Dobey to Make Home Advantage Count in Darts Premier League
Week 8 of the Cazoo Premier League comes from Newcastle. The North East is Chris Dobey territory, and strong support from his home crowd could see the local player claim the scalp of Michael Smith for a second consecutive week. 6-4 was the winning scoreline in Nottingham last Thursday. But, at 8/5, darts betting sites rate Dobey as the underdog once again.
Michael Smith may have to give second best to Chris Dobey for a second time in seven days. ©Kieran Cleeves/PDC
When arriving at this price, odds compilers presumably looked at every metric apart from the Nottingham scoreline. In the pairs’ most recent encounter, Smith produced the highest three-dart average, recorded the most 100+ and 180 scores, and registered a fifty percent checkout ratio. Nevertheless, Dobey had his rival on the ropes from the outset and quickly raced to a 4-0 lead.
At the odds – it is Coral online sportsbook that offers the industry’s top price – Dobey is the logical choice. After all, during the past five years, this duo has met four times, with Dobey winning three of their encounters. However, it is support within Newcastle’s Utilita Arena that could carry the 2023 Masters’ winner over the line.
Bank on Wright Nil by Mouth
The evening’s action begins with Michael van Gerwen (MVG) against his old adversary, Peter Wright. MVG took his first ranking title of 2023 by defeating Josh Rock 8-4 in a Players Championship event in Hildesheim, Germany, last Sunday.
Wright hit a Premier League low last Thursday when recording a match average of just 89. Underlined by just one win from seven Premier League matches (and a minus-19 leg difference), he is badly out of form.
A quick kill is predicted. It is an outcome that will lessen the prospects of Wright registering three or more 180 scores. The Scott is averaging just 2.1 180s per match in the 2023 Premier League, so bet365’s advertised 5/6 odds of him recording less than 2.5 180s against MVG are bewildering. Do not look the proverbial gift horse in the mouth.
Van den Bergh Can Go 11 Straight Against Aspinall
When he is good, he is very good. But when Nathan Aspinall is bad …he is very bad! Nevertheless, Premier League stats indicate there is very little between him and Dimitri Van den Bergh on averages, checkout ratios, and 180s scoring. Little wonder they trade at 9/10 and even money ahead of Thursday’s clash.
Of course, Van den Bergh won 6-4 when the pair met in last week’s Premier League fixture. Is it as easy as declaring the Belgian proved the better player and will win again? We believe it is! In less than three years, this duo has clashed ten times and Aspinall has lost on every occasion.
The margins of defeat have often been big too – 6-1 in week three of the Premier League – and not once has Aspinall taken Van den Berg to a deciding leg. Therefore, the selection is Van den Burgh to win this match in a handicap market whereby he forfeits 1.5 legs. The best darts betting sites quote this outcome on 5/4.
Price the Percentage Call In 180s Market
Price moved into second place in the League standings following last week’s nightly final when he accounted for Chris Dobey with a 101 average. He beat this week’s opponent, Jonny Clayton, 6-4 earlier in the evening.
On Monday Price took MVG’s scalp in a German Players’ Championship event. Although eliminated in the semi-final stages of the competition, the result would have buoyed his spirits further. Consequently, while holding no appeal, Paddy Power’s industry-best match odds on a Price victory (8/13) appear fair.
The betting value lay in Price registering the most match 180s. The 2021 world champion has recorded 35 180s in his 12 Premier League matches. Clayton has played one fewer match but has recorded a considerably lower 23 180s. 5/6 about the rugby playing arrowsmith recording the most match 180s? It appears a solid proposition.
Thursday’s Best Premier League Darts Bets
- Chris Dobey to beat Michael Smith 8/5
- Peter Right to register fewer than 2.5 match 180s against MVG 5/6
- Dimitri Van den Bergh (-1.5 legs) to beat Nathan Aspinall 5/4
- Peter Wright to register the most match 180s versus Jonny Clayton 5/6
