Betway Premier League 2017 Preview – Darts Betting February 2 – May 18

Dominant van Gerwen is eyeing up Premier League prize money

Darts Betting

The 2017 Betway Premier League gets under way at Newcastle’s Metro Radio Arena on Thursday this week and will tale place over 16 further Thursday nights, culminating in the play-offs at London’s O2 Arena on May 18.

There is a 10-man line-up for the prestigious £825,000 tournament, headed by world champion Michael van Gerwen.

Betway Premier League 2017 Current Best Odds

Michael van Gerwen (8/13), Gary Anderson (5/1), Peter Wright (12/1), Phil Taylor (16/1), Adrian Lewis (25/1), Raymond van Barneveld (33/1), Dave Chisnall and James Wade (40/1), Jelle Klassen (80/1), Kim Huybrechts (100/1)

The world’s top four players – van Gerwen, Anderson, Wright and Lewis – have all qualified by right for the Premier League.

Six-time Premier League champion Phil Taylor has had to be given a wildcard for the first time after dropping down to sixth in the PDC Order of Merit and is likely competing in his final Premier League series. Wade, van Barneveld and Chisnall have also received wildcards.

Jelle Klaasen makes his return to the competition for the first time since 2009 while Belgian star Huybrechts will also make his second Premier League appearance having previously competed in the 2015 tournament.

Premier League Format

The 10 competing players will face each other once in a league phase over the opening nine Thursday nights with the bottom two in the table following ‘Judgement Night’ (held in Cardiff on Thursday April 31) eliminated. Six more league nights follow, with the remaining eight players facing each other once more before the top four then progress to the play-offs at The O2 in London.

Each league match is played over a maximum of 12 legs, with players earning two points for a win (by reaching seven legs) and one point for a draw. The player named on the left in the fixture will throw first in the opening leg but this will be reversed should they meet again. If players are tied on points in the league table, leg difference will be the first deciding factor. If this is also a tie, then legs won against throw will be the next deciding factor, and any further tie would be split by a comparison of the relevant players’ three-dart tournament average at that stage.

The play-offs consist of two semi-finals (best of 19 legs) and then the final (best of 21 legs), which will see the tournament’s champion crowned.

Premier League Previous Finals

2005 – Phil Taylor 16-4 Colin Lloyd
2006 – Phil Taylor 16-6 Roland Scholten
2007 – Phil Taylor 16-8 Terry Jenkins
2008 – Phil Taylor 16-8 James Wade
2009 – James Wade 13-8 Mervyn King
2010 – Phil Taylor 10-8 James Wade
2011 – Gary Anderson 10-4 Adrian Lewis
2012 – Phil Taylor 10-7 Simon Whitlock
2013 – Michael van Gerwen 10-8 Phil Taylor
2014 – Raymond van Barneveld 10-6 Michael van Gerwen
2015 – Gary Anderson 11-7 Michael van Gerwen
2016 – Michael van Gerwen 11-3 Phil Taylor

Phil Taylor is the most successful player in Premier League history but hasn’t won the tournament since 2012 and this is his final season of competition – The Power’s best days are probably behind him. Van Gerwen recorded his first victory in the tournament last year and his dominance of world darts shows no sign of waning. There is big prize money on offer over the next six weeks and the Dutchman (8/13 with Sportingbet) is hard to oppose in a competition that rewards consistency.

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