Darts: LockupTipster’s Premier League Darts Tips – Week 7

Week seven comes from the SSE Hydro arena in Glasgow where we are approaching the business end of survival into the remainder of the competition.

Last week saw good wins for Anderson, Lewis, Wade, Taylor and MVG, which leaves the likes of Chisnall and Barney with work to do to avoid a potential judgement night with Smith and Thornton occupying the bottom two. Thornton has a game in hand on Chisnall and Barney and two on Smith but sits only with a point still without a win since the grand slam in November on TV.

Michael Smith will be absent this week as Anderson will be playing the game he missed back in week one. It will be the turn of James Wade to have the week off next week as Thornton plays twice to catch up.

Dave Chisnall has a massive leg difference against Smith, with a variance of sixteen legs. Chisnall will be facing Barney, who in respect should there be a winner the recipient will probably be safe from the clutches of judgement night in two meetings time.

MVG is still heavy favourite at 9/2 ON to remain top of the table come the end of the regular season and level on points with Taylor, just one leg separates the pair in the standings. If you fancy Taylor to topple MVG for top spot Bet365 lay 9/2 with third favourite the defending and World Champion Gary Anderson at 7/1.

MVG is 4/5 to win outright with Taylor 9/2 with Boylesports and Anderson available at 6/1.

Week seven fixtures:

• Gary Anderson Vs Adrian Lewis
• James Wade Vs Robert Thornton
• Michael van Gerwen Vs Phil Taylor
• Raymond van Barneveld Vs Dave Chisnall
• Gary Anderson Vs Peter Wright

Gary Anderson Vs Adrian Lewis

Anderson leads 22-17 (PL record 5-3-2)

The three draws have all come in the Premier League with Anderson winning all of the last three meetings. Anderson has lost just once in the last nine meetings spanning back to 2011. In all competition, the flying Scotsman has won all of the last three including the World Championship final as well as the European Championship Semi-final back in November.

The odds compilers have Anderson the favourite at 19/20 with Boylesports with Lewis at 2/1 and the draw at an attractive 4/1 with Sportingbet.

Lewis comes to this meeting in some excellent Premier League form having won four of his six games. Jackpot was edged in the final of the player’s championship tour event to Peter Wright, who did defeat MVG in his route to the final. The money is Jackpots motivation at the moment with the added incentives in place for all PDC tour card holders this year but will have a tricky tie against Anderson.

Gary will be the overwhelming crowd favourite although controversy has sparked in the past where Lewis has been reportedly subjected to jeers from the crowd which really annoyed Anderson. Despite this, both players need the win to keep in touch with the leading pack.

Lewis bagged five maximums last week and is 5/6 with Skybet and Bet365 to bang in at least four, which if following his recent form could be a bet to take. In addition Lewis on the checkout could be worth a sniff as the line is at 98.5 with Paddy Power, and one thing Lewis does get right is his doubles. Both players are capable and with the overall checkout line as high as 122, clearly Sportingbet are not interested in taking bets on this market with a more realistic 119.5 with Betway.

James Wade Vs Robert Thornton

Wade leads 12-7 (PL record – 2-0-0)

The machine James Wade can solidify his position with a win over seemingly hopeless Robert Thornton this week as Wade will be missing Liverpool after covering for his opponent back in week two.

Wade has won both previous contests back in the 2013 campaign. Over the last two years the pair has met six times, with James winning on four occasions. Thornton has had a nightmare of a last few months on the circuit, which we do hope he will recover at some point and not be the start of a future downfall. With his record on TV every opponents dream, Thornton has begun to start showing signs of recovery, and will need to win to keep in touch with places ahead of him. With two points from safety and a double header next week, Thornton could well see his turnaround happen this week, but will have to face Smith and MVG next week before a possible win or bust against Lewis on judgement night.

Wade is best price 8/13 with Bet365 to beat the Thorn, who is 39/11 with 888sport with the draw at 9/2. Now from the competitors in the Premier League Wade is probably the weakest maximum scorer over the last two years, but one of the better combination players, especially deadly with the checkout finishes.

