Hungarian Darts Trophy Sunday Preview

Today we head into the final stages of this Euro Tour event after an exciting day on Saturday. James Punt has landed a number of winners already, let’s hope for more today. Check out his Hungarian Darts Trophy Sunday tips and preview below.

Joe Cullen vs. Rob Cross

Cullen was impressive when beating Geert de Vos 6-3 yesterday. De Vos was not up to much but Cullen averaged 100 and hit eight maximum’s. He could have been better on the doubles, missing 14, but his scoring made up for that.

Rob Cross beat Ross Smith 6-4 in an average sort of match. Cross averaged 94 with 33% on the doubles and was lucky that Smith wasn’t on his A game.

Their H2H record is 6-5 to Cullen and he has won their last three. Cullen has raised his standard and his win rate and seasonal average has never been better. Cross is still trying to get back to his best and while he is heading in the right direction, it isn’t there just yet.

Cullen had suffered a recent dip in form and one match doesn’t mean he is back to his best, but he deserves to be the 1.67 favourite. The odds for the match look about right but with two big 180 hitters and potentially a 10 leg or so match we should see more than 5.50.

Hungarian Darts Trophy Sunday: 1 point over 5.50 180’s @ 2.00 with Ladbrokes

James Wade vs. Luke Humphries

Wade had to up his game against William O’Connor, with both players averaging 99 and he looked very pleased to have nicked the win with O’Connor sitting on 24 in the deciding leg. Luke Humphries had an easier time, beating Devon Petersen 6-2 but he found his A game, averaged 101 with 60% on the doubles.

Their H2H stats show a 4-3 lead for Wade, and they have played a lot in 2021, five times with Wade winning three. None of their 2021 matches have been close but when they last met in the euro tour in 2019 it went to a deciding leg.

Both players are in good form, Wade winning eight of his last ten, Humphries seven. Both are averaging 96 for the season and given recent form and H2H form, you have to make Wade the marginal favourite. The bookies agree and have Wade at 1.80, Humphries 2.10 so there is no value in the outright market.

Humphries is the better 180 hitter but that is reflected in his odds of 1.60. Under 9.5 legs is perhaps the most attractive bet at 1.88 but there is any great edge in this match, and we can just root for Humphries to make progress. No bet.

Michael van Gerwen vs. Brendan Dolan

MVG saw off one Northern Irishman in the second round and he will be expected to do the double with The History Maker today. Van Gerwen vs. Gurney matches are rarely dull and last night was no exception, both averaged 101 and it was closer than 6-4 suggests with Superchin hitting a bullseye rather than the 25 when looking to square the match 5-5.

Dolan didn’t have to be at his best to beat Alan Soutar 6-1 and while his scoring was under par, his doubling (60%) was excellent.

The H2H stats show a 19-5 lead for MVG although the last time they met at this stage in a euro tour match in 2018, Dolan won 6-4. He is playing his best darts for years, his win rate is slightly better than Van Gerwen’s in 2021 and Dolan can’t just be dismissed out of hand.

Does having a crowd help MVG more than most? Very possibly and we will learn more today. The bookies are showing some respect for Dolan, making MVG the 1.33 favourite and Dolan 3.50. Twelve months ago, Dolan would have been double those odds. Even the handicap markets are only giving Dolan +2.5. and making him favourite with it.

Perhaps there is some value in over 9.5 legs? That would have copped in three of their last four best of 11 matches and it seems a reasonable bet.

Hungarian Darts Trophy Sunday: 1 point over 9.5 legs @ 2.25 with Hills

Gerwyn Price vs. Damon Heta

It seems that Gerwyn Price is still the pantomime villain with darts fans, or to be more accurate, some of the pissed up bellends that go to the darts to try and put him off. At least the referee last night did take action and had the worst offender ejected but there will be some 4000 players there today so there will be plenty of arseholes. Price eventually got his game head on but not before he was 2-1 down after losing a 27 dart leg. It was far from vintage Price, averaging 92 with just 29% on the doubles.

Heta was understandably emotional after his 6-4 win over Whitlock. It was a strange match. Whitlock was poor, with just 19% on the doubles. The Wizard was 4-1 up and Heta looked deflated despite scoring better but Whitlock just went right off his game and it fell into Heta’s lap. It remains to be seen if that match will have allowed Heta to clear his head and get back to just darts, but he will need to be better today, as will Price.

Price Dominates H2H

The H2H record shows a commanding 5-0 to Price. They have never met on stage before and you have to wonder if a hostile crowd will help Heta or just motivate Price?

Price is the 1.40 favourite, Heta 3.20 and it is hard to argue with that, especially given their H2H record. Their last match was a players championship final (the second final they have played) and that was just last month and it went to a deciding leg.

One bet which looks reasonable is Heta to have the most 180’s. He is a big maximum hitter and he hit five last night while not at his best. Price hit just two and in the last three players championship matches he played last month he hit just three in total. In the players championship final last month, it was 6-0 to Price in terms of 180’s and it was 4-2 to Price in the penultimate match, so maybe it is not that wise. No bet.

Jose de Sousa vs. Nathan Aspinall

These two stable mates have played five times with three wins for De Sousa a draw and one win for Aspinall. That win was in the original Home Tour, the remote tournament in the first lockdown. Not ‘real’ darts.

Aspinall was back to his best yesterday when he smashed up Bradley Brooks 6-1, averaged 101 and was 75% on the doubles. He puts the up turn in form down to hard work, putting in lots of practice in the last two weeks after getting lazy.

De Sousa beat Joe Murnan 6-3 with a second gear performance. The Special One started slowly and was 1-3 down before he found his game and suddenly it was all over. Once he got into his stride it was lots of sub 15 dart legs and that is hard to beat.

This has classic match written all over it.

De Sousa is the 1.57 favourite, Aspinall 2.50 but total legs is where my money is going. If both players can play their A game it will be a slug fest, high scoring, blow for blow and it could go all the way, just like their 10-9 Premier League semi-final last time they met.

Hungarian Darts Trophy Sunday: 2 points over 9.5 legs @ 1.95 with Hills, Boylesports

Adam Gawlas vs. Lewy Williams

A first time meeting for the two youngsters. Gawlas beat our man Clayton yesterday, but it must be said that that The Ferret had a bad day at the office. Sometimes he just can’t find the doubles and yesterday was a case in point, hitting at just 19%. That allowed Gawlas to settle and take advantage, winning 6-5 but averaging just 83.7. Clayton lost it more than Gawlas won it.

Lewy Williams on the other hand was quite impressive, very impressive, when beating Ratajski 6-3 and averaging 98.8 with an exceptional 86% on the doubles. What was more impressive is that he was 0-3 in the match and won six legs in a row to win, sealing it with a 13 dart leg. It was a very mature performance from this very promising young Welsh player. He has a bit about him, looks confident and he should win this.

2 points Williams to win @ 1.67 with Betfred, Skybet, Unibet

Peter Wright vs. William Borland

It was a good day for the teenagers yesterday and another one to get through to Sunday is Big Willy Borland. He was able to get the better of a rusty Suljovic and win 6-5. He had been 5-1 up only to get a bit tight and Suljovic squared it at 5-5. Borland looked to have blown his big chance, but to his credit he hit 14 darter in the decider to progress to this match.

He now faces one of the, no THE form player of the moment. Peter Wright sans painted head beat Florian Hempel 6-3, but Wright was nowhere near his best, hitting just two legs with 15 darts or less. He will need to find a better level of performance if he is to win the title that is for sure.

Borland is under no pressure; he has exceeded expectations and that can make a player dangerous. Snakebite will need to be on his guard. They have never met before but with a seasonal average some 10 points higher, Wright should win this comfortably and is the 1.14 favourite. Not a great betting heat. No Bet.

Michael Smith vs. Keane Barry

Another of the kids to reach the third round is the much-vaunted Keane Barry. He beat the out of form Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-3. The Aubergenius was very poor, but Keane stuck to his task, averaged 95 with 40% on the doubles. A solid performance.

Michael Smith is flying under the radar a bit this weekend. He beat John Michael at a canter last night, averaging 101, 43% on the doubles. Michael played a decent game, averaging 94 and 50% on the doubles, so Smith got a good workout and passed the test well.

Smith is 2-0 against Kean winning 6-3 and 6-4. Expect something very similar this afternoon.

Hungarian Darts Trophy Sunday: 0.5 point Smith to win 6-3 @ 5.50 with Boylesports

-JamesPunt