2019 Premier League Darts 2019 Week Six Betting Preview -


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2019 Premier League Darts 2019 Week Six Betting Preview

Time for our 2019 Premier League Darts week six betting preview. Has there ever been an atmosphere at a darts tournament quite as raucous as that served up by the Aberdeen crowd in Week Five of the Premier League?

It was a tasty ambience, that’s for sure, and it was that which must have spurred big John Henderson on to deliver arguably the performance of his career on home soil to nick a point against Michael van Gerwen. The Aberdonians went home suitably happy.

Elsewhere, James Wade delivered the highest average of Premier League 2019 thus far – 109.59 – in his 7-0 demolition of Daryl Gurney, while victories for Rob Cross, Peter Wright and Gerwyn Price maintained their push for a play-off place.

Will the assembled masses inside Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena on Thursday produce a carnival atmosphere to match that of north of the border? You suspect they’ll give it a very good go…

Bully Boy to Go Back to Basics

When Michael Smith looks at the Premier League table, he will surely be surprised to find himself embroiled in something of a relegation dogfight.

Last year’s finalist has won just one of his five games thus far, and despite averaging topside of a ton against Cross last week he still suffered a 3-7 defeat.

But, some crumbs of comfort, he has hit more 180s than any other player in the tournament so far, and his leg injury will at least be less compromised by the shorter trip to Nottingham from his St Helens home.

An Outsider

Another bit of good news for the Bully Boy is that his opponent, Nathan Aspinall, is one of the few ‘contenders’ without local connotations on his big night. The Asp is from Stockport, and so won’t be on the receiving end of such vociferous support from the partisan crowd as Henderson was in Aberdeen.

Still, the boy can play – as proven by his UK Open triumph at the start of the month, and Smith will have to be at his best to claim the points. He can be backed at 23/20 with Unibet, Aspinall at 11/6 with Betsafe and the draw at 33/10 with 888sport.

The Machine Looks Well Oiled

He might disagree, but for our money James Wade is playing the best darts of his life right now.

It’s not just the 109 average he hammered home against Gurney, but the fact he averages more than three 180s per game and has a tournament checkout success rate in excess of 50%. It’s little wonder he tops the table.

The Machine will face Mensur Suljovic in Nottingham, and the Austrian is in rather less confident mood.

An Even Match-Up

He’s only lost two of his five games, but a pair of those have ended in stalemate as well, and averages of 94, 95 and 98 in the past three weeks suggest ‘The Gentle’ is playing good, but not great, darts at the moment.

Sadly for him, Wade is playing great darts, and so at an even money price with MansionBet he appears to be excellent value. Suljovic backers will find 11/5 available at Unibet, while the draw can be taken at 10/3 with William Hill.

A Good Cross

The third match on the night sees Rob Cross tackle Premier League whipping boy, Raymond van Barneveld.

Barney’s tournament average is four points shy of seven of the eight contestants in the tournament, and that explains why he is always playing catch up in his matches.

A Likely Outcome

Cross’s average is a full eight points higher than the Dutchman’s, and Voltage has been playing good darts all season-long in the sport’s various formats.

It’s highly improbable he loses this one against the hapless Barney, and a best price of 8/13 (Betfred) on Cross tells its own tale. The five-time world champion is available at 7/2 (MansionBet), with the draw at 9/2 (Bet365).

Spicy Affair Not for the Faint of Heart

The fourth match of Week Six, and arguably the most appetising, sees world champion Michael van Gerwen take on perhaps darts’ man of the moment, Gerwyn Price.

This will be a loud, passionate affair, and we know that MVG tends to get embroiled in the emotional side of such matches against impassioned opponents such as the Welshman.

Ice Ice Baby

The Iceman has already made mention of the head-to-head record between the pair: Van Gerwen has won all 13 of their meetings. That said, they only met twice in 2018, and Price is a much better player now than at any other point in his career.

He will look to get under the Dutchman’s skin here, a tactic that has worked in the past for some of the world number one’s opponents, and at 4/1 with Ladbrokes the Price could be right for Gerwyn.

If you believe MVG’s incredible record against the Welsh ace is key, you’ll get barely 1/2 with Betsson on him making it 14 wins on the spin. The draw is available at 22/5 with Betsafe.

Headliner

The headline act sees Peter Wright light up Nottingham against Daryl Gurney.

Snakebite is playing pretty well at the minute and finally got his just desserts with a comfortable win over Barney in Aberdeen. The Scot will be hoping to kick on and gatecrash the play-off places with two more points.

A Talent

As for Gurney, it’s rather tough to know where we stand. Blessed with all the talent in the world, the Irishman looks like a little boy lost on the oche at times, and that 0-7 whitewash against Wade is made all the worse by the fact he was also 0-5 down to Cross the week before prior to rallying.

Often in betting its wise not to overcomplicate matters, and as such Wright’s odds-against price of 11/10 (Betfred) looks sensible value. Gurney can be supported at 23/10 (Unibet), with the draw at 11/4 with Betsson.

Summary

How will Nathan Aspinall cope with playing in front of 15,000 people? It’s not affected any of the other Contenders thus far, and as a major winner you would expect him to thrive on it. His contest with Smith is too close to call.

It’s easy to support Wade and Cross the most appeal in the market.

Right now there is very little difference in the general standard of play between Van Gerwen and Price, and by that token backing the Welshman with a +2.5 leg handicap seems a good idea.

And finally, we won’t be backing Gurney any time soon until he shows some signs of life. Wright, playing ‘sneaky good’ darts, demands respect at this price.

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