Michael van Gerwen in pole going into Christmas break

Resumes 1pm Thursday, Sky Sports Arena

Michael van Gerwen, who will meet fellow two-time PDC king Adrian Lewis for a place in the quarter-finals of the William Hill World Championship, is no bigger than 13-10 favourite to be crowned arrers guv'nor for the third time.

The oddsmakers reckon the biggest danger to the Dutchman is dual champion Gary Anderson, although the Scot needed a decider to edge past Jermaine Wattimena 4-3 in round three.

Defending champion Rob Cross, also through to the last 16, is shading Michael Smith for third favouritism - the tenth-seeded Bully Boy faces John Henderson in the last 32 on Thursday.

It's 25-1 bar four going into the Christmas break at Alexandra Palace.

Thursday schedule - from 12.30pm: D Petersen v S West, Dimitri van den Bergh v L Humphries, M Smith v J Henderson; from 7pm: T Alcinas v B van de Pas, G Anderson v C Dobey, M van Gerwen v A Lewis.

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