Big Guns to Earn Big Wins in World Matchplay Quarters

The World Matchplay of Darts has been ongoing at Blackpool’s famous Winter Gardens for the last week, and we’re now down to the last eight players who will contest the quarter finals. Two games will be played per night over Thursday and Friday, which will lead into the weekend semi finals and Sunday night’s final.

The usual suspects are all there or thereabouts, and there has been a renaissance for the likes of Steve Beaton and Mervyn King. World number 26, Beaton, has reached his first major quarter final for five years after beating Jelle Klaasen 10-6 in the first round, and overcoming Michael Smith 11-7 in the second round. He’ll face his toughest test of the tournament so far when he comes up against Gary Anderson on Friday night. King reached his first major quarter final for 18 months since appearing in the last eight of the 2015 UK Open, and his first World Matchplay quarter final in seven years. It isn’t any easier for King though, as he will also play on Friday night up against multiple World Matchplay winner Phil Taylor.

Michael van Gerwen, the hot favourite before the start of the tournament, has been ruthless in his progression to the quarters. He dropped just three legs in the first two round games – a 10-0 whitewash of Jamie Caven in the first, and an 11-3 victory over Kyle Anderson in the second. Dave Chisnall is his opponent on Thursday, having got the better of Benito van de Pas and Robert Thornton earlier in the week. The last quarter final is a much more even affair with Peter Wright going up against Adrian Lewis – the winner set to face MVG or Chizzy in the semi final.

Michael van Gerwen v Dave Chisnall

First up, we’re backing Mighty Mike to beat a -6.5 handicap at 2.13Bet €100 to win €213113/100Bet £100 to win £213+113Bet $100 to win $2131.13Bet HK$100 to win HK$2131.13Bet Rp100 to win Rp213-0.8850Bet RM100 to win RM213  with Marathonbet

MVG has beaten Chisnall on the last twelve occasions they’ve met since a Premier League draw back in May 2015. With these quarter finals over the best of 31 legs, there will be plenty of opportunity for van Gerwen to forge a big lead, and if he continues in the same vein as his first two matches, he’ll be hard for Chisnall to peg back.

The Dutch Champion won this competition for the first time last year, and he’s fired up to retain the trophy. He said after the 11-3 victory over Kyle Anderson that he “can do a lot better”, and that’s ominous for his opponents from here on in.

Peter Wright v Adrian Lewis

Adrian Lewis is worth backing when he meets Peter Wright, at 2.00Bet €100 to win €2001/1Bet £100 to win £200+100Bet $100 to win $2001.00Bet HK$100 to win HK$2001.00Bet Rp100 to win Rp2001.0000Bet RM100 to win RM200  with Bet365

The Jackpot has a good record against Wright, with the last ten matches resulting in 8 Lewis wins, 1 draw and just the one win for Wright. Both men are in good form – Wright beat Joe Cullen 10-5 and Ian White 11-6 to reach this stage, while Lewis got the better of Mark Webster 10-6 and Gerwyn Price 11-5.

Lewis was a 2013 finalist here, and as the slight outsider of the two he is a fair bet at even odds considering his record against Wright, although this is one that we’d expect to be close.

Mervyn King v Phil Taylor

Mervyn King has had an excellent tournament so far, but Phil Taylor is a cut above and can cover the -6.5 leg handicap at 1.86Bet €100 to win €18643/50Bet £100 to win £186-116Bet $100 to win $1860.86Bet HK$100 to win HK$186-1.16Bet Rp100 to win Rp1860.8600Bet RM100 to win RM186  with Marathonbet

The Power was our pre-tournament tip for the World Matchplay, and he is strongly fancied to beat King and set up a semi final with Gary Anderson. He survived a first round scare against Robbie Green, eventually coming through a 10-8 winner, but he made no mistakes in the second round as he swept Mensur Suljovic aside 11-5.

King has had a great run to the quarters, defeating last year’s finalist James Wade 10-5 in the first round, before getting the better of Brendan Dolan in a ding-dong match that ended 11-8. He can at least approach this one with nothing to lose and no pressure, but you’d have to suspect that Taylor will simply be too good on the night.

Gary Anderson v Steve Beaton

Finally we’re backing the other big gun, Gary Anderson, and he’s also fancied to beat a -6.5 handicap at 1.83Bet €100 to win €18383/100Bet £100 to win £183-120Bet $100 to win $1830.83Bet HK$100 to win HK$183-1.20Bet Rp100 to win Rp1830.8300Bet RM100 to win RM183  with Marathonbet

Steve Beaton has rolled back the years to compete at this level again, and he says as long as he can continue to be competitive he’ll keep playing the game he loves. He won’t get a tougher opponent than World Champion Anderson though, and this could be where the story ends.

Anderson comfortably beat Alan Norris 10-1 in the first round, before getting past Terry Jenkins 11-5 in the second. He said that he’s not hitting enough 180’s but is happy enough with his finishing and will expect himself to reach the semi finals. After great wins against Klaasen and Smith, Beaton is likely to be outclassed here by one of the sport’s best players.

Tips Summary

Michael van Gerwen -6.5 to beat Dave Chisnall
Thursday 21st July, 19:00 GMT Start
Odds: 2.13Bet €100 to win €213113/100Bet £100 to win £213+113Bet $100 to win $2131.13Bet HK$100 to win HK$2131.13Bet Rp100 to win Rp213-0.8850Bet RM100 to win RM213

Adrian Lewis to beat Peter Wright
Thursday 21st July, 19:00 GMT Start
Odds: 2.00Bet €100 to win €2001/1Bet £100 to win £200+100Bet $100 to win $2001.00Bet HK$100 to win HK$2001.00Bet Rp100 to win Rp2001.0000Bet RM100 to win RM200

Phil Taylor -6.5 to beat Mervyn King
Friday 22nd July, 19:15 GMT Start
Odds: 1.86Bet €100 to win €18643/50Bet £100 to win £186-116Bet $100 to win $1860.86Bet HK$100 to win HK$186-1.16Bet Rp100 to win Rp1860.8600Bet RM100 to win RM186

Gary Anderson -6.5 to beat Steve Beaton
Friday 22nd July, 19:15 GMT Start
Odds: 1.83Bet €100 to win €18383/100Bet £100 to win £183-120Bet $100 to win $1830.83Bet HK$100 to win HK$183-1.20Bet Rp100 to win Rp1830.8300Bet RM100 to win RM183