Sunday's World Match Play first-round predictions and darts betting tips: Machine can put Hollywood out of action

Where to watch Darts World Matchplay

Sky Sports Action, from 1pm Sunday

Best bets

James Wade
2pts 10-11 Coral, Ladbrokes

Martin Schindler
2pts 11-10 general

Sunday's World Matchplay predictions

The man they call Hollywood can down tools like the rest of Tinseltown because Chris Dobey's record in Blackpool suggests he's set for a pretty sharp exit stage left.

Dobey has had three tilts at the World Matchplay and has been beaten at the first on each occasion.

His fourth attempt comes against James Wade who, in stark contrast, loves every floorboard and mural at the Winter Gardens.

Once a winner, a finalist five more times, 11 runs to the last eight or better in 17 visits, the Machine purrs into top gear as soon as he breathes in the sea air off the famous Golden Mile.

And, to add more lustre, he's also playing well as witnessed at the last European Tour event in Germany, when he beat Jonny Clayton and Rob Cross and averaged 109 in semi-final defeat to Luke Humphries.

Martin Schindler was another first-round loser last year on his debut but was gutsiness itself going down 10-8 to Gerwyn Price in a belter.

The German has come out and enjoyed a decent year, reaching the semis at the International Darts Open as well as the World Cup and the last eight of the UK Open.

He's improving all the time and is more than capable of ruffling Danny Noppert's feathers.

The Dutchman made the semis 12 months ago and is playing in fits and bursts, but not so well that he would look a must-bet at odds-on. The value is Schindler.

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