Night 8 Premier League Darts Preview and Tips – JP
Night 8 Premier League Darts Preview
Rockstar Joe Cullen was the winner on Night 7 in Rotterdam. He edged out hometown hero Michael Van Gerwen 6-5 and his meteoric rise continues. On Thursday night the action comes from Birmingham, check out James Punt’s Night 8 Premier League Darts preview below.
Night 8 Preview
Hopefully tonight we can get a winner. This Premier League has been going the way of them all, bar last year, a money pit.
Michael van Gerwen vs. James Wade
I would say it is safe to say that Van Gerwen is back to his best. That best is unlikely to ever to be as dominant as he once was. The standard of players around him is better and his aura of invincibility has taken a kicking in the last couple of years. But he is still one of the top three or four players out there.
MVG has won nine of his last ten matches, and only Joe Cullen has won more ranking titles in 2022.
James Wade, on the other hand, is suffering a dip in form. His 2022 win rate is down to 53%, he’s lost 1.1 points on his 2021 average, he has lost five of his last ten matches and is bottom of the league with 4 wins from eleven matches. Like myself, he hasn’t had a win since night 4. That said, he can still turn it on. He reached the quarter final of PC8 at the weekend, hitting two ton plus averages, but the event was won by his opponent tonight.
MVG Has H2h Advantage
Their H2H record is 44-17 to MVG and of players Wade has faced more than twice, only Taylor has inflicted more defeats on him. They have met twice in 2022 with MVG winning 6-4 and 6-5, the latter in the PL.
Van Gerwen is the 1.36 favourite and given his good form he should be winning this. However, Wade could be a tougher opponent than the odds suggest.
Night 8 Premier League Darts Tip: 1 point James Wade to win +2.5 legs @ 1.73 generally available
Joe Cullen vs. Gerwyn Price
Cullen won Night 7 last week, beating Angry Anderson, Peter Wright, and Michael van Gerwen, averaging 90.67 across the three matches. His B game is getting more effective. Cullen has a good H2H record against Price, 8-7 up, winning both their matches in 2022 and six of their last eight. He is in good form, winning eight of his last ten matches, even if his scoring hasn’t been top drawer.
Gerwyn Price has won seven of his last ten and won PC7 at the weekend, dispelling any lingering doubts about his hand injury. He was very lucky to get a win over Rob Cross in the semi-final, with Cross blowing a big lead and missing numerous match darts. Price may not be at his best, but he is closer to it.
Price is the 1.63 favourite, Cullen the 2.38 outsider. The value looks to be with Cullen given their recent H2H form, but it could be another close affair. Six of their last eight matches have required a deciding leg.
Night 8 Premier League Darts Tip: 1 point Joe Cullen to win @ 2.38 generally available
Night 8 Premier League Darts Tip: 1 point over 9.5 legs @ 2.00 with Fitzdares
Peter Wright vs. Gary Anderson
Anderson managed to throw away a lead against Joe Cullen last week. He should have won 6-3, but he blew it and then accused Cullen of being a cheat. Always classy in defeat. He has won seven of his last ten matches and seven of those ten saw ton plus averages, including a 113 against Rob Cross in PC5. Anderson declined to travel to Germany for last weekend’s players championship events and his most recent form sees him losing his last three matches. He made a dick of himself last week and it will be interesting to see if the crowd gives him some stick this week.
Snakebite Off Form
Peter Wright has won three of their four matches this year, but his recent form is poor, losing six of his last ten. He has his health problems to deal with and since they returned his form has dropped quite significantly. He did not travel to Germany for last weekend’s players championship and given that he is hanging on to his Number 1 world ranking by a thread, that suggests he didn’t feel that he could play well enough to make it worthwhile.
Wright is the 1.55 favourite which seems remarkably short. They last met two weeks ago, after Wright’s health problem flared up, and Anderson won 6-3.
Night 8 Premier League Darts Tip: 1 point Gary Anderson to win @ 2.63 with Betvictor, Betfair
Jonny Clayton vs. Michael Smith
Jonny Clayton continues to struggle with his form. He has won six of his last ten and is still putting in some good performances, but the consistency which served him so well last year, isn’t there. That said, he remains third in the league, and he never gives up, getting as much as he can out of every match whether playing well or not.
Michael Smith has a 10-4 H2H record with Clayton, is 2-1 in 2022 and their last two matches he has won 6-2. Like Clayton, Smith has won six of his last ten matches. He is generally playing well and deserves to be favourite, but he is the 2.15 marginal outsider.
The Ferret is rarely easy to beat, but Smith has two strong results against him in recent weeks and he is backable at odds against.
