PDC World Darts Championship: Thursday's predictions, odds, betting tips, order of play & TV times
The third round of the 25th PDC World Darts Championship continues today - here's the order of play, our predictions, odds and a suggested acca.
Phil Taylor will be hoping to keep alive his hopes of winning a 17th and final world championship this evening while the likes of Rob Cross and Gary Anderson are also in action.
Below is the full running order, complete with the Sky Bet odds, Chris Hammer's predicted scoreline for each game, his suggested bets and accumulator. You can also click here for the full tournament draw, daily schedule and results.
*Three of Chris Hammer's four suggested bets came in yesterday so scroll down to the bottom for for his selections today*
World Darts Championship: Thursday December 28
Click on the odds for more Sky Bet match markets
AFTERNOON SESSION
TV coverage: Sky Sports Darts (1230 GMT)
Third round: (Best of 7 sets)
Toni Alcinas (23/10) v Darren Webster (1/3)
We haven't seen the best of Darren Webster by any means so I wouldn't really advise anyone to lump on the Demolition Man in what could be a war of attrition against Toni Alcinas. The Spaniard brought his fellow country Cristo Reyes, who is ranked just three places below Webster on the PDC Order of Merit, down to his level in a battling first-round win before beating giantkiller Kevin Munch 4-1. The pair did meet in the Players Championship Finals last month, with Webster grinding out a 6-3 win so don't expect a classic.
Prediction: 2-4
Mensur Suljovic (1/2) v Dimitri van den Bergh (13/8)
This could easily be the match of the day - or indeed the round - if both players produce their A-game. On what we've seen so far, World Youth champion van den Bergh is closer to his current best - although his potential could well be much greater - having produced a brilliant 104 average to beat Stephen Bunting in the opening round before nailing over 53% of his doubles to sink Jan Dekker. A wasp posed Mensur Suljovic more of a threat than Kevin Painter did in an easy first-round win but he had to battle his way past Robert Thornton 4-2 to reach this stage. I do feel at this stage of the tournament, experience will be key for the Champions League of Darts winner and if he's pushed by van den Bergh then his player performance lines of scoring over 3.5 180s and managing a checkout of over 108.5 are pretty tame. Throw in the win for 2/1.
Prediction: 4-2
John Henderson (5/1) v Rob Cross (1/8)
John Henderson is making a habit of causing shocks at the majors in recent months and maybe we shouldn't consider him such a big outsider. He beat MVG en route to the World Grand Prix semi-finals and proved that was no fluke by stunning the well-fancied Daryl Gurney here in the last round. Followers of my darts tips know I'm pretty much all in on Rob Cross, who survived two match darts to edge out Michael Smith in an Ally Pally classic, so I'll keep my power dry for this one although I do like the look of the 6/4 for him to win, score over 6.5 180s and manage a checkout of over 110.5. He could do those in a 4-0 win and Big John could easily pinch a set or two today.
Prediction: 2-4
EVENING SESSION
TV coverage: Sky Sports Darts (1900 GMT)
Third round: (Best of 7 sets)
Jamie Lewis (8/15) v James Richardson (6/4)
How great was Jamie Lewis against Peter Wright last night? I tipped him at +2.5 sets at 11/8 but I wish I'd been more greedy and just taken the 5/1 for the upset win! He averaged 107.67, fired 13 maximums and also landed three ton+ checkouts while three successive 12-dart legs including finishes of 125, 81 and 123 - with the latter two both on the bullseye - saw him blitz the second set after the disappointment of throwing the first away. Having almost averaged 100 in beating Jonny Clayton 3-0 as an underdog, he firmly believes himself although now he has the pressure of being favourite against another pre-tournament rank outsider James Richardson, who thrashed seeded duo Kim Huybrechts and Alan Norris. Over the first two rounds combined, Lewis and Richardson have hit 29 180s between them in 16 sets so over 11.5 in this clash is 4/6. Considering Lewis distorted that total with 13 last night as well as the possibility of both unseeded players feeling more tension tonight with such a big opportunity in their grasp, I reckon going under at 6/5 is the bet.
Prediction: 4-1
Phil Taylor (1/14) v Keegan Brown (7/1)
When Keegan Brown isn't practicing or competing, he must be reading Phil Taylor's autobiography to get through it "20 million times over". It'll be an honour for him his name to be written in the Power's unwritten final chapter regardless of this result but to stand even a chance tonight he'll need to make Taylor feel the pressure, like Chris Dobey managed to an extent in the opening round. Justin Pipe failed miserably as he was meekly brushed aside 4-0 although the 57-year-old acknowledges he needs to play better if he's to go all the way. Brown played far better in beating James Wade 3-2 than he did in grinding past unheralded Zoran Lerchbacher so expect him to raise his game. Between them I think there'll be a high checkout of over 120.5 and more than 7.5 180s and over 16.5 legs.
Prediction: 4-2
Gary Anderson (1/20) v Steve West (9/1)
Steve West is starting to come out the other side after a tough time with hip and sinus operations as well as a divorce - so the prize money already earned will no doubt be a shot in the arm for him. He did well to get past Benito van de Pas and then Jermaine Wattimena but the performance levels he showed won't be enough to trouble Gary Anderson if the Flying Scotsman gets going like we all know.
Prediction: 4-1
Thursday's suggested darts bets
- Suljovic to win, hit more than 3.5 180s and a checkout of over 108.5 at 2/1
- Under 11.5 180s in Lewis v Richardson at 6/5
- Taylor v Brown to have over 16.5 legs, a checkout of over 120.5 and over 7.5 180s at 11/10