Premier League Darts Night Eight: Ahoy, Rotterdam! Van Gerwen tops the bill
Betting preview and odds for PL Darts Week 8
World number-one Michael van Gerwen returns to his homeland as the Premier League swings into Rotterdam tonight.
It’s the first part of a double-header of action from Holland where the past, present and future of the game all clash.
So with Rob Cross sitting pretty at the top, we take a look if anyone can topple the Brit in Rotterdam.
Gerwyn Price v Michael Smith
Gerwyn Price narrowly lost to van Gerwen in the last round which halted a promising run from the Welshman.
However, he could feel confident of beating Michael Smith at 6/4. Smith has only chalked up two wins to date and only averaged 85 on his way to a loss against Mensur Suljovic.
Smith did go on a run to the UK Open semi-finals earlier this month and is 13/10 to grab a crucial victory.
One to look out for is Price to be king of the oche (win the match, hit the most 180s and bag the highest checkout) at 7/1.
James Wade v Dmitri Van den Bergh
After Gary Anderson pulled out, James Wade may feel he got the short straw with rising star Dimitri van den Bergh as his replacement.
The Belgian has already defeated Wade en route to reaching the Players Championship Four final last month. You can get the 24-year-old at 2/1 to sink the Machine again.
You can also find Van den Bergh at 5/6 to hit the highest checkout of plus 96.5, but if anything it could be his inconsistency that lets him down tonight.
He was defeated 6-0 by Daryl Gurney in the European tour recently and Wade will hope he can get under his skin here too. The Brit is at Evens to out-manoeuvre the Belgian and is 4/7 to win the race to 5 legs.
Rob Cross v Mensur Suljovic
Past results show Suljovic is a bit of a bogey player for Rob Cross. The league leader has won five of his seven matches so far – but comes up against a man he hasn’t defeated in his last four attempts.
You can get a fifth-straight Suljovic victory over Cross at 2/1. Although the 2018 PDC World Champion and current world number 2 is at a skinny 10/11 to score the win.
Cross appears to be on the cusp of winning another title and is 11/2 to win the tournament outright. In tonight’s encounter you can get him on at 5/6 to hit a +103.5 checkout.
Peter Wright v Michael van Gerwen
If this match-up was between 2015 and 2017 then results show there would be only one winner.
Van Gerwen won 16 straight games over his next opponent during this period and is a short 1/2 to so do again.
The home crowd may play a big part though, Van Gerwen could come out the blocks flying and is Evens to bag the first leg.
But can Snakebite wound Van Gerwen’s title hopes? Wright’s record has improved notching seven wins in their pair’s previous 19 duals. He’s 4/1 to make it 10 victories in the last 20 meetings.
R. van Barneveld v Daryl Gurney
Regardless of Michael Smith’s result against Price, Raymond van Barneveld will know he has to beat Daryl Gurney to stand a chance of surviving relegation.
Barney has only averaged above 95 once in the 2019 Premier League, so may have to conjure heroics similar to last year and win back-to-back games in front of a home crowd.
In the match betting you can find the Netherlands native at 9/4 to snatch a much-needed win. But Gurney does edge it with our traders at 5/6.
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All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.