Ahead of the PDC World Darts Championship beginning on Tuesday evening, having covered the outright market and the four quarters individually there is just enough time to look into some of the many side markets for the tournament.
We have things like who the finalists will be, the big two, three or four against the field, winning nationality, various 180 markets and whether there will be a nine dart finish or 170 checkout and how many of them we’ll see. I like a couple of markets for bets here.
Most 180s
The first of those is the most 180s market where you would think that the most 180s hitter will be the champion given that the final is the best of 13 sets but that doesn’t always ring true. It might be a year where that does not happen this year, especially if some of the big seeds disappear relatively early in the tournament.
I’m prepared to take a chance on a couple of serial 180 hitters that we will need a bit of luck for them to come through the draw but if either made say the semi-finals they would have every chance of winning this market. Nobody has hit more 180s on the tour than Devon Petersen this season. He has become a serial 180 hitter and although his draw is anything but easy, he has been the last 16 of this event in the past playing nowhere near as well as he is right now. You’ve got to think he’s going to push double figures in each match he’s involved in up to the quarter final and then start closing in on 20 if he gets to the last eight. That gives him a total of 50 which is perfectly competitive. He scores so well he might not need to make the final to bring this one in.
At the same time I’ll have a little tickle on Luke Humphries at a bonkers 100/1. I accept he’s less likely to go deep in the competition but he was fourth in the 180 hitting here last year when he was beaten in the quarter final. If a couple of the lower 180 hitters such as say a Suljovic, Wade or Aspinall make the last four then Humphries might have a chance if he can reach the last eight. He has the advantage of an extra match on the seeds and if he fills his boots in that it will do his tally no harm. He’s a bonkers price if the draw opens up and is worth some loose change.
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Nine Dart Finish
You have to go back to January 2, 2016 for the last time a nine dart finish was hit at Alexandra Palace when Gary Anderson produced the perfect leg against Jelle Klaasen but despite that I still think the slightly above even money on there being one in this tournament is a bit on the big side.
I say that for a couple of reasons. The first of those being that there have been five televised nine darters in 2020 – Michael Smith and Peter Wright in the Premier League, Michael van Gerwen and Jonny Clayton in the UK Open and Jose de Sousa in the European Championship. I can think of at least two attempts Dimitri Van den Bergh missed at it at the Grand Slam and Peter Wright missed it the night before he got it in the Premier League so big players are threatening it regularly at the minute.
The other reason why I expect one this year is the absence of the crowd. Apart from Peter Wright’s match on the opening night the entire second round will be played behind closed doors and all but three of the first round but the Covid situation isn’t improving in London and with the relaxation of the rules over Christmas it isn’t going to improve anytime soon, so it might be that the first night crowd is the only time we see fans all tournament. That will turn the event into hyped up practice sessions for the big players.
The other thing to factor in is the schedule. Only the first and second rounds are played before Christmas so players will be playing every other day or so after Christmas and every day from the quarter finals onwards. This schedule suits a high standard so I expect a nine darter at some point in the event.
Tips
Back D.Petersen Most Tournament 180s for a 1/10 stake at 21.00 with Betfair
Back him here:
Back L.Humphries Most Tournament 180s for a 0.5/10 stake at 101.00 with Bet365
WON – Back Nine Dart Finish for a 3/10 stake at 2.10 with Bet365
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