Night 15 was a very profitable one for James Punt’s followers. He went 2/2, with winning selections at odds of 2.40 and 5.00. It is safe to say he is in red hot form and he is hoping to pile yet more misery onto the bookies this evening. Check out his Night 16 Premier League Darts preview and free tips below.

Night 16 Premier League: Gary Anderson vs. James Wade

Nothing to see here. Both players have got their bags packed and it will be a race to see who can get out the door first. They are tied on 13 points but Anderson is on -11 legs, Wade -5. The player finishing in 7th place gets £55000 in prizemoney, 8th gets £50000 and Gary Anderson needs a crushing win if he is to trouser the extra £5000, but I doubt that will be praying on his mind too much.

This is just a dead rubber and motivation will be a problem. We had three dead rubbers at this stage of the 2018 Premier League and saw three draws. Gary Anderson has only been involved in one PL dead rubber, back in 2012 and he drew with Phil Taylor. James Wade played Taylor in a dead rubber in 2015 and lost 1-7, in the following year he beat Robert Thornton 7-3 in another and in 2017 he drew with Dave Chisnall when both players couldn’t qualify.

Both players have been scoring well enough but the big difference between them is that Wade is checking out at 50%, Anderson at 37%. In the second phase, Wade has hit three ton-plus average in six matches but failed to win a single match, drawing three and losing three. Anderson has also hit three ton-plus averages and won two, lost three and drew one.

Their H2H record is 33-17 to Anderson but their Premier League H2H form is interesting. Anderson has won five, Wade two but there have been six draws and six of their last seven PL matches has ended in a draw.

Night 16 Premier League Tip: 1 point drawn match @ 4.75 with Betvictor, BET365

Nathan Aspinall vs. Jose De Sousa

Another dead rubber with both players already qualified for the semi-finals. However, they are playing for something. Aspinall still has a chance of topping the league and picking up the £25000 bonus. He needs to win by three clear legs and for MVG to lose or draw with Peter Wright in the match which follows this one. Their finishing positions will also determine who they face in the final. The player finishing the league in first place will play the player in fourth, which will be Dimitri van den Bergh or Jonny Clayton. A win for De Sousa, or a draw and it will be these two playing each other again in the semi-final.

Their H2H record is slight. They have only played three times with one win each and draw. Aspinall’s win was on the remote Home Tour. Their first phase match ended in a draw. It was a match in which De Sousa hit a nine darter and should arguably have won the match but for a few missed doubles.

De Sousa has become a pretty consistent player. Only once has his average dipped below 96 in the Premier League. That was on night one and his overall average is 100.02. He played well against the bullying MVG last night but missed a dart to draw the match.

Nathan Aspinall wasn’t happy with his performance when drawing with Gary Anderson last night, but it wasn’t that bad. He averaged 94.5, which probably would not be enough to beat De Sousa, and he has four legs of more than 15 darts, so yes, he needs to up his game tonight.

Jose de Sousa is the 2.25 favourite, Aspinall 2.62 and the draw at 4.80. He may not be huge value, but The Special One is the call.

Night 16 Premier League Tip: 1 point Jose de Sousa to win @ 2.25 with Hills, Boylesports, Skybet

Night 16 Premier League: Peter Wright vs. Michael van Gerwen

The only thing that might be at stake here is whether MVG finishes on top of the league or not, and that may have been settled in the previous match.

There is some pride at stake. Peter Wright likes to think that he is a big rival to MVG while Van Gerwen is largely dismissive of Wright and for good reason. He has won 74% of their matches. He has also won 66.7% for their fifteen Premier League matches.

Snakebite’s form has picked up in this second phase. His wife has had her surgery, is on the mend and his shoulder problem has been sorted. He is a happier bunny and is playing freely, winning all three of his matches this week, averaging 99.8.

Van Gerwen has won five of the six second phase matches but has shown some inconsistencies but has averaged 98 for the last two nights.

On the very recent form, this looks like it should be a close match, both are playing at a very similar level, but historic form suggests MVG wins. Van Gerwen is the 2.05 favourite, Wright 3.25 and the draw 4.75.

I am still not happy to back MVG at short odds but happy to take a punt on a correct score. Seven of their fifteen PL matches have gone to a deciding leg and with both scoring at a very similar level, it may well be another close one.

Night 16 Premier League Tip: 1 point Michael van Gerwen to win 8-6 @ 6.00 generally available

Dimitri van den Bergh vs. Jonny Clayton

The big match of the evening. Our 21.00 ante post selection, Jonny Clayton, needs at least a draw if he is to limp into the playoffs.

His form and more importantly his confidence is shot. It looked like he had regained it when beating Gary Anderson 8-1 on Monday, but he was very poor on Tuesday when averaging just 91.8 and losing to De Sousa. Last night was worse. He got off to a great start against Peter Wright. It was a nervy first few legs but he then hit two 13 and a 15 dart leg to go 5-2 up but then missed four darts to go 6-2. At that moment, he lost the match. He just lost the plot, started rushing and basically panicked. Peter Wright is too experienced not to smell blood and he won six legs in a row to win the match 8-5.

The Ferret now has to pick himself up and try to not lose arguably the biggest match of his life. That seems an unlikely scenario.

Dimitri van den Bergh has been playing very well and getting scant return but last night he got a point when drawing with James Wade. That still wasn’t enough to move into the play off places and he must win if he is to qualify.

Struggling For Confidence

Van den Bergh will not be brimming with confidence himself. Playing well and losing matches is frustrating and if, and it is a big if, Clayton stays with him, it could be a case of ‘oh no, not again’. However, it must be said that he was very positive after his match last night while Clayton just wanted the ground to open and swallow him up.

Their H2H form is 4-1 to Van den Bergh and he beat Clayton 7-3 in the first phase when both averaged over a ton, but Clayton was just 18% on the doubles.

Van den Bergh is the 2.15 favourite and while backing a player with second phase form figures of played six, won one, drew one and lost four seems daft, it is not. Dimitri came into this second phase on the back of winning Players Championship 12. In his last 18 matches played, he has hit 12 ton plus averages. He has been playing very well.

I am afraid this is where our 21.00 dream ends. Clayton has lost his mojo just at the wrong time. Any self-belief he has will be paper thin and I suspect that, like last night, one set back will collapse his game.

Night 16 Premier League Tip: 2 points Dimitri van den Bergh to win @ 2.15 with William Hill

-JamesPunt