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Dave Chisnall (Picture: Lawrence Lustig/PDC)

World Grand Prix 2023: Darts betting tips, preview and predictions for the Sky Sports-televised major in Leicester

By Chris Hammer

Darts

Mon October 02, 2023 · 1y ago

The double-start Boylesports World Grand Prix takes place in Leicester from October 2-8 - live on Sky Sports - and our expert Chris Hammer brings you his preview and best bets.

Darts betting tips: World Grand Prix

1pt each-way Dirk van Duijvenbode to win World Grand Prix at 25/1 (General 1/2 1,2)

1pt each-way Dave Chisnall to win World Grand Prix at 20/1 (888 Sport, Coral 1/2 1,2)

1pt each-way Nathan Aspinall to win World Grand Prix at 20/1 (888 Sport, Coral 1/2 1,2)

0.5pt each-way Chris Dobey to win the World Grand Prix at 80/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair, Unibet 1/2 1,2)

1pt Chris Dobey to win the third quarter at 14/1 (bet365)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook

The PDC's double start major returns in Leicester for its 26th staging and, as ever, it'll seem like a huge relief if any of your selections survive the dreaded opening round.

All the world's greatest ever players have endured their fair share of double-start nightmares down the years - especially when it's a best-of-three sets - but generally speaking the players who tend to thrive in this tournament are those with plenty of experience of this format, iron mental strength and a very solid all-round game.

As usual, I'll run through each section of this year's draw before picking out potential champions...

Quarter one

(1) Michael Smith v Callan Rydz
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Brendan Dolan
(8) Rob Cross v Andrew Gilding
Jose de Sousa v Gary Anderson

Odds to win the quarter: Smith 7/4, Cross 7/2, Van Duijvenbode 9/2, Anderson 11/2, De Sousa 12/1, Gilding 16/1, Rydz 16/1, Dolan 22/1

Michael Smith is strangely flying under the radar despite his status as world champion and top seed but he hasn't been firing on all cylinders in the past few months.

Since the start of July, Bully Boy's average of under 95 puts him around 20th in the world and some way short of the likes of Michael van Gerwen (99.03), Luke Humphries (98.58) and the the top player on this list, Gary Anderson (99.90).

The Flying Scotsman has been rolling back the years all the season in terms of his performance levels while he's also reached four Players Championship finals, winning two of them and losing the others very narrowly.

The most recent of those was the last tournament before the World Grand Prix on Friday when he averaged 101 across his seven matches, culminating in an 8-4 triumph over Ryan Joyce.

Across all three events this past week, he averaged over 100 in 13 of his 18 matches - including five between 107 and 112 - and he's desperate to land this title for the first time.

However, I just question his mental endurance over long format matches because he hasn't had a big run on TV since reaching the 2022 World Championship semi-finals - and even that was a bolt from the blue after a quiet year.

Instead I'm going for someone with plenty more energy in Dirk van Duijvenbode, who of course reached the final on debut back in 2020.

Aubergenius was undoubtedly one of the players of the first half of the season as he picked up three Players Championship titles and agonisingly fell short of a maiden European Tour crown at the start of July when losing 8-7 to Luke Humphries.

Since then his average of 96.50 keeps him well inside the top 10 and although he could have enjoyed a better run of Players Championship events this past week, he did average 100+ in three of his nine matches including a massive 111 so there's still plenty of reason for optimism to side with him at a big price.

Verdict: Dirk van Duijvenbode to win the quarter

Click here to back Dirk van Duijvenbode each-way to win the title with Sky Bet

Quarter two

(4) Gerwyn Price v Danny Noppert
Krzysztof Ratajski v James Wade
(5) Nathan Aspinall v Stephen Bunting
Martin Schindler v Raymond van Barneveld

Odds to win the quarter: Price 5/4, Aspinall 3/1, Noppert 8/1, Ratajski 12/1, Wade 12/1, Schindler 14/1, Van Barneveld 14/1, Bunting 14/1

Nathan Aspinall was last year's runner-up following an inspired run to the final which saw him knock out both Michael Smith and Gerwyn Price along the way.

He actually saved his best average of 91.88 for the final against Michael van Gerwen which was highly impressive considering he trailed 4-0 before eventually falling short over eight sets.

His brilliant week helped reignite his career and since then he's reached the Grand Slam of Darts final and, far more impressively, won the World Matchplay back in July.

A recent run to the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam demonstrates his form and confidence while since the start of July he's just outside the top 10 for averages with an impressive 95.58.

Don't be fooled by his lack of fireworks in the Players Championship events recently. He hasn't played in many of those tournaments at all this year as he prioritises the majors and the stage of the European Tours. So far you can't say his strategy isn't working and he'll be fresh and fired up in Leicester.

