World Darts Championship 2nd round: Star studded Monday line-up
The last day of the second round of the PDC World Championship takes place on Monday, with everything that punters and viewers could want on offer.
Five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld will take his place on the oche, while teenage wonderkid Max Hopp is in action, and there is also a titanic clash between two genuine tournament chances in James Wade and Stephen Bunting.
Afternoon session:
Brendan Dolan (11) v Michael Smith (22)
This duo have met six times before, with Northern Irishman Dolan winning the first five with relative ease. He is a very tempting 13/8 chance with Coral for victory again.
However, youngster Smith won their last encounter at the Grand Slam of Darts, a whopping 5-1, and is the odds-on 1/2 favourite.
It seems that Dolan only goes out to top quality opposition in this tournament, despite never progressing past this round before, and should be backed for this match. He is 13/2 to win 4-2.
Max Hopp v Vincent van der Voort (23)
Remarkably, 18-year-old Hopp is playing in his third PDC World Championship at the main draw stage, and it certainly was third time lucky for him this year as he caused arguably the shock of the first round by knocking out established star Mervyn King in a thriller.
The rising German star held his nerve to take a 3-2 victory against the double BDO World Championship finalist, and astonishingly rounded off the match with a 161 finish.
But Maximiser (6/4) goes up next against Dutch Destroyer Van Der Voort (8/15), who came through his very own tight encounter against a determined John Henderson.
Raymond van Barneveld (14) v Jamie Caven (19)
Darting great and five-time world champion (once in the PDC) Van Barneveld (25/1 tournament chance) came through a potentially tricky first round clash with rising star Rowby-John Rodriguez with ease, averaging 99.93.
Barney (odds-on 2/7 favourite) now faces a man who he has lost just once to in their five matches, Caven (13/5), but only just saw off Jason ‘The Hedge’ Hogg. The duo faced each other in this competition and this round back in 2013, with RVB winning 4-3, and the Dutchman is 5/1 for that scoreline in his favour again.
Evening session:
James Wade (6) v Stephen Bunting (27)
Organisers of this tournament have saved the best match of the round until last, as current BDO world champion Bunting (5/4) duels with world number six and former Premier League winner Wade (8/13 odds-on favourite).
The duo have faced each other three times before, with The Bullet Bunting beating The Machine twice, both of which were in the last four months. This promises to be an epic of the highest quality, and you can back Bunting at 11/2 to win 4-3.
You can also take tasty odds of 16/1 for there to be a nine-dart finish in this match.
