World Darts Championship day eight predictions and PDC darts betting tips

Darts tips, best bets and player analysis for day eight of the 2023 PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace, London.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Arena & Main Event, 12.45pm & 7.15pm Thursday

Best bets

A Gawlas +1.5 sets
Approx 1.30pm
2pts 29-20 Coral, Ladbrokes

Over 7.5 match 180s in R Searle v A Gawlas
1pt Evs bet365, Betfair, Paddy Power

J Williams +1.5 sets
Approx 8pm
2pts 5-6 Coral, Ladbrokes

C Menzies
Approx 10pm
1pt 11-10 general

Betting offers

• Paddy Power are giving away free bets to new and existing customers and all you need is an account. Sign up here
• Sky Bet are offering new customers multiple free bets when they sign up. Click herefor free bets, money-back specials and BuildABet free bets
• Betfair have lots of offers and money back offers. Sign up for a new account here
• To get free bets from Ladbrokes today, simply sign up to a new account here
• Don't have a Coral account? They have an offer for new customers here
• New William Hill customers can claim free bets and benefit from their daily offers including Scratch Of The Day by clicking here

World Championship day eight preview

Darting headbanger Ryan Searle has been silenced before by Adam Gawlas this year and the young Czech chucker is more than capable of rocking Heavy Metal again in round two.

Gawlas broke down in tears after beating Searle in front of his adoring fans at the Czech Open in May, the latest decent effort from a youngster on the up.

And Gawlas brought that potential to the biggest stage of them all on Saturday when he came from 2-1 down to beat former BDO world champ Richie Burnett 3-2.

His 84-odd average didn't set pulses racing, but the match was tense and he should come on for the run.

And there's flaws in Searle right now which should have the 20-year-old believing he can run the hippy close.

Searle has won just four matches across his last eight Players Championship events and was ousted at the round-robin stage of the Grand Slam.

He hit nine 180s in 23 legs in Wolverhampton, proof that he can still leather the treble-20 bed when he's in the mood. Gawlas hit four against Burnett and averages a maximum every 4.5 legs on the floor, Searle one every 4.2. Which, if it is drawn out, all kind of lends itself to a bet on over 7.5 180s.

If Searle can expect a decent test from Gawlas then the same is true of another seed, James Wade, against Jim Williams.

The eighth seed signed off the year with a win on the Pro Tour, a rare highlight in a campaign littered with disappointment and health scares.

He is the first to admit he needs to up his game, the kind of confession which should make you wary of investing proper cash at around 2-5.

And Williams, as a first-round qualifier, is already up and running and looking decent having come from behind to beat Sebastian Bialecki 3-2 with a 91 average and 42 per cent on the doubles.

Cameron Menzies was triumphant over Vincent van der Voort in their one and only meeting this season and the Scot also finished the floor campaign with a far superior average.

Van der Voort, of course, has the greater stage experience, although he hasn't shown much this year, heading for the Palace on the back of a first-round exit at the Players Championship Finals.

Menzies is much better than he showed against Diogo Portela in round one and may be worth a show of faith at 11-10.

Not got a bet365 account? Bet £10 & get £50 in free bets

Open account offer. Minimum deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as bet credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Minimum odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude bet credits stake. Time limits/T&Cs apply. 18+ begambleaware.org

CLAIM OFFER HERE

MORE FREE BETS

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport