TITLE favourite Michael van Gerwen is 8-11 at Coral to be ‘king of the oche' tonight in his clash with Jamie Lewis as the second round of the World Matchplay darts gets under way.
The world No.1 is expected to brush past the Welshman – he's just 1-20 for victory at Paddy Power – and Coral's treble offers MVG to bag the win, highest checkout and most 180s while Lewis is the 12-1 outsider at bet365 to win.
Bookies expect a tight tussle between Simon Whitlock and Ian White, with the Aussie 11-10 at Coral and White slight favourite at 10-11 with Sportingbet.
Peter Wright versus Andrew Gilding and Adrian Lewis against Gerwyn Price complete the evening's line-up.
There's plenty of tennis action today, including ATP and WTA matches from the likes of Bastad and Istanbul, and the first cricket Test of the women's Ashes series launches at Taunton.
Post your sporting tips here and good luck if you're having a flutter.
In December 2020 we sadly 
on a tennis treble
v.williams 2-0 – 4/11
bellucci – 2/5
krunic – evens
£5 treble returns £19.09 @b365
Swedish open ATP:
Top half of the draw is pretty loaded, with Goffin, Almagro, Verdasco and Cuevas all lurking. So bottom half is where I’ll go.
Zverev @ 33/1. In play now I’m a very winnable opener. Then faces Monaco, again winnable, if a little harder. Really no one he can’t topple till the final where he’ll have to really produce the goods, but worth a shot at this price.
Just to add a little more Info, the bottom half is occupied by the likes of Robredo, Monaco, Chardy and Gulbis, who are all in worse form and less dangerous than Verdasco, Almagro, Cuevas and Goffin are In right now. The top half also has the likes of Janowicz in it, who is very good on clay on his day. Avoid top half (though I fancy Goffin to come through, just) and pick a winner from the bottom
Steve Darcis could potentially be trouble for Gimeno Traver, who’s recently been in awful form. One for in play maybe.
Horrible conditions in Sweden, incredibly windy and swirling all over the place. Zverev not looking Comfortable and reister playing well. Monaco @ 10/1 is the other bottom half winner I’m eyeing up. He will play the winner of the Zverev v Reister match.
Darcis could be worth a go Felix, Gimeno has hit some poor form after a good patch.ill keep an eye on in play.
I was hoping for a slightly better price on Trinker to beat Youzhny. 3/1 really isn’t very long for someone who’s ranked 500odd I’m the world and plays almost solely on the ITF tour. But it says a lot about where Youzhnys game is at right now. Trinker beat two decent clay courters to get here in Viola and Melzer, and if Youzhny has one of those mathes he has a lot of nowadays then it could be an upset on the cards.
Mitu tennis IQ = 0. Learn some damn court craft! How on earth did she win matches last week
Hi all good to be back. Been in Bermuda then stopped in Scotland for the open at the weekend. Great few weeks. Anyway tip of the day for me is ymer to beat bellucci in Sweden. Odds are 7/4 and great value on the rising home star.
***Posted Yesterday***
MLB Bets for Tonight
Double @ 2.11/1 (£10) LOST
Tampa Bay Rays ML (Lost 5-3)
Arizona Diamondbacks ML (Win 3-1)
Handicap 5 Fold @ 7.75/1 (£5) WON
San Diego Padres +1.5 Yes (Win 4-2)
Texas Rangers +1.5 Yes (Lost 8-7)
Chicago Cubs +1.5 Yes (Lost 5-4)
Atlanta Braves +1.5 Yes (Win 7-5)
Detroit Tigers +1.5 Yes (Win 5-4)
1 out of 2 bets won so profit last night after 2 unlucky days with the baseball.
To many early runs letting your under 6.5 down in Nats/Mets Dazzler.
@AD look at the comp in umag or Bogota for a winner please or the tournament
Guys unfortunately ymer got hammered and really let everyone down I’m going to lump on Coric in umag tonight he will win
Mr F I have to say the Van Gerwen king of the oche bet is an absolute gem. Really can’t see how it loses unless he doesn’t get highest checkout but I have to say this looks as certain as it gets. I’ll be have a good wedge on that
Raz, yeah it looks a decent bet, I’m on it.
Steve Darcis made light work of Gimeno Traver. Easy money.
