines. This will be close, but there is one market that seems to be a bit out of whack. Shepherd has hit 8 180s in 32 legs in his two matches, while Webster has hit 2 in 43 legs, yet Webster is favourite to hit the most 180s. Pricing it up, we’d have Shepherd as marginal favourite, as although he has a tendency to throw some horrific darts, he manages to put in a couple of 180s every now and then, which is more than Webster has done.

Kirk Shepherd to score more 180s then Mark Webster: 7/4 @ Stan James.

Recommend: 2 units @ 7/4.

Terry Jenkins Vs Simon Whitlock

R2 – Whitlock bt Wayne Jones 4-1
Ave: 99.24
180s: 5
HC: 120

Match of the day? Quite possibly. Two heavy scorers taking on each other – one is a stalwart of the PDC and the other has made a name for himself in the BDO. Whitlock has impressed everyone with his darts in his two matches this tournament, whilst Jenkins hasn’t set the world alight, although he’s done more than enough to win his matches. Both men can score heavily and both men can take out big finishes when needed and that is what the match might come down to. Whitlock is favourite with the bookies and rightly so, even if only marginally. They have those prices right, so we won’t get involved in the match betting. There is one book that has a nice line up compared to the rest when it comes to the highest checkout, so we’re going to play that market.

Highest checkout over 126.5 in the Jenkins Vs Whitlock match: 4/6 @ Ladbrokes.

Recommendation: 2 units @ 4/6.

Co Stompe Vs Mark Dudbridge

R2 – Dudbridge bt Alan Tabern 4-3
Ave: 95.06
180s: 2
HC: 92

Yet again, another match that might get the juices flowing and it could be a great end to the afternoon session. Stompe pulled off a bit of a shock when he beat Mervyn King in the second round, while Dudbridge survived a scare against Alan Tabern. The bookies make Stompe favourite, as do we. On his day The Matchstick can play fantastic darts, take out some big checkouts and hammer the 180s. Dudbridge has been there and done it at the World Championships, so this match will hold no worries for him. Stompe holds a 3-1 lead over Dudbridge in the head to head and that might be the telling factor. However, 4/6 isn’t the most appealng of prices, so we’ll be happy to sit back, watch the match and enjoy a cup of tea while watching it.

Recommendation: No bet.

Ronnie Baxter Vs Colin Lloyd

Ave: 88.48
180s: 6
HC: 110

Yet another intriguing game. Baxter produced a great performance to do one of the pre-tournament favourites 4-0, whilst Lloyd struggled to beat Denis Ovens. Baxter should be able to cap off a good year with a win here, but Lloyd won’t make it easy. Both men haven’t hit huge checkouts and Lloyd especially has been struggling with his doubling, so we don’t expect to see too many big finishes. The fact the line for this is roughly the same as the Jenkins/Whitlock match means we have to have a dabble on the unders.

Highest checkout under 129.5 in Lloyd Vs Baxter match: 10/11 @ Stan James.

Recommend: 1 unit @ 10/11.

James Wade Vs Andy Hamilton.

R2 – Hamilton bt Steve Beaton 4-1
Ave: 94.69
180s: 8
HC: 86

We know, we’re sounding like a broken record, but another great match and it’s two of the heaviest scorers in the game facing off. Both men managed a very healthy 180s total in their second round match, which should be an indication of what is to come tomorrow. Wade has shown a lot of people he’s taking this tournament a lot more seriously than he has done in the past and that’s been reflected in the relative ease of his wins. However, he won’t have it his own way against Hamilton, who looked impressive in his two wins so far. Wade holds an 11-6 advantage in the head to head, but Hamilton seems a bit overpriced at 3/1. The thing is, if Hamilton gets his head in front, Wade’s head may drop as has happened in the past. Hamilton won their last encounter at the GSOD and we like to think he take his scalp again. At the odds, it’s worth a nibble.

Andy Hamilton to beat James Wade: 3/1 @ Stan James.

Recommend: 0.5 unit @ 3/1.

Raymond van Barneveld Vs Kevin Painter

Ave: 92.23
180s: 11
HC: 97

Well, we all know Barney hit another 9-darter in his second round match, which he came through quite comfortably. Painter struggled at times against VDV, but at other times looked like a machine, as is evident with his 180 scoring. It’s true to say that in longer matches, Painter can score as heavily as anyone. The problem we have is, we don’t know which Barney will turn up. In fact, a different Barney can turn up in between games, which gives us a problem when finding a bet. Barney should take Painter out, but there’s no value in that and considering Painter has done Barney at this stage in the past, it doesn’t make a worthwhile bet, neither does Painter at 9/4. The 180s market seems spot on, as does the highest checkout market. Even Painter to hit the most 180s doesn’t appeal, so it’s left for us to simply watch the match, enjoy a heavy scoring affair and hopefully count our profits from the rest of our best.

Recommendation: No bet.

Summary: What a day of matches! We really like our bet on Kirk Shepherd, as we honestly think the markets are way, way out on this. Also, if Whitlock can just find the smallest of measurements and get on the other side of the wire, our highest checkout bet looks a certainty.

So, enjoy what is sure to be a fantastic day of darts and happy betting!

Bets made: 17
Winners: 11
Profit: +7.65 units.