Van Gerwen Cleans Up In Glasgow Ahead Of Grand Slam Defence

Another week, another title for Michael Van Gerwen as his impressive 2016 form continued with yet another tournament win, this time in the World Series. Yep, last Sunday at Glasgow’s Braehead Arena, the Dutch master took down his 23rd tournament victory of the year as he retained the World Series of Darts.

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MVG took on Peter ‘Snakebite’ Wright in a repeat of the 2015 final where the Dutchman won 11-10, this time winning 11-9 and claiming the £30,000 first prize. It was a tight affair, however, as Wright, who had defeated Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor in the previous rounds, saved his best for his home crowd, taking an early 4-3 advantage. The lead didn’t last long though, as Van Gerwen claimed seven out of the next nine legs, putting himself 10-8 ahead.

Surprisingly, MVG then stuttered and allowed Wright to get back into a match which had already seen the lead change hands three times. While Wright brought himself level for what would have been his first ever championship title, Mighty Mike dug deep, like the best champions always do, and closed out the match with his ninth 180 before sealing the win on a magnificent double two.

For the Dutch master, this meant his third successive televised title following back to back wins in the World Grand Prix and European Championship. He will be looking to add a fourth this weekend when the Grand Slam of Darts rolls into the Wolverhampton Civic Hall.

Grand Slam of Darts 2016 schedule

Running for nine days from November 12 until November 20, the Grand Slam of Darts is a unique event that recruits 32 players from both the PDC and the BDO. The PDC players qualify through their annual performance in televised events which has led to the inclusion of the following ten stars; Michael Van Gerwen, Phil Taylor, Gary Anderson, Adrian Lewis, Peter Wright, Dave Chisnall, Raymond Van Barneveld, Mensur Suljovic, Max Hopp and Nathan Aspinall.

These are all joined by former Grand Slam finalist James Wade as well as Alan Norris, Benito Van de Pas, Ian White, Simon Whitlock and Gerwyn Price. Then, places are allotted to those players on the BDO circuit that won their qualification through a special PDC Qualifier in Barnsley last month. From there, we have the following players; reigning Lakeside Champion Scott Waites, Robert Thornton, Brendan Dolan, Darren Webster, James Wilson, Dimitri Van den Bergh, Chris Dobey, Nathan Derry and Ted Evetts.

Other BDO competitors will include Scott Mitchell, Darryl Fitton, Jamie Hughes, Glen Durrant, Jeff Smith, Danny Noppert and Martin Adams who faces a daunting first match against Michael Van Gerwen.

The opening four days splits the players up into eight groups for a round-robin style opening round where players will score two points for a win and the top two from each group will progress to the knockout stage from the last 16 onwards.

The full draw, groups and schedule have now been drawn up so we can begin to take a look at where the value lies.

Grand Slam of Darts betting tips

It goes without saying that Michael Van Gerwen is the favourite, at 5/6, to defend his Grand Slam of Darts title so let’s leave this one there. Six-time Grand Slam winner Phil Taylor is a tempting 6/1 with Betway while my pick, Gary Anderson, is 7/1 with the same bookmaker.

For the opening day, SkyBet are running an enhanced accumulator on Saturday big shots Phil Taylor, Gary Anderson, Michael Van Gerwen & Adrian Lewis all to win for 11/8. Or, there is the following sweetener based on the afternoon session: James Wade, Peter Wright, Mensur Suljovic, Raymond Van Barneveld & Dave Chisnall all to win at 100/30. Providing you can choose between Suljovic and Van Barneveld, both evens, simply picking the group winners from the favourites will pay around £78 a line at Betway .

With MVG in this kind of form, it really is worth looking at each way bets. We proved this last week when we plumped for Peter Wright at 25/1, who paid out at half the odds for a second place finish. Bear this in mind with Adrian Lewis available at a 22/1 with Bet365 and Peter Wright at 20/1 across the rooms.

Oh, and from the BDO camp, Glen Durrant at 50/1 is the shortest price and can be taken at SkyBet, Bet365 and Betway should you feel an upset is on the cards.

