Van Gerwen (Steve Welsh/PDC)
Van Gerwen (Steve Welsh/PDC)

World Matchplay Darts: Day three predictions, odds, betting tips, order of play & TV time


The first round of the World Matchplay darts concludes tonight so here's the full order of play, odds, predictions and our best bets.

Related Darts Content
Player-by-player guide & predictions
World Matchplay draw, TV schedule & results
Click here for reviews of the action so far

It's day three of the World Matchplay at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, with two-time defending champion and tournament favourite Michael van Gerwen kicking off his campaign.

Adrian Lewis, Ian White and Simon Whitlock are the other seeded players in action as the first-round draws to a close.

Here, we have tonight's full running order, the Sky Bet odds, our predicted scoreline for each game and a best bet of the night.

Remember you can click here for a player-by-player guide of the full 32-man field and click here for a full in-depth tournament betting preview.  

World Matchplay Darts: Monday July 24


Click on the odds for more Sky Bet match markets
Click here for all the World Matchplay results 
First Round: Best of 19 legs
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Action from 1900 BST

(16) Simon Whitlock (4/6) v Kyle Anderson (6/5)
Our prediction: 10-6

(4) Adrian Lewis (4/11) v Steve Beaton (11/5)
Our prediction: 10-7

(1) Michael van Gerwen (1/33) v Stephen Bunting (11/1)
Our prediction: 10-3

(13) Ian White (6/5) v Rob Cross (4/6)
Our prediction: 10-7 

 * Each game must be won by two clear legs, with up to a maximum of five additional legs being played before the sixth additional leg is sudden-death 

Monday's Best Darts Bets


MVG to beat Bunting, hit more 180s & have highest checkout at evens

Ian White to beat Rob Cross at 6/5

I've already explained at great length in by pre-tournament betting preview & player-by-player guide why Michael van Gerwen is a worthy odds-on favourite to win this prestigious title for a third straight year and I doubt anyone can see Stephen Bunting pulling off an extraordinary shock tonight.

That said, the Bullet did actually win their last meeting in a Players Championship event final in March 2016 but he's really struggled to go deep in any tournament this year and he'll be no match for the mighty Dutchman.

MVG will want to blast out of the blocks and make short work of this, especially given how the likes of Gary Anderson and Peter Wright were pushed too hard for their liking - not to mention all the seeds that have already bowed out.

I don't normally partake in these match trebles given how often any of today's top players nail a big checkout but the odds on Bunting making a higher one are slim if he only wins a handful of legs. Throw in the 180s too and you get even-money and that has to be worth a shot.

Only MVG, Wright and Gary Anderson have won more than Simon Whitlock's three titles in 2017 while the Aussie veteran also beat Kyle Anderson in their only meeting this season. 

He's 4/6 to beat his compatriot again and that's worth going into any multiples you fancy.

I'm not too sure about Adrian Lewis at odds-on prices. He's returning since having surgery on a "painful health issue"  which has forced him to miss several tournaments of late so it's clearly tough to predict how he'll get on.

If he's pain free and relaxed then he shouldn't have any problems but Beaton is more than capable to spring a surprise should Jackpot be rusty. The Adonis is also enjoying a mini renaissance having landed his first title in four years last month at a Players Championship event in Wigan, beating Gary Anderson in the final to do it.

There could well be an upset in the final match of the night - although it's the seeded player Ian White who goes into the clash as underdog.

It says it all about Rob Cross that he headed into his debut World Matchplay as the same price as Raymond van Barneveld (50/1) and much shorter than far more experienced players including Jelle Klaasen and Kim Huybrechts.

This is his debut season on the PDC tour but he's played fantastically well, winning two Players Championship titles and reaching the latter stages of many other tournaments. He's even beaten MVG this season.

Even on his major debut at the UK Open he managed to work his way through to the last 16 where he lost to eventual champion Peter Wright so I can't naively say he can't handle the big stage.

But White shouldn't be underestimated here. The 46-year-old has bags of experience and has reached six major quarter-finals over the past seven years, including the 2017 UK Open.

It's when matches get longer against higher calibre opposition when he begins to struggle but he can do damage in these early rounds and often goes under the radar.

He's even beaten Cross three times out of four this year, including their last meeting earlier this month so this will also give him the mental edge.

By Chris Hammer

Click here for an in-depth player-by-player guide & predictions

Check out Chris Hammer's in-depth World Matchplay betting preview  


Like what you've read?

MOST READ

Join for Free
Image of stables faded in a gold gradientGet exclusive Willie Mullins insight, plus access to premium articles, expert tips and Timeform data, plus more...
Log in
Discover Sporting Life Plus benefits

Next Off

Fixtures & Results

Fetching latest games....