Free darts betting tips & odds: International Darts Open preview as Mensur Suljovic bids to defend his title
Our darts expert Chris Hammer has 9/1 and 25/1 selections to check out for this weekend's International Darts Open in Riesa.
There will be a fair few darts punters somewhat surprised to see man-of-the-moment Mensur Suljovic priced up at 9/1 third favourite to defend his International Darts Open title this weekend.
The Austrian's popularity is continuing on a steep upward curve following his heroics at the Champions League of Darts as he defied his pre-tournament status as 40/1 outsider to claim his first major televised title.
Suljovic topped a group containing three of the sport's biggest names in Gary Anderson, Peter Wright and Dave Chisnall by producing some superb darts to beat the lot of them - including a 10-3 thrashing of the Flying Scotsman - before overcoming Raymond van Barneveld 11-9 in a thrilling semi-final which he finished off with a stunning 160 checkout.
Anderson was again odds-on favourite to get his revenge in what was only Suljovic's second ever major televised final but although it was a much closer affair, the world number seven held his nerve - despite averaging under 90 - to win 11-9 on his favourite double 14.
On the whole of last weekend's evidence, you'd be expecting to see him priced much shorter to triumph in a lesser in tournament which only features two other players from that high-class Champions League event in Cardiff - namely Wright and Chisnall. Who both of course lost to Suljovic and crashed out in the group stage.
Sure, the 45-year-old's moment of glory doesn't suddenly make him a prolific winner - his only PDC title before Cardiff was last year's International Darts Open final and that was only after Kim Huybrechts contrived to miss SEVEN championship darts.
He's been runner-up twice on the European Tour this season - losing 6-4 to Michael Smith in Gibraltar and 6-3 to MVG at the European Darts Matchplay - but maybe now Suljovic will start believing in himself a bit more.
That said, the 'strategy' of repeatedly telling the BBC he has "no chance" of winning last weekend didn't turn out too badly!
He's in the weaker half of the draw so will avoid the likes of Wright, Chizzy, Daryl Gurney, Smith and the impressive Rob Cross until the final so you might now be thinking that 9/1 looks even better.
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My only concern is that he might be mentally fatigued - not only after winning such a high-class event but all the attention that comes with it. Factors which he won't have been used to during his career which could well start to go places despite being no spring chicken.
He'll surely be too strong for William O'Connor in the second round on Saturday night and that will potentially set him up with a clash against Huybrechts in the quarters.
Last year's runner-up must first get past Christian Kist and then probably Ian White in two very winnable games and should he do that, then he'll have extra motivation to right the wrongs of that aforementioned clash with Suljovic.
That really hurt the Belgian, who is still seeking his first PDC title since 2015, and so did his miserable Premier League season although the latter was quite clearly - and understandably - affected by the illness of his late mother.
Things haven't gone Huybrechts' way in recent weeks but overall he's been to the quarter-finals or beyond at nine events this season - including the last eight of the UK Open, the World Cup semi-finals and a Players Championship final - while we all know the quality he can produce on his day.
One could argue the return to Riesa will bring back damaging memories but I reckon it could have a galvanising impact on such a fiery, competitive player as Huybrechts.
I'm therefore going to advise a small each-way bet on the man who I feel poses Suljovic's greatest danger in the bottom half.
As for the top half? Well, you could make a strong case for as many as six of them battling their way into Sunday's final.
Wright may have temporarily lost the habit of winning tournaments having scooped nine of them by the start of July and perhaps feels too short at 11/4 - but this tough draw will ensure there's no complacency on his part.
Jelle Klaasen has saved his best performances during an injury-hit season for the European Tour, reaching one final and three semis, but I wouldn't want to back him significantly as the 3/1 second favourite, especially given he could face Wright in the third round.
The rising star that is Rob Cross will certainly attract plenty of punters at 11/1 having averaged over 100 in every match en route to the German Darts Grand Prix final a fortnight ago, when he lost to MVG, with his highest being 109.1 in a stunning 6-2 victory over Suljovic.
It was his maiden European final in a superb debut season as a professional on the PDC tour which has also seen him win two Players Championship titles back in March and May.
The 26-year-old has a bright future ahead of him but it'll be asking a lot of him to succeed this weekend.
Fourth seed Michael Smith, who won the Gibraltar Darts Trophy earlier this year and narrowly lost to MVG in the Austrian Darts Open final, is a potential third-round opponent for Cross while in the quarter-final it's likely to be Chisnall or Gurney.
Regular readers of my previous previews will know I'm a big fan of Gurney's potential and the quality he already has at his disposal but it's hard to back him at 9/1 in such a tough half of the draw.
Recommended Bets: International Darts Open
1pt Mensur Suljovic to win the title at 9/1 (Sky Bet)
0.5pts each-way Kim Huybrechts to win the title at 25/1 (Sky Bet, 1/2 1,2)
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Posted at 2300 BST on 22/09/17