Mens Matchplay
World Matchplay Darts Predictions: Expert Tips and Analysis
In this article we will take a thorough look at this year’s World Matchplay Darts, including predictions and tips, and an in-depth guide to understanding betting on the Darts World Matchplay.
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Understanding World Matchplay Darts betting
In this section we will look at the most popular betting markets for World Matchplay Darts, as well as going through how you can bet on the competition and tips for doing so.
Popular World Matchplay Darts Betting Markets
The World Matchplay Darts is one of the biggest events in the darts calendar and there are a plethora of markets to get involved in. The most popular ones include match winner, highest checkouts, most 180s and many more. You can also place a bet before the tournament has even started on the outright winner of the tournament.
How to Bet on World Matchplay Darts?
You can bet on the World Matchplay Darts in a number of ways including before the tournament, and both before and after each separate match. Placing a bet pre-tournament will most likely involve placing a bet on the outright tournament winner.
You can bet before a specific match by placing a bet on a range of markets such as which player will hit the most 180’s, which player will have the highest checkout, or simply which player will win the match.
You can bet in-play on the same markets, as well as betting on in-play events such as next player to hit a 180, or player to win the next leg or set.
Tips for Successful World Matchplay Darts Betting
In order to be successful when betting on the World Matchplay Darts, it is important to make sure your bets are well researched and well informed. Some key factors when betting on the winner of a specific match can include head-to-head form, and also factors such as which of the players tends to perform better at the World Matchplay Darts.
When betting on the outright tournament winner it is important to consider their current form, as well as a player’s form in major tournaments as the ability to handle the pressure at key moments will make a player more likely to win the World Matchplay Darts.
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Factors to Consider When Making World Matchplay Darts Predictions
In this section we will go through the key factors that you need to consider when making predictions and placing bets on the 2023 World Matchplay darts.
Player Form and Performance Analysis
Player form is key factor to consider when making World Matchplay Darts predictions as it gives you a greater insight into how well the player is likely to play at this moment in time. Looking simply at a player’s ranking or past victories may not give you a complete picture of how well they are currently playing, and analysing their recent form and performances can help you to better understand their current level.
Head-to-Head Statistics
Head-to-head statistics are a good indicator for which of the top players is likely to make it the furthest, with their pre-determined route to the final coming into consideration.
Head-to-head statistics are particularly important when making predictions or bets on specific matches. With this being one of the biggest darts tournaments of the year it is likely that many of the players will have played against each other before, and head-to-head form can help you to determine if a player is particularly good against a specific opponent.
It can also be useful when making outright winner predictions. Due to the pre-determined draw, you can know which player’s an opponent may have to beat on their way to the final, and if they have strong head-to-head records against players on their side of the draw, you may see them to be more likely to make it to the final.
Venue and Playing Conditions
With so many of the players who will be competing at the 2023 World Matchplay Darts having been on the circuit for so long, many of them will have preferred venues and playing conditions.
The 2023 World Matchplay Darts takes place at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool which is a spacious arena that often attracts a pleasant crowd who are there for a fun event. Compare this to the Alexandra Palace which is a smaller space with a closer feel, where players can be subject to more pressure from the crowd which can cause some to underperform, whereas some players thrive off of the pressure.
It is important to consider whether players tend to play well at the specific venue as it will give an insight as to how players might deal with pressure scenarios and whether they will feel comfortable in their playing conditions.
Injury and Health Updates
It is also important to keep an eye on the players’ fitness as many can carry smaller injuries into events like the World Matchplay Darts as it is such a big event which few players will want to miss.
If a player is returning from an injury or is carrying a minor injury which doesn’t prevent them from playing it is important to consider whether or not they will be able to play at their highest level for an entire tournament, in comparison to a fully fit player who has no injuries to worry about.
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Top World Matchplay Darts Predictions and Tips
In this section we will take a look at those players who are competing in the 2023 World Matchplay Darts, with an analysis of the top contenders, as well as insight into some of the players who are outsiders who could upset the favourites.