Bookies to last week were offering 5/6 on a 100+ checkout, and now the line has shifted to 106 at the same price, which eliminates the two dart finish. Now looking at Thornton’s line bookies are betting around the 87-88 mark with Betbright offering shorter odds of 5/8 on an 81 or better finish. With Thornton on home turf, will this help spur him on? You have to imagine the atmosphere will lift the Scot, where bookmakers are confident the game will see eleven or twelve legs with their pricing.

Michael van Gerwen Vs Phil Taylor

Taylor leads 27-19 (PL record – 5-1-1)

Phil’s record in the premier league has not been the greatest mustering just one win. Since the MVG revolution, which their initial league meeting was a draw, Taylor has been on the back of two straight defeats and will be looking to remedy this.

MVG since the opening night has been unstoppable having won each game and averaging 120 + setting the world record three dart average. Taylor has been recovering and getting back to his best and has been ruthless in this campaign. In the last fifteen meetings in the last two years Phil has won six, with nine losses. Taylor has won just once in the last ten, but has had chances to beat mighty mike having had match darts at the masters. Taylor also showed early dominance at the UK open leading 4-1 at the first break to then lose 10-6. Phil has tried and tried, which has worked to an extent, but MVG has that extra gear. In this format, if Mike does not get out the blocks, Taylor could sneak a win here and is as big as 100/30 with BetVictor to reign supreme.

MVG is 8/13 with Coral and the draw is a major player here at 9/2. I would be more confident in the draw than a Taylor win in respects that if Phil takes that early lead after six legs MVG will not want to surrender his top spot to Taylor, therefore the 9/2 is HUGE compared to Taylor at 100/30. Phil is evens with Betfair with a +2.5 leg start, so will need Phil to register five legs to win this. MVG may be the better play to win but both to win four legs at 21/10 with Hills.

Taylor at 8/11 to net three or more maximums is 8/11 with Bet365, where Phil has achieved the over line on three from six occasions including four of the last six.

Raymond van Barneveld Vs Dave Chisnall

Barneveld leads 8-4 (PL record – 2-1-1)

All four meetings in this competition has gone the distance and is 5/4 with Skybet to go to the final leg. In all the meetings in the last two years in leg format, has been tight affair’s not being won by more than a two leg margin, so throw could be the determining factor in this game.

Chisnall has struggled since the opening night having picked up just a point in the last five games and hangs just above the relegation zone with three points. Barney could have snatched the draw and was in command missing six darts for eighty-six. Barney hit the single eighteen, looked on not taking the chance with Wade back on one hundred and forty-one for a potential shot on bull, hit the treble eighteen and missed the double seven. Wade left eighty-two but barney struggled and two misses on double two was goodnight vienna.

With a lot on the line in this game, could be a tense few legs with the score after four legs attractive at 7/5 with Betfair Sportsbook banking on the game staying with throw in the early going. Some firms are offering the maximum line at seven and some with eight, both with similar pricing on the over seven to under eight.

I find this difficult to pick a winner here, but Barney is loved in Scotland and will be the fan favourite in this one.

Gary Anderson Vs Peter Wright

Anderson leads 15-11 (PL record – 2-0-1)

Other than a UK Open qualifier back in February, Wright had lost the previous four encounters to Anderson who will be playing his second game of the night.

Wright was superb in the weekend pro tour events winning the Saturday event and getting to the latter stages of the Sunday event. As Paul Nicholson quoted on the let’s talk darts podcast he urged Wright to keep playing with the current darts he has as it is working. I could not agree any more.

With Anderson having played already depending on how the first game pans out will influence how he does which could edge Wright at 9/4 with Betway. The line I do like is for Wright to maintain his maximum count, with Bwin heading 11/10 we see four or more. Skybet is evens and acceptable on the same line.

To be able to put forward a case for any Anderson markets is blind considering he has played earlier in the evening!

Recommendations:

• A Lewis over 3.5 180s – 5/6 Betfred/Skybet/Bet365 1.5pts
• P Taylor over 2.5 180s – 8/11 Bet365 2pts
• MVG to beat Taylor & both to win 4 or more legs – 21/10 William Hill 1pt
• Barney/Chisnall – score after 4 legs – draw – 7/5 Betfair 1pt
• Wright – over 3.5 180s – 11/10 Bwin (1/1 Skybet acceptable) 2.5pts

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