World Matchplay quarter-finals predictions and darts betting tips: Clayton can storm into semis

Where to watch the World Matchplay quarter-finals

Sky Sports Action, 8pm Friday

Best bet

Jonny Clayton -2.5 legs v Ryan Searle
1pt 6-5 Coral, Ladbrokes

World Matchplay quartter-finals predictions

Jonny Clayton and Ryan Searle have shown that they can win at the Winter Gardens and we can expect Welshman Clayton to keep his run going by scalping hippy Searle in the quarter-finals in Blackpool.

Clayton had won just one match in five previous World Matchplays, while Searle had lost both of his.

But both players are flying this year, with Clayton having recovered from a scratchy effort against Gabriel Clemens to produce a mature dismantling of 2020 champ Dimitri van den Bergh.

And Searle has seen off two world champs in the shape of Raymond van Barneveld and Peter Wright, which will have him assuming he can beat anyone.

Clayton is favourite and rightly so given the 2021 Premier League winner's greater stage pedigree.

Indeed, not only can he deliver but he is worth backing to do it with something in hand. He's odds-against giving up 2.5 legs on the handicap, which means winning 16-13 or better.

The other last-eight tie is between Luke Humphries and Damon Heta.

Humphries is the highest seed still standing in this tournament of upsets and having already beaten the Aussie three times in 2023, he should be confident of making that a four-timer.

Heta wasn't tested by Michael van Gerwen's shock conqueror Brendan Dolan on Wednesday night, whereas Humphries was put through the wringer in a marathon showdown with Dirk van Duijvenbode. That he came through it when looking likely to lose was a credit to him and something for Humphries to build on.

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