I fancy the Asp to come through his mini section to reach the quarter-finals, but in terms of who he'll be facing, I'm far from convinced it'll be former champion Gerwyn Price.

He opens up against the dangerous Danny Noppert, who won his second Players Championship event of the season on Thursday, while Krzysztof Ratajski will be brimming with belief after his European Tour triumph earlier this month.

Verdict: Nathan Aspinall to win the quarter

Click here to back Nathan Aspinall each-way to win the title with Sky Bet

Quarter three

(2) Michael van Gerwen v Josh Rock
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Chris Dobey
(7) Jonny Clayton v Ross Smith
Joe Cullen v Mike De Decker

Odds to win the quarter: MVG 11/8, Clayton 4/1, Cullen 13/2, Van den Bergh 7/1, Smith 11/1, Dobey 12/1, De Decker 25/1

Michael van Gerwen is the very fair favourite to come through this quarter based on the fact he's the defending champion and has claimed this double-start trophy six times in total.

He kicks off his campaign against debutant Josh Rock and although we all know what talents the Northern Irishman possesses, it's fair to say he's not quite in the same form as he was when giving MVG a ridiculous scare at the 2022 Grand Slam of Darts.

His biggest threat in his mini section, however, could well be Chris Dobey if he gets past his tough opener against Dimitri van den Bergh.

Hollywood, who hails from the north east where double-start is played more prevalently at a local level compared to other darting hotbeds around the country, used his experience of the format to reach the semi-finals on debut back in 2019 while he reached the quarter-finals in Leicester 12 months ago.

This year, which started by winning his maiden major at the Masters, he's maintained an upward curve in his career by winning the Masters, and reaching the quarter-finals of the World MAtchplay so he'll be feeling full of confidence right now.

In the second half of the season his average of 95.69 puts him around the top 10 in the world - and is better than everyone in this quarter except MVG (99.03) while he's also shown encouraging form in the recent round of Players Championship events, including a run to a quarter-final on Thursday.

Verdict: Chris Dobey to win the quarter

Quarter four

(3) Peter Wright v Gabriel Clemens
Damon Heta v Ryan Searle
(6) Luke Humphries v Daryl Gurney
Dave Chisnall v Luke Woodhouse

Odds to win the quarter: Humphries 2/1, Chisnall 10/3, Wright 7/2, Heta 6/1, Searle 17/2, Gurney 12/1, Clemens 16/1, Woodhouse 40/1

This time last year, Dave Chisnall ran into an inspired run of form that lured me into backing him to win the World Grand Prix - an event he's traditionally very good at.

Chizzy has reached this final twice in 2013 and 2019, losing to Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen respectively, while he's also gone as far as the semi-finals on two occasions - including the 2020 edition - and in 2021 he got through to the quarter-finals before losing to Gerwyn Price.

After then seeing him win the Belgian Darts Open, I wrote: "I think if Chisnall, who also hit a nine-darter in the semi-finals, is ever going to win a major then it will probably happen swiftly after having a title-winning experience in the locker for him to feed off, especially when it's been in a stage event with a high-octane atmosphere."

He then lost in the first round.

However, fast-forward 12 months and he arrives in Leicester on the back of winning last weekend's Hungarian Darts Open - this time defying a nine-darter from Luke Humphries in an unbelievable final - and also a Players Championship tournament win a few days later in Barnsley.

That took his tally of titles for 2023 to four, which includes three on the European Tour, and it's no surprise he bullishly claimed: "With the way I’m playing, I think I’m due a big title, and it could be next week at the World Grand Prix."

Chisnall, who also beat Humphries in all four of the finals he's won this year, averaged over 100 across his seven matches that day and a shade under three figures across his five in Hungary. In the second half of the season, his average of 97.3 is in the top four overall.

I do stand by what I said last year - even if it didn't work out on that occasion - so I'll say it again.

I think if Chisnall is ever going to win a major then it will probably happen swiftly after having a title-winning experience in the locker for him to feed off, especially when it's been in a stage event with a high-octane atmosphere.

Verdict: Dave Chisnall to win the quarter

Click here to back Dave Chisnall each-way to win the title with Sky Bet

Who wins?

If my quarter predictions remarkably all come off - which realistically they won't given you'd expect at least one of the favourites to reach this stage - then I'm left with:

Dirk van Duijvenbode v Nathan Aspinall
Chris Dobey v Dave Chisnall

Given their sizeable pre-tournament prices, I'm backing them all each-way for the title but if asked to give one name as the best bet for glory, I really do think it will be Chizzy's moment.

