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Welcome back to the free betting tips for the 2017 PDC World Championship, and I hope you’re nice and rested after the Christmas break. If not, things aren’t going to let up now until well into January with the darting action, so get ready for some great darts, and some great chances to make some money from our free darts betting tips.
Today, the second round continues with two sessions, the first one this afternoon and the second one in the traditional evening slot. We start with a potential classic with Mensur Suljovic taking on Mark Webster, then Robert Thornton goes into his game with Daryl Gurney as the underdog, and finally we finish the afternoon session with Dave Chisnall and Chris Dobey. The evening session sees men with 21 world titles taking to the stage as Barney faces Alan Norris, then it’s Phil Taylor versus Kevin Painter and we finish the day with Michael van Gerwen and Cristo Reyes facing off. It’s an incredible line-up from the first game until the last, so let’s get right to it.
Mensur Suljovic vs Mark Webster
Mensur Suljovic
First round: beat Ron Meulenkamp 3-1 (88.51)
Total 180s: 2
Highest checkout: 120
Mark Webster
First round: beat Joe Murnan 3-0 (87.78)
Total 180s: 1
Highest checkout: 129
I have to say that I was disappointed by Mensur Suljovic in the first round. Hi form has dipped in the last month, but I didn’t expect it to be that bad. As for Mark Webster, he disappointed slightly, too, although he played to the standard he’s shown most of the year.
Suljovic is around an 8/15 show for this, which looks a bit short considering how poorly he played, but then he’s shown a couple of gears more this season, while Webster really hasn’t. So I think Suljovic should take this, but it might be tight. Because of that, I can see a 4-2 or 4-3 scoreline either way, so take over 5.5 sets in this one.
Robert Thornton vs Daryl Gurney
Robert Thornton
First round: beat Zoran Lerchbarcher 3-0 (88.55)
Total 180s: 4
Highest checkout: 68
Daryl Guney
First round: beat Jermaine Wattimena 3-1 (96.85)
Total 180s: 5
Highest checkout: 76
Robert Thornton eased past qualifier Zoran Lerchbacher in the first round, and he was never really pushed. His average shows that, too, although it was his doubling that really let him down. That being said, he did what was asked of him. Daryl Gurney on the other hand was quality against his Dutch opponent. His average was solid, his finishing was, too, and he never looked to be in trouble.
What’s interesting, is that Gurney is not just favourite, but a short price considering the opposition. There’s no denying Gurney has been good this year, but Thornton is still quality and has done it on the big stage more often than Gurney, so this is a value play, we’re taking Robert Thornton to beat Daryl Gurney at around 6/4, because a player of Thornton’s class can pull something out of the bag when required, and it will be required today.
Dave Chisnall vs Chris Dobey
Dave Chisnall
First round: beat Rowby-John Rodriguez 3-2 (98.72)
Total 180s: 9
Highest checkout: 120
Chris Dobey
First round: beat Justin Pipe 3-1 (90.70)
Total 180s: 2
Highest checkout: 105
Chisnall was poor at times in the first round, but then he’s go on runs where he would be averaging 120 at times and would look unplayable. He showed real class to edge that final set without coming close to harm. Chris Dobey was workman like against Justin Pipe, but it exemplified how he’s progressed this season. He had a nice, solid average, although he was fortunate with his draw as Pipe is woefully out of form.
Chisnall is around 2/9 to take this match, which is no value at all. However, while he was poor at times, when he hit form, there would be few people who could have tamed him in the first round. If he can find a run, he’ll get the job done, as he’s got around 10 points on average over Dobey. Dave Chisnall -2-5 sets is what we’re going for here, as I think Chisnall’s run of power scoring will be far too much for the solid Dobey.
Raymond van Barneveld vs Alan Norris
Raymond van Barneveld
First round: beat Robbie Green 3-0 (98.84)
Total 180s: 3
Highest checkout: 156
Alan Norris
First round: beat John Michael (91.61)
Total 180s: 4
Highest checkout: 60
It was vintage Barney in the first round against Robbie Green. What could potentially have been a tricky game became a route, because Barney let Green win just one leg. It was the exact opposite for Alan Norris, because what should have been a routine win became a tight one against John Michael.
I do think Norris has another gear here, but will it be enough to get past a resurgent Barney? Probably not, although this stil might be close. However, I can’t find any value in those markets, so instead, I want to look at the most 180s market. Barney managed 3 in just 10 legs, while Norris only landed 4 in 22 legs, and while Norris is a power 180 scorer, Barney is, too, and there are a few books that have Barney as the outsider to score the most 180s, which I see as great value, so take Raymond van Barneveld to score the most 180s in tonight’s first game.
Phil Taylor vs Kevin Painter
Phil Taylor
First round: beat David Platt 3-0 (101.68)
Total 180s: 3
Highest checkout: 86
Kevin Painter
First round: beat Jamie Caven 3-1 (85.13)
Total 180s: 4
Highest checkout: 124
One of the PDC’s oldest rivalries, and if this isn’t a comfortable win for Phil Taylor, there’s no hope for the 15-time world champion to make it 16 times. Painter was abysmal in the first round against Jamie Caven, while Taylor was imperious against David Platt. Taylor has 16 points on Painter on their first round averages, and he has more in his locker, while Painter really doesn’t. He should have a 105-plus in him, while I can’t even see Painter breaking 90 on his current form.
So there is obviously no value in backing a Taylor win, and also Taylor 4-0 is a bit skinny given The Power’s short lapses in concentration he’s shown lately. However, I think this will be over quickly, and if it is, I don’t think we’ll see too many maximums, so take under 9.5 180s in this one, as Taylor is just as likely to hammer in a 177 than a 180, as is Painter, to be fair.
Michael van Gerwen vs Cristo Reyes
Michael van Gerwen
First round: beat Kim Viljanen 3-0 (103.34)
Total 180s: 5
Highest checkout: 118
Cristo Reyes
First round: beat Dimitri van den Bergh 3-2 (95.54)
Total 180s: 4
Highest checkout: 130
Is this going to be a tough one for Michael van Gerwen? I don’t think so, personally, as it is most likely going to take one of the top seeds to end the world number one’s path to glory. We’re not going to get rich backing him at 1/50, and he’s odds-on to win 4-0, too. That’s where I think we’re going to find a bit of value, to be fair.
Reyes has shown at times he can hang with the big boys in the PDC, and if he can hit his doubles, he should be able to nick at least one set against Michael van Gerwen, so I can’t see how 4-0 is odds-on. In that respect, we’ll take the Spaniard to get at least one set, and Cristo Reyes +3.5 sets I our final play of the day.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more free tips for tomorrow’s darting action, which will see the end of the second round of matches and also the beginning of the third round of matches, which is when the big guns will really start facing off against each other and we’ll start to see who just is the man to beat for the world championship.
