The opening day of the European Darts Matchplay in Innsbruck on Friday sees the 32 qualifiers playing out over two sessions of play looking to progress and set up ties with the seeded players on Saturday.
Although the players on show will all have qualified for this tournament there are still some top names involved with Raymond Barneveld, Andy Hamilton, Jamie Caven and Wes Newton all taking to the stage on the first day of the event.
Barneveld takes on Max Hopp in the first round for the second week in a row. You would think Hopp will get nothing like the crowd support which inspired him to a win last week and that could be the difference there but Barneveld is no price.
Wes Newton takes on Ronny Huybrechts in the evening session on Friday and you could very easily make a case for the Belgian being a big price in the match up but I sense Newton is starting to find some confidence so I will leave that.
As it is there is only one bet I like on Friday and it comes in what many would consider the match of the day between Dean Winstanley and Andy Hamilton.
Winstanley is in the middle of a really poor 2015. He is yet to make the last eight of any tournament in the calendar year and given that he’s someone who plays all the events that really isn’t a good form guide for the likeable Yorkshireman.
Andy Hamilton may not be the player of a couple of years ago but he gave Barneveld a good going over in the World Matchplay a couple of months ago which shows the talent is still there when the confidence returns and it might be that his run in Blackpool has brought his confidence back.
Hamilton is unlikely to need to be at his very best here given Winstanley’s form so I’m quite happy to back the Stokie in this match at a very appealing 5/6. In my eyes he should be much shorter.
Back A.Hamilton to beat D.Winstanley for a 4/10 stake at 1.83 with Coral
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