The PDC World Championship has already delivered a number of shocks over the course of the tournament so far, and there’s bound to be more drama along the way.
Tonight’s round four matches are a case of five Englishman and one Welshman in action to see who can join Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson in the quarter-finals.
Here our darts betting expert looks at the pick of the bets ahead of tonight’s matches.
Ryan Searle v Michael Smith
For a number of years now, Michael Smith has been the nearly man of the darting world, and he will hope to make it through to the last eight when he takes on Ryan Searle this evening at Alexandra Palace.
Smith has beaten Ron Meulenkamp (3-1) and John Henderson (4-2) to reach this stage, while Searle – a qualifier for the tournament – caused an early round upset by beating seventh seed Mensur Suljovic 3-1 and then William O’Connor 4-1.
The win over Suljovic will have seen many stand up and take notice of the 31-year-old’s talent, but he goes into this match as an overwhelming underdog and is 4/1 to win the contest.
Searle has done well to reach this stage of the tournament, and though I see him causing ‘The Bully Boy’ problems, I fancy a Smith 4-1 win at 2/1.
Jamie Lewis v Dave Chisnall
Jamie Lewis has a habit of saving his best form for Ally Pally having reached the semi-finals of the tournament last year, beating Peter Wright along the way.
Up until last night, ’Fireball’ led the 180’s chart, hitting 21 maximums to reach the fourth round and will look to add plenty to that tally tonight having beaten world number six Daryl Gurney 4-3 in the third round.
Dave ‘Chizzy’ Chisnall surprisingly saw off Kim Huybrechts in comfortable fashion to make it to the last 16, winning 4-0.
On his day, Chisnall can beat anyone but for me his form is too hit and miss and I will back the outsider Lewis at 5/4 to pick up the win.
Rob Cross v Luke Humphries
Last year’s champion comes up against the in-form and dangerous youngster Luke Humphries in tonight’s final match.
Cross hasn’t been in the best of form since winning the title 12 months ago but has produced the goods when he has needed it the most to make it to the last 16 and he is starting to look somewhere near the form which saw him come out on top at Ally Pally last year.
Humphries is an upcoming youngster and his progress through the tournament has not been a surprise to many.
The 23-year-old has beaten Adam Hunt (3-0), 18th seed Stephen Bunting (3-1) and PDC World Youth Champion Dimitri van den Bergh (4-1).
This will be a real test for Cross, and although I see this being a close one, I fancy ‘Voltage’ to just have enough to see off ‘Cool Hand Luke’ 4-3 at a tasty 5/1.
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