Year: 2018

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June21June 21, 2018

Peter Wright Beats Rob Cross To Claim His First PDC Title Of 2018

Peter Wright returned to his winning ways at the weekend when he defeated world champion Rob Cross 6-4 in the final of Players Championship 14. For Snakebite, this was his first PDC title of 2018 and puts an end to a long and horrible drought for the Scotsman who will now be hoping for a better second half of the season when the televised darts get underway again next month in Las Vegas.

Despite his poor form, he remains the world number two and was given a tough test by the standing world champion. A winner of seven career Players Championship titles, Wright needed to hold off a fightback from Voltage, who himself was looking to win his second Players Championship crown of the weekend.

On his way to triumph, Wright bagged wins over Ross Twell, Davy Van Baelen, Josh Payne, Toni Alcinas, Dimitri Van den Bergh and Jermaine Wattimena before getting to Cross. In the final, he took an early advantage, breaking his rival in the opening leg before claiming the following leg. His opponent then struck back in the third before Wright hit a 76 to retake a two leg lead. Cross took the next and would have claimed the next had he not missed three straight chances in the double. Instead, he missed and handed Snakebite a chance to go in for the win.

Before his victory, Cross had beaten William O’Connor, Mark Webster, Martin Schindler, Ryan Meikle, Adam Hunt and Michael Smith to win through to his third ProTour final of the year.

2018 PDC Darts remaining event schedule

July 5-7: Mandalay Bay Hotel, US Masters (WSD Event)
July 13-14: Shanghai, Shanghai Darts Masters (WSD Event)
July 21-29: Winter Gardens, Blackpool, World Matchplay (PDC Major)
August 3-5: Trusts Arena, Auckland Darts Masters (WSD Event)
August 10-12: Hisense Arena, Melbourne Darts Masters (WSD Event)
August 17-179: BCEC, Brisbane Darts Masters (WSD Event)
August 31-September 2: Hildesheim, German Darts Championship (European Tour)
September 7-9, Maastricht, Dutch Darts Championship (European Tour)
September 14-16, Riesa, International Darts Open (European Tour)
September 22-23 Venue TBC, Champions League of Darts (PDC Major)
September 30-October 1: Dublin, World Grand Prix (PDC Major)
Oct 12-14: Goettingen, Germany, European Darts Trophy (European Tour)
Oct 25-28: Dortmund, Germany, European Championship (PDC Major)
Nov 2-4 Multiversum Schwechat Vienna, World Series of Darts Finals (PDC Major)
Nov 10-18: Wolverhampton, Grand Slam of Darts (PDC Major)
Nov 23-25: Minehead, Players Championship Finals (PDC Major)
Dec 14-Jan 1: Alexandra Palace, PDC World Championship 2018

June14June 14, 2018

Michael van Gerwen Wins In Gibraltar

By Peter FryersIn

Darts Betting Tips

Michael van Gerwen lifted yet another trophy at the weekend, this time regaining the Gibraltar Darts Trophy. Beating a resurgent Adrian Lewis, the imperious Dutchman posted a 8-3 victory over the lesser spotted ‘Jackpot’ to give him his thirteenth title of 2018, a roll call that includes the Darts Masters, Premier League and the World Cup of Darts.

His tournament average was 104 — the best in the field — while during the final, a 108 average was enough to put an end to Lewis’ hopes of a much-needed victory. The twice former World Champion’s run to the final was the deepest he has gone in a European Tour event since winning the 2012 German Darts Masters and included some pretty tough fixtures.

He beat Gibraltar’s Clayton Otton 6-0 in Friday’s first round before seeing off Mensur Suljovic, James Wade and Peter Wright on his way to the latter stages of the competition where he beat Paul Nicholson to reach the final, his third final that goes towards yearly rankings. Interestingly, his improved form is being reflected in his odds of winning the World Championship for the third time. The Stoke-born chucker can now be backed at online bookmakers Betway for 50/1.

Betway’s evens favourite for the World championship, Mighty Mike, had it far easier, or maybe he just made it look that way. He made it to the final courtesy of wins against Vincent van der Voort, Andy Boulton, Jonny Clayton and Steve West.

Michael Smith, himself an Ally Pally 28/1 shot, was the defending champion in Gibraltar but the Premier League runner-up was beaten by Jermaine Wattimena as early as the second round. World Champion Rob Cross –- 9/2 to regain his own crown — continues his search for a first title of the year after a 6-5 quarter-final elimination at the hands of Steve West.

June9June 9, 2018

Netherlands Win World Cup Of Darts For The Fourth Time

By Peter FryersIn

Darts Betting Tips

For the fourth time in their history, The Netherlands are the World Cup of Darts champions after Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld beat Scotland’s Peter Wright and Gary Anderson in a final everyone was predicting. The defending champions dropped only one solitary point throughout the entire tournament. That point came in the final, a game where van Gerwen and van Barneveld came out 3-1 winners.

This is the fourth time Holland have won the Cup and the third from this pairing, having previously bagged the prize in 2014 and 2017. On the other occasion, Barney teamed up with Co Stompe to win in 2010. Their latest victory also means the Dutch have drawn level with England for the most World Cup victories, with Phil Taylor and Adrian ‘Jackpot’ Lewis winning in 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016.

The final took place at the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt with the opening singles match fought between MVG and Peter Wright with the Dutchman reigning supreme and banking a 4-2 victory. Mighty Mike achieved the win despite some below par scoring. The world number one averaged 97 and hit just one solitary 180 but was far more clinical with his doubles, landing four out of five.

The next singles match of the night saw Scotland draw level when Gary Anderson successfully saw off the challenge of Raymond van Barneveld. The Flying Scotsman sank Barney with a 4-1 win, hitting five 180s and averaging 97.

Things swung back in favour of the Netherlands during the pairs match when MVG and RVB combined to average 100 over a 4-1 rout, while Scotland missed three darts at a double. In the first reverse singles match, MVG put the result beyond doubt when he beat Anderson 4-0 to give the Holland the victory yet again.

Earlier on in the evening, Scotland had beaten Australia, while the Dutch pair were impressive in their semi-final clash with Belgium, who knocked England out in the quarter-finals with a 2-1 win. The Netherlands upset the Frankfurt crowd by knocking out Germany 2-0 during the other quarter-finals match.

World Darts Championship preview

In other darts news, the World Darts Championship has been supersized to include 96 competitors, including for the first time ever, two women competitors. Previously, darts’ biggest event saw 72 players competing over the Christmas and New Year period, but the 2018 World Darts Championship will see inclusion of a further 24 qualifiers. Six additional sessions will be added to this year’s schedule to accommodate the extra matches at Alexandra Palace.

The announcement hasn’t, as you might expect, done anything for the early betting on the Championships with Michael van Gerwen installed as the evens favourite at Betway which, is unlikely to stay that way if his current form is any indicator.

The reigning champion, Rob Cross is the 9/2 second favourite, while two-time winner Gary Anderson is out at a very decent 6/1, half the price of his compatriot Peter ‘Snakebite’ Wright, who is 12’s. Aussie Corey Cadby is next in the betting at 28/1, is the same price as Michael Smith, who many believe is capable of being this year’s Cross, following an impressive showing in the Premier League.

Elsewhere, Daryl Gurney is available at 33/1 while another two-time winner, Adrian Lewis can be backed at 50/1.