The last 32 of the European Darts Trophy is played out across two sessions of potentially thrilling darts in Muelheim on Saturday with the very best in the game all in action as the PDC tour returns to full swing.
Among the players in action in the afternoon session are Robert Thornton, Mervyn King, Terry Jenkins and Kim Huybrechts but all eyes in the crowd could be on the German youngster Max Hopp who beat Raymond Barneveld on the opening day of the tournament.
The evening session is packed with stars with Ian White, Stephen Bunting, Dave Chisnall, Adrian Lewis, Peter Wright, Michael van Gerwen, Michael Smith, James Wade and Simon Whitlock all lining up to begin or continue their campaigns for the title.
As is always the case there are a few one sided matches in both sessions on this middle day of these European Tour events but there is a bet in each session which I like the look of.
In the afternoon one of the slower paced matches will be third on stage when Justin Pipe takes on Mensur Suljovic. Pipe has a good record in that battle but I suspect he could be vulnerable here.
In fairness to The Force he has gone well in European Tour events this year but he hasn’t always played well in the matches he’s won and when we last saw him in the World Matchplay he was pretty ordinary.
Suljovic won the last meeting between the two and he played very well in the opening round on Friday. That came off the back of a solid run to the quarter final of the Matchplay which included dumping Gary Anderson out along the way. Suljovic won 6-0 here on Friday with a near 96 average and eight 140s in six legs. That’s good form and at odds against he’s good value in this match.
The big match in the evening session is the one between Ian White and Stephen Bunting. The two met in the first round of the World Matchplay and it was one of the matches of the year which White proved too strong in.
That was the third time in three meetings between the two in 2015 that White has beaten Bunting and at even money I’m siding with him again. Bunting played in the first round on Friday, beating Mark Barilli 6-4 but he wasn’t fantastic in that match and he will need to improve to beat a really solid White.
Given their recent record White should probably be the favourite in this one so given that we can get even money I’m happy to take the Stokie here.
In the other matches I don’t really see too many upsets taking place although the likes of James Wilson and Max Hopp could cause upsets as could Cristo Reyes but I’ll stick with the two that I’ve flagged up.
Back M.Suljovic to beat J.Pipe for a 4/10 stake at 2.20 with Stan James
Back I.White to beat S.Bunting for a 4/10 stake at 2.00 with Paddy Power
