The second staging of the PDC Home Tour continues on Tuesday when another seven players take to their home oches in a bid to make it through to the next stage of the competition as the quest for proper darts for those lower down the rankings continues.
We have some household names who have lost their way on show on Tuesday as once again three players will make it into the next stage on a day where 21 matches will take place on what would appear to be a competitive day.
The Format
Each day seven players will be in action on their home oches in a group stage format looking to progress. In every group in the tournament the seven players will each play each other once. In the first round the top three players in each group and the five best fourth-placed players go through to the second stage. Five groups are played out in the second phase with the top four in each making it through to the third stage along with the best fifth-placed player. The final stage begins with three more groups with the top two in each and the best third-placed player qualifying for the Championship Group where the champion is crowned. Each match throughout is the best of nine legs and the tournament will be streamed live on PDCTV or the consoles on the bookmaker websites.
Group 1 Recap
It was quite a good day of darts to begin the second Home Tour with and it was a day where the bookies got it right as the favourite for the group was the man who won it with Mike de Decker coming out on top. He qualified as did Andy Boulton and then there was a slight surprise for the third spot as Joe Murnan picked that up. Geert Nentjes finished fourth so he’ll have to see if his six points is enough to make it through as a best fourth-placed player. We will be seeing no more of Adrian Gray, Conan Whitehead or Dave Pallett who could only manage two, two and one win respectively.
We got the tournament off to a winning start for us betting wise as the one bet we took to get up and running with came in relatively comfortably. That was on Mike de Decker to cover a 1.5 leg handicap against Adrian Gray and having got the decisive break of throw at 2-2 he picked up the two holds he needed to come through 5-3 and launch us into the event with a winner which we can hopefully build on from here.
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Group 2 Line Up
The Favourites
Matt Edgar is the highest ranked player in this group and he will be looking to showcase his best darts over the course of the day. He doesn’t have the honour of being the favourite to win the group however. That goes to the former World Championship semi-finalist Jamie Lewis who at his best should be far too good for this lot. Alan Tabern and Adam Hunt are the joint third favourites for the day at 7/1 but the latter in particular will need a significant improvement on his recent form to be competitive.
The Outsiders
Carl Wilkinson won his first group in the original PDC Home Tour and it was stronger than the one he is in here so he will fancy his chances without all the pressures that a normal tour event brings. The other two players look to have a bit to find on the form book at least in the former UK Open finalist Barrie Bates and a Gary Blades who just couldn’t get going at all in Home Tour I and will be looking for a much better showing here.
Outright Betting
I’ve got this group between two players in truth. They are Jamie Lewis and Alan Tabern. There is no doubt in my mind that Lewis is the pick of the players on show of this seven but his slump in form is a worry. He is often prone to missed doubles and his Summer Series was terrible which makes me think that the 7/1 on Tabern is worth a little punt in the hope that I have got it right about being between those two.
Tabern is a steady sort who doesn’t do much that is brilliant but doesn’t do a lot wrong and can be relentless when he gets into a groove. If he can’t get into a groove in his own home he’ll struggle to do it anywhere. In Home Tour I, Tabern won his first group which included a win over Simon Whitlock and although he went out in the second group, he was in with Glen Durrant, Mike de Decker and Stephen Bunting so you would have expected him to meet his match there. He did beat Bunting on the way out though and there is nothing of that quality in here. I think ‘The Saint’ is overpriced in this one.
Match Betting
It is going to be Alan Tabern for me in the match betting as well because the odds on his match with Adam Hunt look all wrong to me. If there was guesswork in who throws first live in the Modus competitions then you could almost make a case for bookmakers being unable to separate these two but the fact that we know Tabern will start the match off, in my eyes he is an even stronger favourite than I had him previously.
Hunt is well thought of from his youth days but recently his form on the pro tour has not been good. He actually dropped off it at the end of last season and while he deserves credit for getting back on, he hasn’t done a whole lot since he has got his card back. He lost in the first round of all five Summer Series events and while anyone can beat anyone, losses to Lisa Ashton and Joe Murnan will have been disappointing. Tabern has the throw, he has the better form and even if he has already qualified by this point he isn’t someone who eases up. The 10/11 on Tabern is too big.
Tips
Back A.Tabern to win Group 2 for a 1/10 stake at 8.00 with BetVictor
Back him here:
Back A.Tabern to beat A.Hunt for a 3/10 stake at 1.91 with Boylesports
Back him here:
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