Premier League Darts: Week 16 Betting Tips & Predictions
It’s the final week of Darts Premier League regular season action and there is one playoff spot up for grabs in Sheffield.
Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen are guaranteed a place at finals night, while Peter Wright, Gerwyn Price and Rob Cross have been eliminated from the competition.
That leaves Nathan Aspinall and Michael Smith to battle it out for the final top-four position and that pair clash in the Utilita Arena quarter-finals.
Luke Littler to win Night 16 @ 7/4
It appears that Littler has been handed a dream quarter-final draw against Wright, who has won only two matches across the whole of the Premier League campaign.
Snakebite has lost six last-eight ties on the bounce and the Scot collected only one leg when losing 6-1 to Littler in Leeds last week.
The Nuke was way off his best when defeated 6-1 by Michael van Gerwen at the semi-final stage at the First Direct Arena, but the Sheffield draw couldn’t have been any kinder to the 17-year-old and it’s hard to look past the Warrington man in terms of the nightly winner.
Luke Littler to beat Peter Wright 6-0 @ 7/1
Littler was 10/1 to beat Wright 6-0 in Leeds last week, the Nuke is 7/1 to whitewash Snakebite in Sheffield this Thursday and there still looks to be some juice in that offer.
The 17-year crushed the Scot 6-1 last time out and anything like a top-level Littler will be far too much for Wright, who is a mile away from his best form.
Nathan Aspinall to beat Michael Smith @ 22/25
Aspinall lost a quarter-final battle against Smith in Leeds last week, but the Asp can win the war by getting the better of Bully Boy in Sheffield and secure his place at finals night.
The Stockport thrower completely outscored Smith last week, but a clutch of missed doubles cost the 32-year-old and he was defeated 6-3 by the former world champion. However, the level of performance suggests that Aspinall can turn the table in Sheffield and edge his top-four rival.
Luke Humprhies -1.5 legs @ 5/6
Cross denied Humphries in the final of the Baltic Sea Darts Open on Sunday, but Cool Hand Luke was at his brilliant best in that tournament and that runners-up spot followed a Premier League victory in Leeds last week.
Price has been struggling with injury, and motivation in this event, and the Iceman averaged only 89.93 in defeat to Van Gerwen last week. Take Humphries on the handicap.
Rob Cross to beat Michael van Gerwen @5/4
The Baltic Sea Darts Open was taken down by Cross on Sunday, and while there is little for Voltage to play for in terms of playoff qualification in Sheffield, he looks a good bet to see off Van Gerwen.
MVG was again way below his best in Germany last week and the top-level performances of the Green Machine are becoming more and more of a distant memory.
In-form Cross is 5/4 to make it a fourth straight Premier League victory over Mighty Mike and that looks a perfectly acceptable price.