World Grand Prix: Daily schedule

Monday October 2 (6pm)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports
First Round (Best of three sets)

Dirk van Duijvenbode v Brendan Dolan
Jose de Sousa v Gary Anderson
Krzysztof Ratajski v James Wade
Martin Schindler v Raymond van Barneveld
Nathan Aspinall v Stephen Bunting
Gerwyn Price v Danny Noppert
Michael Smith v Callan Rydz
Rob Cross v Andrew Gilding

Tuesday October 3 (6pm)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports
First Round (Best of three sets)

Joe Cullen v Mike De Decker
Dave Chisnall v Luke Woodhouse
Damon Heta v Ryan Searle
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Chris Dobey
Peter Wright v Gabriel Clemens
Michael van Gerwen v Josh Rock
Jonny Clayton v Ross Smith
Luke Humphries v Daryl Gurney

Wednesday October 4 (7pm)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports
Second Round (Best of five sets)

M Smith/Rydz v Van Duijvenbode/Dolan
Cross/Gilding v De Sousa/Anderson
Price/Noppert v Ratajski/Wade
Aspinall/Bunting v Schindler/Van Barneveld

Thursday October 5 (7pm)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports
Second Round (Best of five sets)

Van Gerwen/Rock v Van den Bergh/Dobey
Clayton/R Smith v Cullen/De Decker
Wright/Clemens v Heta/Searle
Humphries/Gurney v Chisnall/Woodhouse

Friday October 6 (7pm)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports
Quarter-Finals (Best of five sets)

Four matches

Saturday October 7 (7pm)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports
Semi-Finals (Best of seven sets)

Two matches

Sunday October 8 (7pm)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports
Final (Best of nine sets)

Winner SF 1 v Winner SF 2

What TV channel is the World Grand Prix on?

The BoyleSports World Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK, through the PDC's worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV (excluding UK, Germany, Austria & Switzerland based subscribers).

World Grand Prix: Odds

5/2 Michael van Gerwen
10/3 Gerwyn Price
9/2 Michael Smith
10/1 Luke Humphries
12/1 Nathan Aspinall
16/1 Peter Wright, Rob Cross, Dave Chisnall
20/1 Jonny Clayton, Josh Rock
33/1 Joe Cullen, Dirk van Duijvenbode
50/1 Danny Noppert, Damon Heta, Dimitri Van den Bergh, Ross Smith, Gary Anderson
100/1 Ryan Searle, James Wade, Martin Schindler, Stephen Bunting, Krzysztof Ratajski, Gabriel Clemens, Chris Dobey
150/1 Andrew Gilding, Daryl Gurney, Jose de Sousa, Mike De Decker, Raymond van Barneveld, Luke Woodhouse
200/1 Callan Rydz
300/1 Brendan Dolan

Click here for all Sky Bet's World Grand Prix odds

World Grand Prix Prize Money

Winner - £120,000
Runner-up - £60,000
Semi-finalists - £40,000
Quarter-finalists - £25,000
Second round - £15,000
First round - £7,500

Tournament Format

All Sets are the best of five legs. There will be no tie-break in any set.
All legs must begin and end with a double, meaning that a player must hit a double before he can begin scoring in each leg.
First Round - Best of three sets
Second Round - Best of five sets
Quarter-Finals - Best of five sets
Semi-Finals - Best of seven sets
Final - Best of nine sets

World Grand Prix History

Final scores in sets
1998 - Phil Taylor 13-8 Rod Harrington
1999 - Phil Taylor 6-1 Shayne Burgess
2000 - Phil Taylor 6-1 Shayne Burgess
2001 - Alan Warriner 8-2 Roland Scholten
2002 - Phil Taylor 7-3 John Part
2003 - Phil Taylor 7-2 John Part
2004 - Colin Lloyd 7-3 Alan Warriner
2005 - Phil Taylor 7-1 Colin Lloyd
2006 - Phil Taylor 7-4 Terry Jenkins
2007 - James Wade 6-3 Terry Jenkins
2008 - Phil Taylor 6-2 Raymond van Barneveld
2009 - Phil Taylor 6-3 Raymond van Barneveld
2010 - James Wade 6-3 Adrian Lewis
2011 - Phil Taylor 6-3 Brendan Dolan
2012 - Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Mervyn King
2013 - Phil Taylor 6-0 Dave Chisnall
2014 - Michael van Gerwen 5-3 James Wade
2015 - Robert Thornton 5-4 Michael van Gerwen
2016 - Michael van Gerwen 5-2 Gary Anderson
2017: Daryl Gurney 5-4 Simon Whitlock
2018: Michael van Gerwen 5-2 Peter Wright
2019: Michael van Gerwen 5-1 Dave Chisnall
2020: Gerwyn Price 5-2 Dirk van Duijvenbode
2021: Jonny Clayton 5-1 Gerwyn Price
2022: Michael van Gerwen 5-3 Nathan Aspinall

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