Congrats with Darcis Felix, nice and easy. Safe to say my gamble on Gulbis crumbling didn’t pay off!
test
Evening Guys Matchplay Darts
Last night I put up 3 out of 4 winners at odds of 8/11 1/1 and 11/10, I also flagged up Thornton’s poor record at Blackpool and recommended backing Keegan Brown at good odds, he was 11/8 and the youngster dumped Thornton out. The second round begins tonight starting with
Wright v Gilding
Peter Wright was the star of round one as he dismantled Kim Huybruchets 10-5 averaging 108.13 and hitting 50% of his checkouts, if he continues to play like that he will win this tournament. Tonight he faces Gilding who beat King, but Merv missed a lot of doubles to let Gilding in. I cant see snakebite doing that, I am not saying he will average 108 again but a ton average should be enough to get the job done. I think Wright can win quite cosy here so I am taking him on the handicap -3.5 at 11/10 Coral.
Wright is a crowd pleaser and takes out big checkouts, he will go for a bull finish even if his opponents are not on a finish. He ended his first round match with a 136 and 161 checkout, I am taking him to go over his line of 121.5. It is 5/6 Coral.
WRIGHT -3.5 BEATS GILDING 11/10
WRIGHT O121.5 CHECKOUT 5/6
Whitlock v White
The game of the night for me, Ian White was superb in beating Stephen Bunting he hit 8 maximums and averaged a 103. It was a massive win for Whitlock over Klaasen, I mentioned he needs a good run in the remaining majors if he wants back into the premier league. He averaged 98.45 and was looking somewhere near his best. He leads the head to heads 5-4 and bar 2 of them they have been extremely close. The last time they played on the big stage Whitlock won 5-4 in the world championships. The bookies make Ian White an odds on favourite, but I have a sneaky feeling Whitlock will take this. He is 11/10 Coral.
WHITLOCK TO WIN 11/10
Lewis v Price
All darts fans were hoping this would be a Lewis v Smith matchup but the truth is Bully Boy failed to turn up and Price took full advantage. Lewis did what he always does gets in front early then switches off making it hard for himself, he came through 10-7 in the end with a 99 average and a repeat of that will be good enough here. It is difficult to find value here but Price hit 2 maximums in the first round compared to 8 by Aidy the longer format will suit Lewis and he can be prolific on the treble 20 when on song. I’m taking a chance on him covering the 180 handicap which is -3 at 11/10 Skybet. It is worth remembering the draw is in play in this market.
LEWIS -3 MOST 180s 11/10
Good luck if your having a bet
Reilly Opelka aka Isner 2.0 but with better movement and ground game. One to keep an eye on.
Looking good on the Trinker tip, Ad. Youzhny’s gone full meltdown mode.
MLB Bets for Tonight
4 Fold @ 9.89/1 (£5)
Chicago Cubs ML
St Louis Cardinals ML
Cleveland Indians ML
Toronto Blue Jays ML
Handicap 6 Fold @ 7.95/1 (£5)
Pittsburgh Pirates +1.5
Texas Rangers +1.5
Minnesota Twins +1.5
Washington Nationals +1.5
San Francisco Giants +1.5
NY Yankees +1.5
There you go Scott. That MVG special was free money.
Raz, nice one – it sailed in
Tell me about it Dazid. Not going for me while on holiday.
Tonight’s mlb I’m going for a team to score first wins 4 fold
Cubs @ Reds
Indians @ Brewers
Pirates @ Royals
Giants @ Padres
@ 3.71
Dzumhur d Fognini @ 29/10.
I tried one infamously collapsible fellow yesterday I’m Gulbis, which fell very flat in the end. Trying another with Fabio tomorrow. Dzumhur is a nice little player and if Fabs not at it he should get punished.
Colombia:
Estrella Burgos @ 10.5/1
Getting on a bit but has had some of them greatest success of his entire career over the last 12 months or so. Did quite well here last year and has passionate home support behind him. Has two very winnable matches before he potentially faces Tomic in the semi final, and who knows what’s going to happen with him this week. The very in form and dangerous big servers Karlovic and Groth are in the oter half of the draw along with Mannarino, Falla and Stepanek. Only Tomic and Baghdatis look to pose any real threat in the bottom half, and they are both, especially Baghdatis, beatable for an inspired Burgos on home soil. If Tomic is on he should at least et to the final and have the chance to defend his title, but this is the half of the draw to go for and this could be the man to capitalise if Tomic is a little off. We shall see!
Who I actually think will probably win this week…..
Goffin, Monfils and Tomic!