The 2017 Darts Premier League kicks off in the early hours of Friday morning Australian time, with 16 weeks of darts action coming our way between the top ten players in the world. The Premier League is always exciting with its fast-paced format and the stars of the game competing against each other every week.
This year’s line-up includes the same top eight as last year, but we lose Robert Thornton and Michael Smith who have been replaced by rising stars Kim Huybrechts and Jelle Klaasen. I’m really excited by their inclusions this year as both have shown some impressive form in recent years. Huybrechts is a player with exceptional determination and he doesn’t mind getting fired up so he should be great watching. Klaasen doesn’t show the same emotions, but he has a touch of confidence about his play that says he is ready to make a mark on the big stage. I expect both to be very competitive and pull out a few upsets throughout the season.
Firstly, we’ll take a quick look at some season bets before taking a closer look at the matches for Week 1.
The Outright Winner market has defending champion and world #1 Michael van Gerwen as the short-priced favourite. There’s very little value in taking MVG at $1.57 and it’s hard to recommend anyone else. Gary Anderson is clearly the second-best player in the world at the moment, and will be able to push MVG over the short format, so perhaps you could entertain him at $5.50. The only other player I could consider is Peter Wright who is set for a big year. Can he rise to the next level? I’m not sure, but $12 for Snakebite to win it might be a fun sweat.
I’ll be looking at a few other markets for my season bets.
If we look at the other end of the table, there are a few players who may be at risk to be relegated in the bottom two. The two new faces to the Premier League are favourites in this market, but as I said, I really feel that one or both of Huybrechts and Klaasen can make an impact this season. I think there’s some value in the price of Dave Chisnall to be relegated. He had some moments in the latter half of 2016 where it looked like Chizzy was getting his game right, but he’s so inconsistent and that just doesn’t suit a points league like the Premier League. He finished in the bottom two last season, somehow finishing below Robert Thornton, and at $4.00 to be relegated again this year, I think it’s worth a bet.
TIP: Dave Chisnall to finish bottom two - $4.00 at Sportsbet
Rather than backing MVG to win the league, we can find a bit more value for him in the Tournament Most 180s market. MVG was a clear winner in this market last season, and with him virtually assured of reaching the semis and the final, he’ll play the maximum number of games. Dave Chisnall is a strong 180s thrower but he’s unlikely to reach the semis, while Gary Anderson seems the only legitimate threat to MVG in this market. Anderson may also play semis and the final and has been hitting plenty of 180s, but I still prefer MVG and the price $2.10 looks a decent price.
TIP: Michael van Gerwen most Tournament 180s - $2.10 at Sportsbet
2017 Premier League Darts Week 1 Betting Tips
Kim Huybrechts vs James Wade
An interesting match to start off the Premier League with Kim Huybrechts looking to start his time in the Premier League with a bang against the ever-consistent James Wade. Huybrechts can certainly surprise here, but counting against him is the fact that Wade has won nine of their last ten matches against each other. That’s a stat that sways me into a bet on “The Machine”. Huybrechts is a pretty strong 180 thrower against Wade who is not renowned for his maximums, so happy to wager on Huybrechts for the most 180s in the match.
TIP: James Wade to win - $1.88 at CrownBet
TIP: Kim Huybrechts most 180s - $1.93 at CrownBet
Raymond van Barneveld vs Adrian Lewis
These two titans will clash once again in the Premier League. Both have underwhelmed over the last 12 months with Lewis certainly not the powerhouse he once was. Barney has had moments of brilliance, but doesn’t play a full time schedule anymore so it’s hard to gauge his form at times. While Lewis is capable of turning up and blowing anyone away, I feel Barney is a bit more consistent and likely to hit the ground running in the first match of the league. I could entertain a bet on Barney to win at $2.30 but instead I think I’ll predict a close match that will go the distance. You could also take the o10.5 legs for a more conservative bet.
TIP: Total Legs over 11.5 - $2.20 at CrownBet
Phil Taylor vs Dave Chisnall
Phil Taylor has come out and declared that 2017 will be his last year on the tour before he retires. Time will tell how that will affect performance. Will he have the same drive to succeed or will a relaxed approach to the year help him to thrive? He was pretty good in the recent Masters but he’s still not up to the level of the top couple of players. Dave Chisnall will need to lift his game if he’s to challenge this season and he has a tough start here against the Power. I can’t see him getting the win.
TIP: Phil Taylor to win - $1.76 at CrownBet (Best Bet)
TIP: Phil Taylor average over 100.5 - $1.83 at Sportsbet
Gary Anderson vs Michael van Gerwen
What an amazing match for Week 1 of the Premier League with the two best players in the world going at it. These two players are a step above everyone else, so rather incredibly for the first week of the season, this match will actually have a big influence over who will end up on top of the Premier League at the end of the season. MVG is a bigger price to win this match at $1.66, than he is to win the entire league! I like the o10.5 legs for this match and MVG to win, but I think the best bet is that this match will be a very high standard. I expect both players to come out firing, with high scoring and big checkouts. This will lift the averages of both players and that’s the market I want to play in. Averages have gone through the roof in recent times, and while both lines may feel high, if these two perform as they have been recently, then I expect them to cover.
TIP: Michael van Gerwen average over 105.5 - $1.83 at Sportsbet
TIP: Gary Anderson average over 102.5 - $1.83 at Sportsbet
Peter Wright vs Jelle Klaasen
Really looking forward to this match. Klaasen’s fast, unorthodox play can be really exciting while Wright is always an entertainer. Wright was really off the boil in his last match at the Masters against Phil Taylor. He wasn’t focussed and early on was extremely poor. We haven’t seen that low standard from Wright for a long time but perhaps it was due to the distraction of recent illness to his wife. Hopefully he can shake it off and come out firing as Klaasen is a confidence player and if he gets a lead he can be hard to get past. I think Wright’s price is too short and I’m just not sure how these two will perform, so rather than put up a bet, I’m going to sit back and enjoy this one.
TIP: No bet
Where is the best place to bet on Darts?
A few sportsbooks provide markets for the Darts Premier League, but the best place to bet on darts is Sportsbet. They often have the most competitive odds and the largest range of markets. They are the only Australian sportsbook that provides lines for averages betting, which is a market we'll play regularly this season.
For more tips and conversation during the Darts Premier League, give a follow on Twitter to @BullsEye_Bets!
Take note: Any of the tips in this article are simply the author’s opinion, so bet at your own risk and always gamble responsibly. Also be sure to check out the Before You Bet Twitter Page for all our thoughts in the lead up to bets! Happy punting!
