Bahrain Masters predictions and winner odds: Voltage can light up Gulf gathering

Free darts tips, best bets and analysis for the Bahrain Masters 2023, which starts at the Bahrain International Circuit on Thursday.

Where to watch

ITV4, from 4pm Thursday

Best bet

Rob Cross
1pt each-way 10-1 Paddy Power

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Bahrain Masters preview

Less than two weeks after the last darting year finished with a thriller at Alexandra Palace, the new campaign kicks off with the Bahrain Masters, with ITV4 providing coverage.

Michael Smith, the newly-crowned world number one and PDC world champion, is the big box-office draw at the Dome in Sakhir, although there will be no rematch of his thrilling Ally Pally final clash with Michael van Gerwen; the Dutchman is a non-runner in the desert.

Van Gerwen's absence means the favourite is top seed Smith, one of eight PDC aces in Bahrain to take on an array of Asian and Bahraini hopefuls, none of whom are likely to get through round one.

There are names among the Asian qualifiers, none bigger than 68-year-old Paul Lim who has drawn Gerwyn Price in round one. Japanese pair Yuki Yumada and Toru Suzuki also have Alexandra Palace stage experience, as does India's Nitin Kumar.

The eight underdogs will be hoping their illustrious opponents will have effectively downed tools since London and be treating this as a holiday.

Certainly Smith will have never had a week or so quite like it, his life having been transformed by his Palace success, and the media circus and attention that goes with that will have made preparation for this event, the first of five World Series qualifiers, unusual.

That said, you'd still surely rather be on Bully Boy to whitewash local mechanic Abdulnasser Yusuf at 12-5 than Yusuf at 20-1.

Rob Cross certainly found life changed after he won his world title in 2018. He did adapt but his form would drop off – until the back end of last year and now he looks a fair bet at 10-1.

Voltage opens up against Kumar before a likely quarter-final tussle with Peter Wright, who surely has a squiggle by his name after what's happened to him on and off the board over the last couple of months.

Cross had been talked up by many going to the Palace after reaching the final of the Players Championship Finals where he saw off the likes of Gary Anderson, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Jonny Clayton (and posting big numbers in doing so) before succumbing to Van Gerwen in the final.

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