2022 PDC Premier League of Darts Preview – James Punt
2022 PDC Premier League of Darts Preview
The 2022 PDC Premier League of Darts has a very different format than we have been used to. The previous format from 2013 to 2018 was ten players. During the first nine weeks (Phase 1), each player played the other nine players once. The bottom two players were then eliminated from the competition. In the next six weeks (phase 2) each player played the other seven players once.
Phase 2 consisted of four weeks where five matches were played followed by two weeks where four matches were played. At the end of phase 2, the top four players contested the two semi-finals and the final in the play-off week.
In 2019 the field was reduced to nine players who were joined by nine ‘contenders’ who played one match each. At the end of nine weeks, the bottom player was eliminated, and the tournament continued as before. In 2020 the contenders became ‘challengers’, but otherwise the format was as 2019.
In 2021 the format reverted to the 2018 format, no challengers were involved. Due to covid regulations, all the matches were played behind closed doors at the Marshall arena in Milton Keynes. The matches were played in blocks of matches, rather than on one night per week, and was all the better for it.
New Format
The 2022 PDC Premier League will feature only eight players. The new format will see four quarter final matches, followed by two semi-finals and a final. The old ‘round robin’ system is gone, replaced by seventeen mini tournaments every Thursday night. All matches are best of eleven legs and the players will face each of the other seven players twice.
There will be two nights, week 8 and 16, when the player on top of the table plays the bottom player, the number two plays the number seven and so on. Players get 2 points for a quarter final win, the runner up gets three points, the winner five points and a £10k bonus.
The thought of the same eight players playing each other in this format for sixteen Thursday nights before we get to the play off stage, does not fill me with any great joy. As with all new formats, we shall have to see how it works out, but for me the whole Premier League thing is just too long. However, so long as the PDC can sell out big arenas that is what we are going to get.
Tough Going For Players
It will be harder work for the players as well. Not only is there a lot of travelling involved, the night’s winner and runner up will have played three matches and potentially 33 legs. These eight players will be travelling to the far-flung venues for the Thursday matches, before travelling to the Euro Tour events or Players Championship for the weekend. That is a lot of time on the road from 3rd February to 26th May.
Gary Anderson does not play on the Euro tour, and I wonder if we will see a few of these eight players choosing to miss a few Euro Tour or Players Championship events just to be able to spend some time at home. Of course, the Euro Tour and Players Championship are ranking events, so missing those hurts a player’s ranking.
Will the new format have any bearing on the likely winner? That is hard to say, but it does dilute the value of any previous Premier League performances as a form guide. The two weeks when the top plays bottom favours the player at the top. Last year the weakest player was Glen Durrant and playing him was pretty much a sure win. If we get a lame duck player this year, the player on top of the league at week 8, gets to play them at least three times, maybe four.
Harder To Hold Form
Last year’s format with blocks of four or five rounds being played on consecutive nights, at the same venue, was a lot easier for the players. There was little travel required and if a player was in good form, they would be likely to carry that form through the whole block of matches and pick up plenty of points. Now it is back to playing once a week, at different venues, over four months. Very few players can hold their form over four months, they have upswings and downturns, but is the same for everybody I suppose.
Whether this format will produce an exciting league, or if it will produce a lot of meaningless matches later in the tournament if four players have got enough points for the play offs, we shall see. I am a little confused as to why the format has been changed, but at least it gets rid of the dreaded draw. It also means there is no relegation and no ‘Judgement Night’.
The Players
Gerwyn Price
World number one and is making his fourth PL appearance. Price hasn’t really flourished in the PL. He has failed to make the play offs and two 5th places are his best results. His win rate in 2021 was 80% and that sort of rate suggests that a league format should be right up his street, but it has not proved so for Price, so far.
It might have something to do with the crowds that frequent the PL matches. Many are there for a night out, fancy dress and too much drink. The darts is secondary, but they all know that Price is the guy that you shout abuse at. There is one night in Cardiff, but outside of that, the punters see it as part of the night out to boo and barrack Price. He has said that he copes with it most of the time, but some nights it gets to him, and that has to count against his chances.
2022 PDC Premier League Odds: 4.50
Peter Wright
Wright is another player who has a surprisingly poor PL record. In eight appearances he has reached one final and one semi-final, the rest of the time he has failed to make the play-offs. He only failed to make the cut once, but most of the time he was making up the numbers. His 2021 win rate was 71%, fifth best of this line up.
Wright finds playing with the same set of darts for more than one match hard work these days and this may explain his relative failure to thrive in a league format. Consistency is the key and Wright will pick the wrong darts on a few occasions, just as he did at the Masters last weekend.
2022 PDC Premier League Odds: 5.50
Michael van Gerwen
Like most other titles, MVG dominated this event in his heyday. A seven-time finalist and five-time winner, the PL has been a nice earner for Van Gerwen. However, as his powers have waned, he has finished sixth in 2020 and was beaten by Jonny Clayton in the semi-finals last year. His win rate between 2013, his first year in the PL, and 2021 has fallen, most notably in the last two years.
It was always at least up to 80% and peaked at 91% in 2016 but it dropped to 75% in 2020 and 74% in 2021. While that is still very good, he is only the 3rd best in terms of 2021 win rate. He is finding winning a lot harder these days and it is hard to see why his win rate will not fall again in 2022.
