Danny Noppert: Eyeing the BDO World Darts Championship trophy

BDO World Darts Championship: Betting tips, odds & predictions as Glen Durrant bids to defend his title

20:46 · SUN January 07, 2018

Fresh from backing Rob Cross at 16/1 to win the PDC World Championship, our Chris Hammer picks out 8/1, 25/1 and 50/1 bets for the BDO version at the Lakeside.

Firstly, if you're hoping this is going to be a place where the standard of the BDO is mocked, then you can think again and head elsewhere.

Sure, there's only been 20 match averages of 100+ in the history of the BDO World Championship compared to 25 at the most recent PDC version - but irrespective of how enthralling the latter was, there will still be plenty of quality players and crowd favourites creating drama on the Lakeside stage over the coming week.

Bare in mind that Rob Cross failed to qualify for this event back in 2016 and look what's happened to him.

Also, the very best in the BDO would be good enough to cut it on the PDC tour - not least last year's champion Glen Durrant and the runner-up Danny Noppert, who could both cross codes in the near future. And I'd expect them both to do themselves justice if they do.

Last year I fancied the Teesider to back up his world number one status by finally getting his hands on the famous trophy for the first time and barring what turned out to be an incredibly scary test against Paul Hogan, who hit double 16 when he needed double eight for a stunning 4-0 win, he came through comfortably in the end.

Since defeating Noppert 7-3 in the final, Duzza has focused more on his exhibition work rather than ranking events which goes some way to explaining why he's now 'only' two in the world but he's still managed four tournaments wins including the Welsh Open and the prestigious England Matchplay in which he beat fellow BDO stars Mark McGeeney, Jamie Hughes and Scott Mitchell.

The 47-year-old then beat Peter Wright and Alan Norris to top his Grand Slam of Darts group and qualify for the knockout stages for the second successive year and then saw off Dave Chisnall 10-8 before Snakebite got his revenge 16-10 in the quarter-finals.

But not before Durrant almost managed a nine-darter!

I witnessed him in exhibition action first hand at Elland Road at the start of December where he knocked out Phil Taylor in the tournament semi-final with a 4-1 win, averaging 114.05 in the process, although he came up short against Daryl Gurney who was on fire that night.

I'm obviously not reading much into that evening but he was throwing very well indeed.

On the downside he does have quite a tricky draw (scroll down to view it), starting out against seasoned campaigner Gary Robson (if he wins his preliminary match) before a potential clash with three-time semi-finalist Darryl Fitton (66/1), who was beaten 6-1 by Durrant in the last four last year.

Next it's likely to be either Scotland's Cameron Menzies (16/1), who impressed when beating Simon Whitlock at the Grand Slam before that awkward defeat to dartitis-stricken Berry van Peer prevented him reaching the last 16, or the equally impressive Jim Williams (50/1).

The Welshman, 33, was runner-up to Noppert at the recent Zuiderduin Masters but did defeat Durrant in the group stages before knocking out Scott Waites and Jamie Hughes - so he's got good form to call on.

He also won the 2017 stagings of the French Open, Antwerb Open and Swiss Open, with the likes of McGeeney, Geert de Vos, Martin Phillips, Ross Montgomery and Wesley Harms among his victims.

They all better be wary of dangerous outsider Dennis Nilsson - the former runner-up in Sweden's strongest man. He showed tremendous bottle to come through very close games against Steve Beaton, Daryl Gurney and Dave Chisnall in a dream run to a PDC European Tour event quarter-final at the back end of last year.

So even if Durrant works his way through that quarter of the draw, he'll then face the winner of another loaded section featuring former champions Scott Waites (22/1) and Scott Mitchell (12/1), while fifth seed Ross Montgomery (66/1) is in the mix.

Essentially I'm saying that while he's the class act in the field, there are dangers lurking for him and I wouldn't be confident lumping on at 11/10 (Price Boosted to 11/8 at Sky Bet) like I was last year.

Of all the aforementioned players in this section, I wouldn't put anyone off any of them given how hard-fought it's going to be but I'm going to have a small each-way dabble on Williams.

In the other half we have the talented but unseeded Noppert, who must first come through a preliminary round game.

He's in this position because he's not featured in too many events but he's very recently given up his full-time job to focus on his dream of becoming a professional darts player and his priority will be to win a PDC tour card very soon.

He'd love to sign off his BDO career with the biggest prize and showed he's running into top form at the right time by winning that Zuiderduin Masters title in December - one of the big majors.

Noppert, 27, averaged over 95 in a 5-3 set-play victory which is obviously of a very good standard in the BDO while he'd previously thrashed Cameron Menzies and Wesley Harms before edging past Mitchell in the semis.

The Dutchman may have disappointed at last year's Grand Slam of Darts - 12 months after running Gary Anderson close before losing 10-9 in the last 16 - but we have to consider he was a little rusty then. Nevertheless he battered Mark Webster 5-2 in a dead rubber to gain a degree of respectability.

He's 8/1 second favourite and although he's got to come through a preliminary clash against Joe Chaney, he's somewhat fortunate that he doesn't play a 'true seed' in Richie Edwards who replaced James Hurrell in the draw after the 15th seed withdrew due to ill health.

If he gets through that then his big test comes against either BDO number one McGeeney or Martin 'Wolfie' Adams.

McGeeney has had a great season by winning four events and reaching three other finals, including the World Masters. On that day he was put to the sword 6-1 by the talented Krzysztof Ratajski, who had earlier beaten both Durrant and Menzies, but the Pole isn't competing at the Lakeside because he qualified for the PDC version instead.

McGeeney is probably overpriced at 25/1 and he certainly will be a lot shorter if he's able to defeat former three-time champion Adams, who is well past his best now, and Noppert, so it makes sense to keep him on side as well.

The duo did last meet in the final of the 2017 Hal Open, with McGeeney overcoming the Dutchman 3-1 so there's not as big a gulf in class as the odds suggest.

I do like two-time semi-finalist here Jamie Hughes at the bottom of the draw - and plenty of darts fans will be backing the third seed at 16/1 following a year in which he won the British Classic as well as reaching three other finals - but I think I've got more than enough with three!

As for the women's event - Lisa Ashton is a worthy favourite if we remember how dominant she was last year and according to her best friend and former 10-champion Trina Gulliver, "she's on fire at the moment".

The Lancashire Rose, who is 5/4 as she looks to lift the trophy for the fourth time in five years, didn't drop a set last year although the best-of-three sets format until the final means shocks can occur.

I'd like to see top seed Deta Hedman (6/1) finally get her hands on the trophy at long last but if you want to back a long shot then how about 23-year-old Fallon Sherrock at 16/1. She's already reached a final here three years ago but she faces fifth seed and 2017 runner-up Corrine Hammond first up.