GROUP A

  • Michael Van Gerwen (1)
  • Brendan Dolan
  • Max Hopp
  • Martin Adams

GROUP B

  • Robert Thornton (8)
  • Gerwyn Price
  • Dimitri Van den Bergh
  • Scott Waites

GROUP C

  • Peter Wright (5)
  • Simon Whitlock
  • Ted Evetts
  • Jeff Smith

GROUP D

  • Phil Taylor (4)
  • Ian White
  • Darren Webster
  • Darryl Fitton

GROUP E

  • Gary Anderson (2)
  • Alan Norris
  • Nathan Derry
  • Glen Durrant

GROUP F

  • Mensur Suljovic (7)
  • Raymond Van Barneveld
  • Nathan Aspinall
  • Danny Noppert

GROUP G

  • James Wade (6)
  • Dave Chisnall
  • James Wilson
  • Jamie Hughes

GROUP H

  • Adrian Lewis (3)
  • Benito Van de Pas
  • Chris Dobey
  • Scott Mitchell

Saturday November 12, Afternoon Session (1pm)

Groups B-C-F-G Matches (Best of 9 legs)

  • Gerwyn Price v Dimitri Van den Bergh (B)
  • Simon Whitlock v Ted Evetts (C)
  • Dave Chisnall v James Wilson (G)
  • Mensur Suljovic v Danny Noppert (F)
  • Robert Thornton v Scott Waites (B)
  • Raymond Van Barneveld v Nathan Aspinall (F)
  • James Wade v Jamie Hughes (G)
  • Peter Wright v Jeff Smith (C)

Saturday November 12, Evening Session (7.30pm)

Groups A-D-E-H Matches (Best of 9 legs)

  • Brendan Dolan v Max Hopp (A)
  • Alan Norris v Nathan Derry (E)
  • Ian White v Darren Webster (D)
  • Benito Van de Pas v Chris Dobey (H)
  • Phil Taylor v Darryl Fitton (D)
  • Gary Anderson v Glen Durrant (E)
  • Michael Van Gerwen v Martin Adams (A)
  • Adrian Lewis v Scott Mitchell (H)

Sunday November 13, Afternoon Session (1pm)

Groups B-C-F-G Matches (Best of 9 legs)

*Order of play still to be confirmed

  • Saturday’s Loser v Loser
  • Saturday’s Winner v Winner

Sunday November 13, Evening Session (7pm)

Groups A-D-E-H Matches (Best of 9 legs)

  • Saturday’s Loser v Loser
  • Saturday’s Winner v Winner

Monday November 14 (7pm)

  • Groups A-D-E-H Matches (Best of 9 legs)

Tuesday November 15 (7pm)

  • Groups B-C-F-G Final Games (Best of 9 legs)

Wednesday November 16 (7pm)

Second Round (Best of 19 legs)

  • ​Winner Group A v Runner-Up Group B
  • Winner Group B v Runner-Up Group A
  • Winner Group C v Runner-Up Group D
  • Winner Group D v Runner-Up Group C

Thursday November 17 (7pm)

Second Round (Best of 19 legs)

  • Winner Group E v Runner-Up Group F
  • Winner Group F v Runner-Up Group E
  • Winner Group G v Runner-Up Group H
  • Winner Group H v Runner-Up Group G

Friday November 18 (7pm)

  • 2x Quarter-Finals (Best of 31 legs)

Saturday November 19 (8pm)

  • 2x Quarter-Finals (Best of 31 legs)

​​​​Sunday November 20, Afternoon Session (1pm)

  • 2x Semi-Finals (Best of 31 legs)

​​​​​​​ Sunday November 20, Evening Session (7pm)

  • Final (Best of 31 legs)
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Michael Van Gerwen Makes It Three In A Row

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Michael Van Gerwen chalked up a hat-trick of European Championship victories with a thumping 11-1 win against Austria’s Mensur Suljovic at the Ethias Arena in Hasselt, Belgium on Sunday.

Taking just over 30 minutes to do the job, Van Gerwen’s 111.62 average was the highest in a televised final and a record in a European Championship decider.

Suljovic put on an impressive performance in his first televised final. Despite having seen off Peter Wright in the semi-finals as well as Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor in the quarter-finals, he was no match for a dominant MVG who took the £100,000 first prize as well as the ranking points he does not need.

Suljovic, on the other hand, moves up to seventh in the PDC Order of Merit after winning £40,000 in prize money, his best-ever scoop.

Van Gerwen vs Suljovic: as it happened

Mighty Mike opened with 174, taking the opening two legs before Suljovic claimed a solitary leg back, leaving the Dutchman to pull clear. He began to run away with the match after breaking Suljovic twice with 12-dart finishes, including two 180s in one leg, before striking a 157 checkout to lead 7-1.

