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August22August 22, 2018

Rob Cross Wins Brisbane Darts World Series

World Champion Rob Cross made it six winners from six events in the World Series so far in 2018 after he defeated Michael van Gerwen 11-6 in the final of the Brisbane Darts. In a repeat of their World Championship semi-final last winter, Cross faced the world number one, MVG, in Sunday’s final event of the PDC’s Down Under tour and came out on top just like we called last week. For Voltage, it was his first televised title since his victory at Alexandra Palace in January and also his first ever World Series Crown.

Cross opened the best of 21-leg match poorly, missing two darts and allowing Van Gerwen to step in and break, before a 114 finish from the Dutchman in the follow-up leg put him ahead. Voltage responded by starting his comeback with a run of four legs in a row, which included a brilliant finish of 130. The running streak was ended emphatically when Mighty Mike took out 170 for a 12 dart break and then retook the lead a 130 finish of his own.

From the mid-point of the match, Voltage began to take charge going on to land six maximums while reeling off a run of seven straight legs to finish with an average of 106 in what was a truly impressive performance from the World Champion. In truth, he had dominated Van Gerwen, the World Series’ most successful ever player, for most of the match, giving a performance that was more than enough to secure the title at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Earlier on in the evening, Van Gerwen defeated his countryman Raymond van Barneveld 11-9 to reach the final, while Cross secured his place in the final with an 11-8 win over Peter Wright in the semis.

The World Series concludes in Vienna in November where the final events will run over three days. The players now enjoy a week off to get over their jet lag before the German Darts Championship take place from August 31st to September 2nd.

August16August 16, 2018

Peter Wright Beats Michael Smith To Win The Melbourne Darts Masters

By Peter FryersIn

Darts Betting Tips

Peter ‘Snakebite’ Wright returned to his winning ways last weekend as he beat Michael Smith in Sunday’s final to take down the Melbourne Darts Masters title at the Hisense Arena, one round after beating Mighty Michael van Gerwen in the semis one round earlier.

Wright now becomes the fifth World Series winner after five events in 2018 after Michael van Gerwen won in Auckland a week ago, the first of three Antipodean-hosted World Series events, the next of which takes place this coming weekend in Brisbane. Your other 2018 winners are Gary Anderson, who won Las Vegas; Mensur Suljovic, who won the German Darts Masters back in May; and this week’s losing finalist, Michael ‘Bully Boy’ Smith, who claimed the Shanghai Darts Masters in July.

Wright, who won the 2017 German Darts Masters, now scoops his second World Series title after overcoming Michael Smith 11-8 to end his run of bad form in which he hadn’t won a televised final in 2018. Even more perversely, in 2017 he become only the fourth man ever to win 10 during a calendar year, demonstrating just how far he’d fallen this season.

The path to taking Melbourne

His return to form came in earnest when he overcame last week’s Auckland Darts Masters champion Van Gerwen 11-5 in the last four, a win aided by a sloppy MVG firing three successive darts into the bullseye as his usual poise deserted him. In the evening’s other semi, Smith defeated the third seed, Gary ‘The Flying Scotsman’ Anderson 11-5 to make the final.

During said final, Wright averaged around two points less than his rival as he banked 97 under 99. For the rest of the match they were almost inseparable, matching each other almost dart for dart and throw for throw, scoring five 180s and two ton-plus finishes each.

The deadlock continued for thirteen sets before Wright finally made a breakthrough and landed a 130 checkout to break throw and take the 14th leg to lead 8-6. Once ahead, Wright found his rhythm to score a third break in a row with a 131 as part of a 12-darter. This was followed by a 15-darter to hold his throw and take down a 10-7 margin. By the time he returned to the oche, all he had to do was close out the 11-8 win.

The players now head to Queensland to compete for the inaugural Brisbane Darts Masters from August 17-19 at the BCEC.

2018 World Series of Darts winners so far

Mensur Suljovic – German Darts Masters (May)
Gary Anderson – US Darts Masters (July)
Michael Smith – Shanghai Darts Masters (July)
Michael van Gerwen – Auckland Darts Masters (August)
Peter Wright – Melbourne Darts Masters (August)

Brisbane Darts Masters betting tips

For those that fancy Peter Wright to pick up where he left off, you’ll be pleased to know that Betway have placed an 8/1 price on his head to win outright in Brisbane. Remember, though: we have had five different winners from five events.