Expert Analysis of the Top Contenders
Heading into the 2023 World Matchplay Dats as the defending champions, Michael van Gerwen is one of the top contenders for the title and is currently 4/1 joint-favourite.
Van Gerwen is the most decorated player competing at the event with 45 PDC Premier Event titles to his name. The Dutchman won the title in emphatic style last year, defeating Gerwyn Price 18-14 in the final.
‘MVG’ added his 45th title in his defence of the Premier League earlier this year and the former world number one has every chance of regaining his spot with a successful title defence at the World Matchplay Darts this year.
The other joint-favourite comes in the form of Gerwyn Price, another former world number one and last year’s finalist. The Welshman will be heading to Blackpool with revenge in mind and he is a strong contender to lift the trophy this year at 4/1.
Price hasn’t had his best year, with a tough start coming by way of a quarter-final exit at the World Championships in a match where he had to resort to wearing noise cancelling headphones to block out a hostile atmosphere at the Alexandra Palace.
The Winter Gardens tends to provide a slightly warmer atmosphere, but ‘The Iceman’ will be hoping to keep his cool and return to his World Championship winning best in order to overturn last year’s final loss and pick up his first World Matchplay Darts title.
The only other players whose odds make him a truly top contender is world number one Michael Smith who earned top spot for the first time in his career following his World Championship win over Michael van Gerwen back in January.
As world number one, Smith heads into the World Matchplay Darts as the narrow third-favourite at 9/2. The Englishman finished runner-up in this tournament back in 2019 but has failed to make it past the semi-finals since, and will be looking to atone for his second round exit last year.
Dark Horses and Upset Potential
Despite sitting sixth in the world rankings Englishman Luke Humphries has never reached the final of a PDC Premier Event and at 14/1 he could certainly be considered as a dark horse.
Humphries recently won his fifth Euro Tour Title and only lost in last weekend’s Poland Darts Masters to eventual winner and tournament favourite Michael van Gerwen. Humphries should be able to put that loss behind him, and having beaten Van Gerwen at the Grand Slam of Darts last year he will back himself against the big boys at the 2023 World Matchplay Darts.
World number 10 Dimitri van den Bergh may have been severely overlooked this year as he sits 12th in the market at 25/1. The Belgian has shown some decent major tournament form this year having reached the PDC World Championship semi-finals.
Van den Bergh knows the World Matchplay Darts all too well having won the tournament in 2020 and was runner-up in 2021. He was also runner-up in last weekend’s Poland Darts Masters where he averaged over 100 in defeat.
Key Matches to Watch Out For
Gerwyn Price v Stephen Bunting looks to be one of the most enticing first round matches at the 2023 World Matchplay Darts. Gerwyn Price is the far higher ranked of the two, and is certainly likely to be the aggressor, while Stephen Bunting goes about his business in a quieter fashion but has certainly been noticeable this year after reaching the World Championship semi-finals in January. At 1/4 Price is the clear favourite but Bunting cannot be counted out at 3/1, and with three WDF Major titles to his name, he possesses the skill and experience to cause problems for Price.
James Wade v Chris Dobey looks as though it could be the most closely fought contest in the first round and the odds certainly suggest that. Wade is a former World Matchplay winner but his last title came all the way back in 2007. Dobey is the less decorated of the two and his lower ranking makes him the slight outsider of the two at Evens. Wade is certainly one of the most talented players in the world and at 4/5 he will be looking to put in an impressive performance early on which could see his odds shorten as the tournament progresses.
Longshot Bets with Potential Value
Former World Matchplay champion Gary Anderson could prove to be one of the best longshot value bets of the year not only in darts, but in all sports.
The Scotsman looks rejuvenated this year. He has made it to the last 16 in both the Masters & UK Open, as well as finishing runner up in the World Cup alongside Peter Wright. He as also finished runner up in two pro tour events this year and has won one.
“The Flying Scotsman” can be almost unstoppable when he’s on his best form and his performances this year would suggest that he is well on his way to finding it once again. At 25/1 he is certainly one of the starting outsiders, but if he can continue his form as the tournament progresses we may see him becoming hotly fancied to repeat his 2018 success at the World Matchplay.
