2024 European Championship R2 Preview

Now, it is time for James Punt’s 2024 European Championship R2 betting preview. He got back on track with three winners last night, including a nice two pointer on Mike De Decker. Hopefully there’s more of the same to come today.

Ryan Searle vs. Luke Woodhouse

There are two Lukes into the second round, but Littler is not one of them. Woodhouse gave Ross Smith a bit of a kicking, winning their first round match 6-1. He has won five of his last ten matches but is playing better than that sounds. He has lost in deciding legs to Humphries and MVG, for example. He is harder to beat these days.

Searle is the heavier scorer, but while he has won seven of his last ten matches, he is not playing with a lot of consistency. He certainly is not banker material.

Their H2H record is 3-2 to Searle, but they have not met since 2022. Woodhouse is certainly a better player than he was in 2022. None of their matches went to a decider.

Searle Stronger

Ryan Searle is the 1.53 favourite, Woodhouse 2.75. Searle is the better player, his A game is stronger and he is more experienced in big TV matches. His record in Majors is nothing to write home about however, and he has not made the third round in his three previous European Championships.

Woodhouse has limited Major experience and outside of a Players Championship finals quarter final in 2023, his record is not one that shows any great success, but he is playing better right now. We do not really know how the ‘new’ Woodhouse will cope in a longer format, ranking Major match. He has played five best of 19 legs matches in the last 12 months, four went over 16.5 legs and he won three.

This is not an easy call, but Woodhouse interests me. He is a better player than he ever has been. Searle is the better player, but far from bullet proof and he is a better floor player than stage. For that reason, I think the value lies with Woodhouse. Hopefully he makes a game of this at the very least.

2024 European Championship R2 Tip: 1 point over 16.5 legs @ 1.85 with Ladbrokes

Dirk van Duijvenbode vs. Daryl Gurney

Both players had good first round results. Dirk sent the number one seed packing and Gurney sent Price into early retirement.

Van Duijvenbode is playing with a great deal of consistency and has won six of his last ten matches, with just one sub 95 average.

Gurney has also won six of his last ten matches, but his game is inconsistent with four sub 92 averages and he is not punching with the same weight has Van Duijvenbode.

Their H2H record shows a healthy 7-3 lead for Gurney. They have met four times in 2024, with Gurney winning three. He is 4-0 on stage vs. Dirk.

Dirk’s current form is better, but he does struggle vs. Gurney. Dirk is the 1.79 favourite, Gurney 2.20. The value may lie with a Gurney win. This is a best of 19 leg match and this will be the first long format match that they have played.

Two of their last four matches have required a deciding leg and, so long as Gurney doesn’t have an off day, this looks like a potentially close match.

2024 European Championship R2 Tip: 1 point over 16.5 legs @ 1.80 with Ladbrokes

Michael Smith vs. Ritchie Edhouse

Edhouse fired in a 109 average in his 6-1 win over Gian van Veen. He can do that sort of thing. He hit a 120 average three weeks ago. He played Smith shortly after and averaged 102 in a 6-3 win. That said, his seasonal average is 92.35, so these are at the very top range of his A Game. Outside of the UK Open, Edhouse has never got beyond the second round in a ranking Major.

Smith beat a very poor Dave Chisnall 6-0, but he only needed a 92 average to do so. It was a hopeless form guide. Smith has won seven of his last ten matches but he is very inconsistent, and far from bullet proof.

Close H2H

Their H2H record is 5-4 to Smith, so a lot closer than you might expect between a former World Champion and a player yet to win a senior PDC title of any sort. They have never played anything other than best of eleven leg matches, but of those nine matches five needed a deciding leg. They have met twice on TV and it is 1-1 in those two matches.

Smith is the 1.44 favourite to win, Edhouse 2.90. At the odds, Edhouse makes much more appeal. Smith is every bit as likely to put in an under par performance and the value lies with the outsider.

2024 European Championship R2 Tip: 1 point Ritchie Edhouse to win @ 2.90 with Ladbrokes

Mike De Decker vs Danny Noppert

It is hard to resistant the claims of a super confident Mike de Decker. He did not need to get out of first gear to beat Josh Rock 6-1 and land our two pointer last night.

Noppert beat the out of form Joe Cullen 6-2, also with a ninety average. Noppert was far from good for most of that match. He finished with a flourish, hitting a 170 checkout, but he was averaging low 80s for most of the match.

Their H2H record is 5-2 to De Decker, and more importantly, he beat Noppert 6-0 last weekend. That is where his game is right now. Noppert only had one chance to hit a double in that match, and he missed. I would expect another drubbing.

De Decker is a 1.73 shot, which begs the question, have the bookies been paying attention?

2024 European Championship R2 Tip: 1 point Mike de Decker to win @ 1.73 with Betfred, SpreadEx, Betfair

-JamesPunt