Premier League Darts Preview

With just three weeks to go until we lose two players from the 2015 Premier League the players arrive in Glasgow for another set of mouth-watering fixtures.

James Wade vs Adrian Lewis
Following an inconsistent start to the campaign James Wade has had an encouraging week and shown signs that he might be getting back towards his brilliant best. An emphatic 7-3 win against Raymond van Barneveld last Thursday was followed by a run to the final of Saturday’s tour event then a tournament victory in Barnsley on Sunday.

Adrian Lewis, meanwhile, continues to go in the opposite direction. He began the Premier League with one of the most devastating performances of the season to date, but has failed to win a match since and is in genuine danger of slipping into the bottom two.

At odds of 13/10 for the win The Machine is a standout punt this Thursday night.

Peter Wright vs Stephen Bunting
Peter Wright is another who has been in sublime form of late and after a battling win against Kim Huybrechts last Thursday then went on to reach the final in Sunday’s Players Championship event.

Stephen Bunting also picked up a much-needed two points in Nottingham when he defeated the previously unbeaten Dave Chisnall to make it back-to-back victories in the Premier League.

This looks a difficult one to call and at odds of 7/2 I wouldn’t put anyone off backing the draw. Providing he can put the recent UK Open semi-final whitewash behind him, The Bullet is a match for Snakebite in every aspect.

Raymond van Barneveld vs Phil Taylor
There is always a sense of occasion when these two giants of the game meet on any stage, anywhere. But those levels of anticipation can be tempered somewhat when it comes to the Premier League.

Before last season’s semi-final victory, Barney hadn’t beaten The Power in 20 Premier League match-ups, and the way that they are both playing going into this one I expect that we’ll be reverting to the status quo. Back Taylor to win with a -2.5 handicap at odds of 5/6.

Kim Huybrechts vs Gary Anderson
In my early Premier League previews for this season I regularly suggested that Kim Huybrechts would struggle in this format. And although he finds himself at the bottom of the pile after six weeks, the Belgian deserves great credit for the way that he has performed, particularly in the past few weeks.

Gary Anderson, meanwhile, continues to ride the crest of a wave and after averaging 108.98 in a 7-1 demolition of Adrian Lewis last week, then went on to take Saturday’s Players Championship event where he beat James Wade in the final.

There is, however, the possibility that the occasion in Glasgow will get to Anderson this week on his first return home since being crowned world champion. And for that reason, I’m going to take a chance on Huybrechts upsetting the odds and coming away with a win at odds of 3/1.

Dave Chisnall vs Michael van Gerwen
1st plays 2nd in the final match of the evening this Thursday, but both players come into the match with slight concerns. Chizzy lost his unbeaten record in the Premier League with defeat to Bunting last week and then suffered an unusual first round defeat in Sunday’s Players Championship event – although he did reach the semi-final on Saturday.

MVG also suffered the indignity of a first round defeat at the weekend when he lost to Kyle Anderson on Saturday, and then was forced to withdraw from Sunday’s event due to illness. Whether he will be fully recovered by this Thursday remains to be seen.

At the odds I’d probably prefer to take a chance on Chisnall to pick up the win at 19/5, although we know that if MVG is back to full fitness then he could wipe the floor. Probably a match that is best avoided from a betting perspective.

Best Bet

Wade to beat Lewis @ 13/10