If you’re looking for a new name this time around then your best bet would seemingly be Rob ‘Voltage’ Cross, available at 11/2. The 8/11 favourite is, understandably, Michael van Gerwen, just ahead of Gary Anderson’s 11/2. It’s the Scotsman who gets our money this week. Michael Smith — winner in Shanghai — is at 14’s, while the Aussie pair of Corey Cadby (22/1) and Simon Whitlock (33/1) are considered outside chances, as is Raymond van Barneveld at 28/1.

August9August 9, 2018

Michael van Gerwen Wins Auckland Darts Masters

By Peter FryersIn

Darts Betting Tips

Michael van Gerwen beat his compatriot Raymond van Barneveld in the final of the Auckland Darts Masters last Sunday. The win marked his return to winning ways and put his World Matchplay disappointment behind him during a dominant tournament which saw him win 37 legs and drop just 13.

After crashing out in the first round in Blackpool to another Dutchman, Jeffrey de Zwaan, the world number one thrashed World Cup teammate Barney 11-4 in Sunday’s final at the Trusts Arena. Only one round earlier, MVG destroyed Peter Wright 10-3, aided by an average of 102 plus consecutive checkouts of 170 and 164 in a match that looked to be heading in the direction of a whitewash until Snakebite clawed back a few legs and added a hint of respectability to the rout. All that after his rival had dispatched the World Matchplay champion Gary Anderson 10-4 in Saturday’s quarter-finals.

Other action from Auckland

For Barney, a win here would have been his first solo title since winning the Darts Premier League in 2014 but the former world number one was on the back foot throughout, quickly falling 6-1 behind. He did manage to put together a run of three successive legs to close things slightly, all the while landing five 180s compared to Mighty Mike’s one. The worse of the two averages wasn’t going to stop MVG, however, subsequently reeling off the next five legs without reply, including a checkout of 156.

MVG ended the final with an average of 97.62 over the 93.74 hit by Barney, who was appearing in his second Auckland Darts Masters Final after losing out to Adrian Lewis in 2015.

Barney was also in good form successfully seeing off Aussie Simon Whitlock in their semi-final match, hitting four 100+ checkouts and an average of 103 during a 10-5 victory that set him up in the final against Mighty Mike van Gerwen.

Incredibly, this was van Gerwen’s first World Series of Darts title of the year. Overall was MVG’s 16th tournament of the season and 110th singles title, not including his World Cup victories, which were won in partnership with Barney earlier this year.

Next up is the Melbourne Darts Masters on August 10 through 12, before the Brisbane Darts Masters, running August 17-19.

Melbourne Darts Masters betting tips

Last week’s winner — and quite possibly this week’s too — Michael van Gerwen, is the 8/11 favourite just ahead of Gary Anderson’ 5/1. Rob Cross comes next in the betting at 7/1, while Peter Wright is a decent 10/1, ahead of Michael ‘Bully Boy’ Smith’s 14’s, which is very a very handsome offer. Finally, Raymond van Barneveld’s 25/1 fills an all-Aussie sandwich of Corey Cadby’s 16’s and the 25/1 Betway have laid on Simon Whitlock.

Champions League of Darts 2018

The full draw for the upcoming Champions League of Darts was made recently, along with the schedule for the BBC-televised event, which takes place at The Brighton Centre on September 22-23. The format of the event is based on two groups of four, with the top two progressing to the semi-finals.

In the group stage, the players play each other once in a best of 19, with two points awarded for a win. The top two in each group will progress to the semi-finals, where the group winners will play the runners-up of the other group over 21 legs, with the two semi-final winners then meeting over a 21 leg final. The eight players making an appearance this year are Michael van Gerwen, Peter Wright, Rob Cross, Gary Anderson, Daryl Gurney, Simon Whitlock, Dave Chisnall and last year’s shock winner, Mensur Suljovic.

The Austrian defied pre-tournament odds of 40/1 a year ago when he beat Gary ‘The Flying Scotsman’ Anderson 11-9 to win his first major televised title, in a tourney in which he also beat tournament favourite Michael van Gerwen, who was knocked out in last year’s group stage. Can we expect similar upsets this time around? We will publish prices nearer to the event.