Champions League Of Darts this weekend!
Really a big fan of this tournament, top 8 fighting it out and I really like the format for a closed event. £100k for the win too, so punchy event!
The format is 2x groups of 4, everyone plays everyone 1 time, winner of group A plays second in group B and vica versa in the other semi, BO19/21 matches too which is great.
Every player is going through something different at the moment in the top 8 which makes this tournament really interesting, lets have a look at the outrights
1. MVG - 5/6
"bad patch" recently for MVG, of course when I say bad patch I mean he's still won a world series and a euro tour during the last two months, and overall this year he has 20 titles and over £500,000 in prize money, but nonetheless, he's looked beatable, he was iffy in the world series events, he was majestic in the first Euro Tour back, he was ill in the Dutch Masters and got turned over by Steve Lennon i the first game - he took last weekend off, and you know he REALLY wants to win this tournament as it remains the only PDC title he's never won. Tough to ever write him off, his mentality for winning and pure talent means he always comes back around, but tough to really consider him at odds given given his form. His group has Gary, Chizzy and Gurney in it so you'd expect him and gary to be showing down for the group.
2. Gary Anderson - 4/1
Gary is having a great year, looks in great form all year, loves big stages, loves playing the big players, handles multiple games in a day as well as any of the other top players (bar MVG) and he's got so much confidence he will bounce back from an iffy performance pretty quick. He will actually like the fact he's in MVG group too, as it means he wont play him in the semi and Gary knows he's the one guy who can actually live with MVG on top form. 4/1 Gary would tempt me over 5/6 MVG, I think the draw will suit him and he's used to winning right now.
3. Rob Cross - 6/1
A very tough 2018 for voltage so far, was always going to be hard to live up to 2017, I think he's learning a few lessons this year his own brilliance skipped him from learning last year, he's just too inconsistent to really fancy him for a weekend of BO19/BO21 games vs the best in the world. The draw ain't really good for him either as irrespective of if he wins his group or not, he'll probably be playing Gary or MVG in the Semi. Needs to find some form as the business end of the year approaches. Of course, he can win anything, but the draw is tough and the form isn't really there, 6/1 a no from me.
4. Peter Wright - 8/1
Another one who cant string any form together this year, his relentless messing around with the darts is just nonsensical and i believe shows a real mental frailty, his redeeming quality is he can always pull it out on the big stages and has become a master of sweeping up opportunities when they fall at his feet. However he isn't getting any freebies here, and he is basically the same boat at Voltage, more than capable, bad draw, no form... 8/1 not for me.
5. Mensur Suljovic - 12/1
Mensur, defending this title, enjoying a dreamy year, in great form looks to be a great shout for this tournament. It's quite unfathomable to me that he would be a fair bit longer priced for this than Cross or Wright with the same draw, he's got absolutely everything needed to win, the draw is tough but I like a bit of Mensur at 12s. Also 3/1 to win his group looks good to me too
6. Daryl Gurney - 40/1 (bet365) 33/1 everywhere else
Seems insane world number 5 is 40/1 in an 8 man field, there is some login though, he's having a terrible year and has looked totally unenthusiastic and uninspired, hes struggled against players he should beat and now he's in a tournament with guys he probably shouldn't, with a bad draw. The interesting thing about Gurney is the EW, if he can sneak out of the group he'll have the easier semi (easier, not easy) so 13/1 to make the final isn't out of this world when he's got the game to beat anyone i the top 16 in a BO19 game.
7. Dave Chisnall - 33/1
Chizzy, after a totally torrid year, is running back into a bit of form, was all sorts of questions over his fitness but without the premier league to distract him he's started to show a bit of form since the matchplay. However despite this, he hasn't threatened any titles and couldn't follow his record breaking 118 average in the ET up with much. Same boat as Gurney, game to beat anyone on his A game which makes the EW look attractive with the draw, he's certainly shown a great deal more indication that he'd bring his A game out for a few games than Gurney of late.
8. Simon Whitlock - 66/1
Whitlock is hugely unfancied for this tournament for the simple reason that he is typically not one to bring the guns out vs big players, but deserves some credit for some very good performances in the premier league, and even though he's not won anything this yr, and the final of a super soft Euro Tour this weekend aside, hasn't really threatened. In a group where he will feel like he could beat any of the other three he might not be the worst EW bet you've ever made. He doesn't have the turbo A game that everyone else in the tournament does though, so if he gets put to the sword, I don't think he's going to be up to it.
I'd recommend;
Small Mensur 12/1, wouldn't bother EW
Small Chizzy 33/1 EW
Medium Mensur Win his group 3/1
Should be great fun!