Premier League darts week three tips and betting preview

Week three
Sky Sports Main Event & Action, 7pm Thursday

Gerwyn Price v James Wade

(Head-to-head: Wade leads 6-3)

James Wade has won his last three showdowns with Gerwyn Price but the Welsh bad boy is still going to be a tough nut for the former champion to crack in Dublin.

Price has looked in top form getting three points out of four and a run to Sunday’s Players Championship semi-finals – beaten by Glen Durrant despite a 103 average – will further boost his confidence.

Something of a panto villain following his Grand Slam shenanigans with Gary Anderson in November, the crowd at the 3Arena will probably be more forgiving towards Price than they were in Glasgow last week though either way, Price seems to be able to mop up the abuse.

Wade is also playing well and has the recent edge over Gezzy. The layers can hardly split them and it could go the distance.

Have a bet on the maximums. Both men have seven apiece from two matches so between them they should be able to clear the 5.5 bar.

Recommendation
Over 5.5 180s
1pt Evens Hills, Ladbrokes

Steve Lennon v Peter Wright

(H2H: Wright leads 3-0)

Peter Wright boasts a perfect three-out-of-three record against Steve Lennon, Dublin's guest arrowsmith who will have the crowd on his side but very little else.

Lennon, from nearby Carlow, replaces the crocked Gary Anderson but heads to the stage in modest form. He won just one match over the weekend in Wigan and hasn’t done much at all since reaching the final of the Dutch Masters in May.

Snakebite, unbeaten after a couple of draws, is a short-priced favourite and rightly so. Wright’s consistency should ensure a win, even if Lennon avoids a hammering.

Recommendation
P Wright to win 7-4 or 7-5
1pt 9-4 Betfair

Michael van Gerwen v Rob Cross

(H2H: Van Gerwen leads 11-3)

Michael van Gerwen beat Rob Cross 7-2 last year at the 3Arena, a venue where the Dutchman boasts the remarkable record of played seven, won seven.

The world No. 1 and current world champion has averaged at least 106 in four of those previous seven appearances.

That’s what Cross is up against but the Englishman is looking back to somewhere near his best.

Cross still looks held by Van Gerwen, who pinged a nine-darter en route to his second Players Championship title of the year in Wigan on Saturday.

Recommendation
M van Gerwen to win 7-4 or 7-5
1pt 9-4 Betfred

Michael Smith v Daryl Gurney

(H2H: Smith leads 6-3)

Michael Smith has shown flashes of magic over the first two weeks of the campaign and can fully ignite against Daryl Gurney.

Bully Boy has a good record against Superchin and should be on more than the one point he has collected. He had Peter Wright on toast last week in Glasgow but failed to finish him off.

Recommendation
M Smith
1pt 11-10 BoyleSports

Mensur Suljovic v Raymond van Barneveld

(H2H: Barney leads 6-3)

Barney has got a point on the board but that was largely down to Price’s failings approaching the finishing line in Glasgow than his own darting powers.

It looks like it’s going to be a long couple of months for the five-time world champ and Mensur Suljovic is unlikely to show him the mercy that Price did last Thursday.

The Austrian is averaging 101 after two matches yet, with echoes of last year, finds himself bottom of the table. Van Barneveld will have the crowd on his side, inevitably, but Suljovic can cope with that and chalk up the win.

Recommendation
M Suljovic
2pts 13-15 RedZone

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