Peter Wright is Overpriced in Premier League Darts

We were just one Michael van Gerwen maximum away from a clean sweep in the Premier League Darts last week, as the world number one could only draw 3 a-piece in the 180’s battle with Dave Chisnall in his 7-3 victory. However, Phil Taylor made a mockery of the handicap in his 7-0 whitewash of Robert Thornton while Gary Anderson landed the spoils by beating Michael Smith – making it a profitable night overall.

This week the Premier League visits Glasgow for night seven, and with judgement night looming in just three weeks, is starting to get tense in the battle to avoid the bottom two places and elimination from the competition. It’s also tight at the top with the likes of Lewis, Wade, Wright and Anderson all looking to push their claims for a play-off position. However, the game of the week beyond any doubt is the titanic clash between Michael van Gerwen and a rejuvenated Phil Taylor. The pair are joint top of the table after 5 wins and one loss each, with MVG just edging it on leg difference. Our pre-tournament punt on Phil Taylor is looking shrewder by the day, but the multiple Premier League champion will have his work cut out against the big Dutchman this week.

Night Six Round Up

Taylor condemned Robert Thornton to his second whitewash of the season with a flawless performance in which he limited the Scot to only three darts at a double. That brought up his 5th win of the season and he is on course to make the play-offs once again after surprisingly missing out last year. Van Gerwen continued his own remarkable form by landing a 113.47 average, in a match where he completed 134, 105 and 100 checkouts in successive legs. The two square up this week in a game that whets the appetite for all darts fans.

Adrian Lewis bounced back from his 7-1 reverse to Taylor with a cracking 7-3 win over Peter Wright, racking up an average of 107.93, although it should be noted that Wright was in decent form himself with a 106.79 average. James Wade snatched a 7-5 victory in a tight match with Raymond van Barneveld in which the Dutchman missed three darts at a double to grab a draw, while Gary Anderson claimed his third win in a row with a comfortable 7-3 win against newcomer Michael Smith.

Gary Anderson v Peter Wright

The Scotsman plays two games in Glasgow this week against Adrian Lewis and Peter Wright, but the latter stands out a a good bet to upset the odds at 3.22Bet €100 to win €322111/50Bet £100 to win £322+222Bet $100 to win $3222.22Bet HK$100 to win HK$3222.22Bet Rp100 to win Rp322-0.4505Bet RM100 to win RM322  with Marathonbet

Wright was unlucky to come up against van Gerwen in such exceptional form in the final of the recent UK Open, and although it might appear that he suffered a hangover in the defeat to Lewis, his very decent average is an indication of the kind of darts he’s playing. With a tricky fixture against Phil Taylor coming up next week, Wright will see this as an opportunity to cement his place in the upper reaches of the table before the second phase of the league campaign after judgement night.

Anderson will have already played Adrian Lewis by the time he lines up against Wright, and no doubt the current Premier League champion will have his eye on a double of wins to help him shoot up the table, but he won’t have it all his own way against Wright. Anderson said after his defeat of Michael Smith, “I’m still not throwing right, I’m lobbing them a little and it’s got me puzzled”. If he isn’t right on his game Wright can take advantage and at such a big price, it’s worth chancing the victory.

James Wade v Robert Thornton

James Wade also appeals when he takes on bottom-of-the-table Robert Thornton, albeit at a much shorter price of 1.57Bet €100 to win €15757/100Bet £100 to win £157-175Bet $100 to win $1570.57Bet HK$100 to win HK$157-1.75Bet Rp100 to win Rp1570.5700Bet RM100 to win RM157  with Coral, Betfair and William Hill

Wade has been having a good season this time around, and having started with that shock win over MVG on night one, he’s won four of his seven matches to sit in the top four at this stage. Wade doesn’t play next week and faces Gary Anderson the week following, so he will have earmarked three points here and we think he’ll get them.

Thornton has had a woeful time on his return to the Premier League, losing four games and drawing just one to gain a single point. He looks to be up against it in the fight to avoid elimination, but his chances may well rest on his double-header next week against Michael Smith and MVG. Wade hit a 100.50 average last week while Thornton could only manage 88.38 and that tells it’s own story.

Michael van Gerwen v Phil Taylor

Finally we’re going to side with Michael van Gerwen at 1.63Bet €100 to win €16363/100Bet £100 to win £163-159Bet $100 to win $1630.63Bet HK$100 to win HK$163-1.59Bet Rp100 to win Rp1630.6300Bet RM100 to win RM163  with Marathonbet in his colossal clash with Phil Taylor.

The Stoke ace is back in great form this season, but van Gerwen is playing on a level all of his own recently after smashing the record average just a few weeks ago. He’s picked up the UK Open since then and continued the rich vein of form with another huge average in his defeat of Dave Chisnall last week. He has a +20 leg difference compared to Taylor’s +19, and that’s all the separates the two who are locked together at the top on 10 points.

It will be a thrilling game for the neutrals, but with van Gerwen playing the way he is at the moment, he should still come out on top.

Tips Summary

Peter Wright to beat Gary Anderson
Thursday 17th March, 19:00 GMT Start
Odds: 3.22Bet €100 to win €322111/50Bet £100 to win £322+222Bet $100 to win $3222.22Bet HK$100 to win HK$3222.22Bet Rp100 to win Rp322-0.4505Bet RM100 to win RM322

James Wade to beat Robert Thornton
Thursday 17th March, 19:00 GMT Start
Odds: 1.57Bet €100 to win €15757/100Bet £100 to win £157-175Bet $100 to win $1570.57Bet HK$100 to win HK$157-1.75Bet Rp100 to win Rp1570.5700Bet RM100 to win RM157

Michael van Gerwen to beat Phil Taylor
Thursday 17th March, 19:00 GMT Start
Odds: 1.63Bet €100 to win €16363/100Bet £100 to win £163-159Bet $100 to win $1630.63Bet HK$100 to win HK$163-1.59Bet Rp100 to win Rp1630.6300Bet RM100 to win RM163