World Grand Prix 2024 Darts Predictions and Betting Tips
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Darts: The Masters 2019 Betting Tips and Odds
There’s no rest for the wicked, as the old saying goes; with the bumper festive schedule of darts barely behind us we’re already into the 2019 campaign. Check out The Masters 2019 betting tips and odds as follows…
The first tournament of the year, The Masters, will be hosted by the MK Arena in Milton Keynes from February 1-3. It brings together the top 16 players in the world – according to the PDC Order of Merit – for what is, bizarrely, still a non-ranking event.
Michael van Gerwen will defend the title he has won on four consecutive occasions; he will be introduced for the first time as a three-time world champion following his exploits at Alexandra Palace over the festive period.
Revenge will be on the mind of Michael Smith, the vanquished world finalist, and Gary Anderson, who was surprisingly lacklustre in his semi-final clash with the Green Machine.
Will they, or somebody else for that matter, knock MVG from his perch in Milton Keynes?
Tournament History & Format
The concept of The Masters was dreamed up by Barry Hearn in 2012 as a reflection of the same tournament played in his other major sporting concern, snooker.
Quite simply, the top-16 players in the PDC Order of Merit lock horns in a straight knockout format, with the number one seed playing sixteen, two playing fifteen, and so on.
The opening round and the quarter-finals will be played over the best-of-19 legs, with the semis and final played out over 21 legs on a chaotic Sunday.
As mentioned, Van Gerwen has been the master of Milton Keynes with four straight wins in this event, twice defeating his old mucker Raymond van Barneveld in the final. In their 2015 clash, MVG averaged the small matter of 112.49.
Before the Dutch dominance, both Phil Taylor and James Wade got their hands on the trophy after finals that couldn’t be any more contrasting. The Power demolished Adrian Lewis 10-1 in 2013; meanwhile, 12 months later, The Machine produced an almighty comeback from 2-9 down to win 11-10.
The Field
It’s a field made up of all of the usual suspects, as you would expect for a tournament of this nature. However, there is one rather notable absentee.
Raymond van Barneveld will be missing from the Masters field for the first time since the tournament’s inception. The Dutchman’s world ranking has fallen to such an extent that, given his impending retirement, it is unlikely that the good people of Milton Keynes will see him at the oche again.
Elsewhere, the field takes care of itself. The world’s top 10 (MVG, Cross, Wright, Anderson, Gurney, Smith, Price, Suljovic Whitlock and Wade) will be joined by the rest of the PDC’s elite: Ian White, after his fantastic year in the floor tournaments; Dave Chisnall; Joe Cullen; Darren Webster; Jonny Clayton and the resurgent Adrian Lewis.
