Wednesday Night PDC World Championship Tips – JP
Wednesday Night PDC World Championship Tips
James’ only recommended bet for this afternoon was a non-runner. Chizzy tested positive for Covid and his tournament is now over. Hopefully all three matches go ahead this evening. Check out James Punt’s Wednesday Night PDC World Championship tips below.
Gary Anderson vs. Ian White
Ally Pally is the natural habitat for Gary Anderson. The one venue where he will prepare for and get motivated to the required level. He faces one of the game’s great enigmas, Ian White. A winner of multiple pro tour titles but has only two Euro tour wins on stage and only reached one ranking major semi-final.
The players’ 2021 stats are very similar. Anderson averages 95.3, White 94.7, his checkout rate is 36% to White’s 34% and the 180s per leg is 36% for Anderson and 25% for White. In terms of H2H form, Anderson is 12-6 ahead, but White won both their matches in 2021, a 2 sets to 1 in the World Grand Prix and 6-3 in a pro tour event in February.
Anderson No Longer Elite
Anderson has only won a single pro tour title since 2018 and his days as a proper elite player are behind him. He still gets an invite to the Premier League, but he can’t compete week in week out. He hates the travel and can’t be arsed practicing, but there he is, still in the top 10. And that is thanks to the World Championship.
He hasn’t won it since 2016, but he can still farm the money, and there is a lot of money to be had. Since his last win here, he has been runner up twice, a semi-finalist, quarter finalist and his worst result was getting knocked out in the fourth round in the 2020 championship. He has not lost a third round match since 2014.
Ian White’s problem is that he no longer wins a lot of matches. He was always there in the Euro Tour, having good runs and winning pro tour titles. In 2019 he won 70% of his matches, this year it is just 50%. His scoring is starting to drop off and his confidence along with it. He lets the crowd get to him and it will be very interesting who the crowd will be behind tonight.
moronic Boo Boys
The crowds at this year’s championship have been the worst ever. There has always been a level of barracking and booing, but this year, the crowd are just England football fans at an away match. They are not there to watch darts, they are there to get drunk and abuse anyone who isn’t Engerlish. Anderson is one of the games more revered players, in Scotland he is Our Lord, St. Gary of Anderson. But tonight, he will be a sweaty playing an Engerlishman. In which case, White is off the hook.
Would that be enough? White has played four third round matches here and won two. This will be his first third round match since 2017 when he got thrashed 1-4 by Gerwyn Price.
If White plays his A game he is in with a chance but generally he underperforms on stage and Gary Anderson overperforms at this venue. They are good pals off the oche which I don’t like in a match, a bit of edge makes it better.
Anderson is the 1.50 favourite and White the 2.90 outsider. I expect Anderson to win, but he might make hard work of it. In his eleven third round wins he has won one 4-0, three 4-1, two 4-2 and five 4-3, including his last three.
Wednesday Night PDC World Championship Tips: 1 point Gary Anderson to win 4-3 @ 6.00 with Skybet, Betfred
Gerwyn Price vs. Dirk van Duijvenbode
I don’t know why I am even covering this match. It must be odds on that Dirk fails his Covid test and withdraws. Gerwyn Price has today called for the tournament to be postponed and many agree. I doubt that will happen unless Doris decides that Herd Immunity might be a bad idea and closes indoor events.
Price will be aware that Duijvenbode had dinner with Van der Voort and MVG who have both had to withdraw. He must be expecting a bye into the next round and if not, he will be a bit wary of playing with someone who has been around the virus. It is not a normal pre-match build up.
The Crowd loved singing their Sheep Shagger song in Prices last match so they will be on that from the get go, along with copious booing and whistling. Price is used to it but is not fair and it is unsavoury. However, so long as the punters are ringing the tills, anything goes.
Even H2H This Year
These two have played twice this year with one each. Price has won their other eleven matches. Price is the 1.29 favourite and with that H2H record he should be a little shorter. He was taken to the wire by Kim Huybrechts is the last round. The level of hostility of the crowd played its part and Huybrechts got under is skin, which ultimately pushed Price over the line. He likes a scrap.
Duijvenbode has not impressed so far, his scoring has been well short of his usual standard and I really expected more of him. Duijvenbode is not quite the belligerent player that Huybrechts is but if he can stay with Price he will give it some noise, which might not be wise.
These two have not had any close matches and if the match does take place, I’ll take Price to cover the handicap.
Wednesday Night PDC World Championship Tips: 1 point Price to win -2.5 sets @ 2.20 generally available
Jonny Clayton vs. Michael Smith
Clayton has been the best player so far. He averaged 103.7 when beating Keane Barry 3-2 and 102.5 when brushing aside Gabriel Clemens. He has won eight of his last ten matches and looks in top form.
Michael Smith thrashed Ron Meulenkamp 3-0 and averaged 106 and beat O’Connor 4-2 in the third round, averaging 97.4. There is rarely anything wrong with Smith’s scoring but his doubling is his Achilles Heel. So far he has checked out at 75% and 40.5%, so not much to worry about yet, but he hasn’t been under much pressure.
Smith has a 7-3 H2H record with Clayton but a lot of that is old form and Clayton has won three of their last four. Both have won eight of their last ten matches, so this looks like a very close contest in the offing. However, only one of their previous matches went to a decider and most have been one sided affairs.
This will be Clayton’s first 4th round match at Ally Pally but he is now accustomed to playing in big matches and winning them. Smith has played five 4th rounds and won two.
Smith Folds Under Pressure
Clayton is the 1.62 favourite and Smith a 2.50 shot. If Smith is allowed to get on top, he can kill off opponents with his heavy scoring but when behind or being put under pressure he can drop his head and unravel fairly quickly. Clayton has equal if not greater fire power, is a proven big match winner and has a stronger constitution. He doesn’t tend to flap or panic. There are days when he is off and he gets beaten, usually when he gets double trouble, but Smith is guilty of beating himself too often.
Smith desperately needs to win a major, Clayton has already proven himself and the pressure is bound to be more on Smith’s shoulders.
I’ll take The Ferret to cover the handicap.