2022 PDC Premier League Odds: 5.00
James Wade
Wade has the lowest win rate and second lowest 12 month scoring average. That has usually been the case for Wade, yet he has a good PL record. He has played in three finals, won one and made the play-offs six times. However, his three finals came in 2008 – 2010. His last five PL appearances saw him finish 7/6/7/SF/6.
2022 PDC Premier League Odds: 29.00
Michael Smith
Despite Smith failing to win a major title, he has been restored to the PL, ahead of Rob Cross, who did win a major in 2021. His past record is largely poor, finishing last on debut and having two seventh places. He did reach the final in 2018 but lost. His 2021 win rate was a healthy 72% but that was down to him being more successful in the floor events rather than on TV.
2022 PDC Premier League Odds: 8.00
Gary Anderson
Ando does help shift tickets in the two Scottish rounds of the PL, and like the World Championship, Anderson targets this event. The money is good, certainly enough to make up for all the traveling required. He is a two time winner and has made the play-offs seven times from his ten appearances.
He only finished eighth last year and made the cut by just one point. The problem for Anderson these days is that his win rate has fallen to just 55% in 2021. It was 69% in 2020 and when fully fit, usually in the mid 70’s. He will struggle in any league system if his win rate stays that low. His 12 month average is 95.5 and only Wade has a lower average.
2022 PDC Premier League Odds: 17.00
Jonny Clayton
The Ferret landed us a very big win in this event last year. He went into the competition with a win rate sitting around 81% but somehow was made a 21.00 shot. The rest is history as his consistency helped him lift the title. The fact that the matches were played in blocks may have helped him, but he remains one of the most consistent players in the sport. His 2021 win rate was 77%, second only to Gerwyn Price. His 12 month average is 98.7, the third best in this line up. Jonny is not 21.00 this year but he remains as one of the likely winners.
2022 PDC Premier League Odds: 6.00
Joe Cullen
The Rockstar will be trying to ‘do a Clayton’ and win the Premier League on the back of getting the latest of late call ups after winning the Masters on Sunday night. He didn’t even realise that the PL started this week. Cullen is the only player making his debut this year, but he is experienced enough to not be fazed by the huge arenas. The fact that he is young and fit will help him cope with the schedule. His 2021 win rate of 67% is better than just Anderson and Wade, he is not the winning machine that Clayton was this time last year.
2022 PDC Premier League Odds: 15.00
2022 PDC Premier League: Ante Post Selections
This time last year, my eyes nearly popped out when I saw the odds for Jonny Clayton. Only Glen Durrant was a bigger price. It was the worst piece of odds compiling I had seen for years. This year, it is hard to see any obvious ricks.
It is hard to get away from the two Welshmen in the tournament. Price and Clayton have the highest win rates and that consistency should be rewarded in a league format. Both have kept up a very high level of form for quite some time now. There is no sense that either are suddenly going to drop their standard.
Clayton Has The Edge
Gerwyn Price’s record in the event is not good. He made no secret of really hating it in his first year (2019). While he has done better in the last two years, I have to speculate that a return to full houses of real punters, all of whom are primed to give him abuse, is not going to help him.
Clayton on the other hand is a fan favourite. He also has a very good attitude to the game. He wants to win but copes well with losing. You will lose matches, you will have dips in form and just being able to get on with it without putting himself under pressure, is a real asset for Clayton.
Michael van Gerwen is a contender, he still plays at the highest level, but his confidence is in bits, and he is not coping well with losing matches. It is hard to say why he is the second favourite, other than his past record, but that was then and this is now.
Wade And Anderson Unlikely Winners
James Wade and Gary Anderson are just not winning enough matches to think that they can relive the glory years. Michael Smith does win plenty of matches and he should be a sho0 in for the play-offs. However, is he mentally strong enough? Will his head go down after a loss? Would he be able to cross the winning line if he got there? I have my doubts.
Peter Wright should have a better record in an event like this. He is a two-time World Champion after all, but only making two play-offs from eight appearances suggests that it is not a format that he likes. Joe Cullen is an improved player and winning his first TV title might now allow him to improve further but he will have up his win rate and scoring a notch or two. The fact that the last two PL winners have been debutants will give him comfort and odds of 15.00 are reasonable.
2022 PDC Premier League Tip: 2 points Jonny Clayton to win the Premier League @ 6.00 with Betfair
With no relegation, the popular to be relegated markets are gone and the side markets are rather limited. To hit the most 180s is always interesting. Of the eight players in the field, Joe Cullen is the biggest 180 hitter per leg at 32.8% over the last 12 months. He is followed by Peter Wright on 31.8% and Michael Smith on 31%.
Peter Wright has never hit the most 180s in the PL but Michael Smith has, twice from just four appearances. Everyone will get to play for 16 weeks but as players that reach more finals will be playing more matches and hitting more maximums as a result, this complicates things somewhat. However, I’ll keep it simple by saying that Smith is one of the biggest 180 hitters there is and has proven himself in the past in the PL arenas.
2022 PDC Premier League Tip: 1 point Michael Smith to hit the most tournament 180s @ 3.50 with Ladbrokes
The new format means we will have more matches but shorter matches. In the recent format there could be a maximum of 60 legs in the first phase (54 in the second), now we could see a maximum of 77 legs per night, so we should see more legs played over the tournament’s duration. That in turn increases the chances of a nine dart leg. There have only been 10 perfect legs in the 17 year history of the PL, but four of those have come in the last two years, two last year and two in 2020.
