Darts
PDC Players Championship 27 & 28: Predictions, Tips and Best Odds
Players Championship 27 and Players Championship 28 are next in the PDC, with 128 of the world’s best darts players competing for the Tour title at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester.
Here are the players to look out for in the betting over the next two days.
Event overview
With two days of floor events ahead of us, many of the world’s best will feature in a fast format. The best of 11 format sees players having to start fast, with little time to recover if players go behind early in a match.
As a format, this means that any players are in with a chance. The likes of Luke Littler and Luke Humphries have been successful in these tournaments over the years, but nowhere near as commonly as they have been across longer formats and for many players, it’s the likeliest format where you can get the big players beaten.
That mixed with a busy schedule for many can see shocks in these floor tournaments, so it might be worth looking for a bit of value in the betting.
Ryan Searle – 28/1
Ryan Searle looks interesting at 28/1, particularly given his proven ability to produce the sort of scoring power needed to win a Players Championship event.
‘Heavy Metal’ is one of the most naturally gifted scorers on the Pro Tour and, when his finishing clicks, he can beat anyone in the field. At his best, he is one of the deadliest players on the floor and has already shown strong form in Players Championship events this season.
A price of 28/1 reflects good value, considering that and he could be overpriced as one to go all the way in Leicester
Jermaine Wattimena – 50/1
At 50/1, Jermaine Wattimena is another player who could be worth keeping on side.
The Dutchman has been a consistent presence on the Pro Tour and has shown that he can compete with the very best when he finds his rhythm. A prolific scorer when finding his best game, he can put it up to anyone when it comes to match averages and if he can find his doubling, he could make odds of 50/1 look very long.
He has already recorded deep runs in Players Championship events this season and whilst his price reflects the strength of the field, but Wattimena has enough scoring power to make 50/1 look bigger than it should.
Ryan Joyce – 100/1
The biggest price of the three belongs to Ryan Joyce, who can be backed at 100/1. That makes him a genuine outsider, but his recent Players Championship form suggests he should not be completely dismissed.
Joyce has already gone deep in events this season, with his strongest attribute surely his ability to knock in ton plus finishes with regularity, making him a threat to everyone in this short format.
At triple-figure odds, he only needs a favourable draw and a hot run of form to turn into a serious threat.
*Prices accurate at the time of writing – odds subject to change*