He remained unchallenged, landing a further three 180s and missing just four darts at the double on the way to his record-breaking win. His victory here, his 22nd of the year, follows hot on the back of successes in the UK Open, World Matchplay and World Grand Prix.

Ladbrokes World Series Finals Schedule

This weekend will once more see Michael Van Gerwen defending a title, something he and we have become familiar with, as the World Series of Darts Finals take place at the Braehead Arena in Glasgow. Last time out, MVG defeated Peter Wright 11-10 in the inaugural staging of the tournament.

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Now in its second year, the £155,000 event marks the conclusion of the world tour which has visited Dubai, Auckland, Shanghai, Tokyo, Sydney and Perth. It begins just after midday on Saturday.

MVG, like the other top seeds, won’t begin playing until round two and will face the winner of the Gerwyn Price vs Steve Beaton tie.

Likewise, World Champion Gary Anderson will open against either Joe Cullen or Joe Murnan, while, interestingly, Phil Taylor could face off against his recent vanquisher Mensur Suljovic, should he bypass Robert Thornton.

Adrian ‘Jackpot’ Lewis returns to action having missed out on last weekend’s European Championship and will meet Germany’s Max Hopp or Spain’s Cristo Reyes, while last year’s beaten finalist Peter Wright will meet either Josh Payne or Daryl Gurney.

The last three seeds given a bye into the second round are Dave Chisnall, who faces a tough draw against Dutchman Jelle Klaasen or Belgium’s Kim Huybrechts, Raymond van Barneveld who is most likely to meet Simon Whitlock if he makes his way past Brendan Dolan and James Wade who will step up against one of Benito van de Pas or Michael Smith.

World Series of Darts Betting Tips

We’re long past the point where the bookies need to run a favourite-free book eliminating MVG from the betting, such is his dominance.

I can’t find one, however, so let’s just say that Michael Van Gerwen is odds on everywhere.  Him aside, we’ll look to the two Stoke players with a point to prove to, at the very least, make the final.

With Phil Taylor having been dumped out at the quarter-final stage last week by Mensur Suljovic (40/1 at SkyBet this week), The Power will be a man on a mission this weekend in Glasgow and is a decent 7/1 at SkyBet to do so.

Similarly, Adrian Lewis didn’t qualify for last weekend’s event so also returns with a point to prove and is a best price of 18/1 at Bet365. The only other potential winners will be either Gary Anderson and Peter Wright who, as a Scotsman, will have home advantage and the backing of a hostile crowd to boot.

The best you can get on Anderson is 7/1 at both Bet365 and SkyBet, while Wright can be backed at whopping 25/1, which may be worth considering given the bookmaker involved, SkyBet, are paying half the odds for a runner-up position.

If you are split on the two, then Betway are taking bets on the nationality of the winner with 9/2 on offer should a Scotsman emerge victorious in Glasgow.

The tournament will be broadcast live on ITV4.

2016 Ladbrokes World Series of Darts Finals (Glasgow’s Braehead Arena)

Saturday November 5

First Round, Afternoon Session (12.45pm-5pm) Best of 11 legs

  • Max Hopp v Cristo Reyes
  • Benito van de Pas v Michael Smith
  • Jelle Klaasen v Kim Huybrechts
  • Brendan Dolan v Simon Whitlock
  • Mensur Suljovic v Robert Thornton
  • Joe Murnan v Joe Cullen
  • Gerwyn Price v Steve Beaton
  • Daryl Gurney v Josh Payne

Second Round, Evening Session (7pm-11pm) Best of 11 legs

  • Adrian Lewis (5) v Hopp/Reyes
  • James Wade (6) v van de Pas/Smith
  • Dave Chisnall (4) v Klaasen/Huybrechts
  • Raymond van Barneveld (8) v Dolan/Whitlock
  • Phil Taylor (3) v Suljovic/Thornton
  • Gary Anderson (2) v Murnan/Cullen
  • Michael van Gerwen (1) v Price/Beaton
  • Peter Wright (7) v Gurney/Payne

Sunday November 6

  • Quarter-Finals: Best of 19 legs
  • Semi-Finals: Best of 21 legs
  • Final: Best of 21 legs
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European Championship reaches its climax

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Starting tonight and lasting for three days, the final events of this year’s European Championship at the Ethias Arena in Hasselt, Belgium gets underway.

The £400,000 tournament brings together the top 32 players from this year’s ten PDC European Tour events so far, but all the focus, as ever, is on the Dutch darts master that is Michael Van Gerwen, gunning here for his third European Championship in a row.

Van Gerwen, who staged a long-remembered comeback in last year’s final against Gary Anderson, has won over half of this year’s ten European Tour events already. Not that he needed it, but this ensures Mighty Mike’s top seeding here. Despite this, MVG still has a more than challenging opening clash against 2012 champion, Simon Whitlock.

Four-time winner of the event, the legendary Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor faces seventh seed, Alan ‘Chuck’ Norris, who earnt his ranking courtesy of his victory in this year’s final European Tour event in Germany a fortnight ago and, while Norris has found form, Taylor’s class should see him through.

Another round one high profile clash is the coming together of reigning world champion Gary Anderson of Scotland and England’s James Wade, the latter taking down a European Tour event in Hamburg back in May.

While Adrian ‘Jackpot’ Lewis sits out the event, which will be screened live on ITV 4, other big names on display include Peter ‘Snakebite’ Wright who faces Justin Pipe first, and Dave ‘Chizzy’ Chisnall who meets Kyle Anderson this evening.

The best darts betting tips for Belgium

It goes without saying that Michael van Gerwen is the favourite, with a best price 5/4 at SkyBet to win a third successive European Championship title. SkyBet dig the deepest again for second-favourite Phil Taylor, who enjoyed success in the fifth leg of the tour in Vienna back in June.

They are laying 4/1 on The Power, who finds himself in the other side of the draw to MVG. Should these two make Sunday’s final, you can back an MVG v Taylor match off at 100/30, again with SkyBet.

For a little outside punt, Peter Wright can be backed at 14/1 at both Bet365 and Betway, while the latter are offering the best price on Dave Chisnall at 16/1. Discounting the two favourites, Snakebite and Chizzy are both sound bets, but it’s possibly Gary ‘The Flying Scotsman’ Anderson that might be worth a punt.

If you are feeling brave, SkyBet’s RequestABet format has produced the unusual selection: Chris Dobey to beat Phil Taylor in the second round of the European Champs at 14/1, which, if it pays off, surely deserves better reward.

If MVG does produce the goods as predicted, then the same RequestABet machine has generated  Michael Van Gerwen to win the European Championship, World series finals, Grand Slam & the World Championship at 8/1, in which case, should you fancy it, jump on early.

European Championship, Hasselt, Belgium

Round One (Best of 11 legs and seeds in brackets)

Friday October 28

Afternoon Session (12.45pm-5pm UK time)

  • Jamie Caven v James Richardson
  • Daryl Gurney v Gerwyn Price
  • Chris Dobey v Joe Cullen
  • Ian White v Terry Jenkins
  • Cristo Reyes v Robert Thornton
  • Mervyn King v Devon Petersen
  • Michael Smith v Stephen Bunting
  • Max Hopp v Benito van de Pas

Evening Session (7pm-11pm UK time)

  • Jelle Klaasen (8) v Steve West
  • Kim Huybrechts (5) v James Wilson
  • Dave Chisnall (6) v Kyle Anderson
  • Mensur Suljovic (2) v Jermaine Wattimena
  • Peter Wright (3) v Justin Pipe
  • Alan Norris (7) v Phil Taylor
  • Michael van Gerwen (1) v Simon Whitlock
  • James Wade (4) v Gary Anderson

Saturday October 29

Afternoon Session (12.45pm-5pm UK time)

Second Round (Best of 19 legs)

  • Chisnall/K Anderson v Caven/Richardson
  • Suljovic/Wattimena v White/Jenkins
  • Wright/Pipe v Reyes/Thornton
  • Huybrechts/Wilson v King/Petersen

Evening Session (7pm-11pm UK time)

  • Klaasen/West v Smith/Bunting
  • Norris/Taylor v Dobey/Cullen
  • Wade/G Anderson v Hopp/van de Pas
  • van Gerwen/Whitlock v Gurney/Price

Sunday October 30

Afternoon Session (12.45pm-5pm UK time)

Quarter-Finals (Best of 19 legs)

  • MVG/Whitlock/Gurney/Price v Klaasen/West/Smith/Bunting
  • Huybrechts/Wilson/King/Petersen v Wade/Anderson/Hopp/Van de Pas
  • Suljovic/Wattimena/White/Jenkins v Norris/Taylor/Dobey/Cullen
  • Chisnall/Anderson/Caven/Richardson v Wright/Pipe/Reyes/Thornton

Evening Session (7pm-11pm UK time)

Semi-Finals (Best of 21 legs)

Final (Best of 21 legs)

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