Phil Taylor won the World Grand Prix 11 times between 1998 and 2013 but ‘The Power’, who is retiring from the professional game after the 2018 World Championships, has withdrawn from this year’s event. That is good news for 2015 champion Robert Thornton who, currently ranked outside of the world’s top 16, would have missed out on a seeding and could have ended facing one of the world’s top eight in the first round at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin.
The Citywest Hotel has been the venue for the World Grand Prix since 2001, though wasn’t moved to the bigger convention centre until 2009.
Unibet are sponsoring the £400,000 PDC event for the second time this year. You can bet on a wide variety of sports with the Swedish-based bookmaker. Plenty of live streams are available and they can boast one of the coolest and most extensive live in-play betting portals around.
Like Taylor before him, world number one Michael van Gerwen is beginning to dominate the World Grand Prix. The Dutchman has won in three of the last five years and was also runner-up in Dublin in 2015 to Scotland’s Robert Thornton. Unsurprisingly, Mighty Mike is a hot favourite to retain his title with Taylor absent (a best 5/6) – Thornton is available at a massive 250/1 this year.
Last year’s losing finalist Gary Anderson is a general 5/1 to go one better with Peter Wright a best 8/1. Two-times winner James Wade can be backed at 50/1 with the world number 10 facing a first-round match with fellow Englishman Steve West.
Unibet World Grand Prix Darts Best Odds
Michael van Gerwen 5/6
Gary Anderson 5/1
Peter Wright 8/1
Mensur Suljovic 25/1
Daryl Gurney 33/1
Adrian Lewis 40/1
Raymond van Barneveld 40/1
Dave Chisnall 50/1
Michael Smith 50/1
James Wade 50/1
Rob Cross 50/1
Kyle Anderson 80/1
Simon Whitlock 80/1
