PREMIER League Darts is back! And first up we have Aberdeen, the scene of John Henderson's epic 6-6 draw with eventual winner Michael van Gerwen in 2019. Will Week 1 offer any such surprises this time around? Player/coach, commentator and all-round darts personality Paul "The Asset" Nicholson is on hand to help you spot some value in the opening round of fixtures.
WEEK 1: Aberdeen
The Banker
As we start the 2020 Premier League Darts campaign, we grasp as little information as we will have all season on the form of the players going into an event, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have any.
When Gerwyn Price plays Rob Cross in the anchor game of the evening at the brand new P&J Live Arena in Aberdeen, they will know exactly what kind of crowd they will be faced with, not that they haven’t played in front of crowds of this magnitude before, but first night nerves will be evident for sure. However, I believe at this time that Price is in better board shape, and more importantly here, hitting more 180s than Rob on a regular basis.
If you are feeling brave and want to go for a Price win plus the Welshman to hit more 180s than Cross (27/10), I would wink at you with a bit of assurance, but the banker here has to be that The Iceman will hit more maximums than Rob, who historically will switch around the board more instead of hunting for the top shot.
Selection: Most 180s – Price (6/5)
Match odds: Price (19/20), Draw (3/1), Cross (43/20)
FOUR IN A ROW
Michael van Gerwen is on a different planet#Unibet180 #PLDarts #LoveTheDarts pic.twitter.com/I0CSHYWsEV
— Unibet (@unibet) May 23, 2019
The Punt
The World Champion and new Masters winner is NOT favourite to win this best of 12-leg match. It seems almost wrong to write that, but that is the case. After the performances of Snakebite in the last 5-6 weeks you have to think he is in the form of his life, and he definitely does not fear anyone, especially the world number one, Michael Van Gerwen, who he beat in the World Championship final little over a month back.
Michael is in the process of breaking in new darts for the first time in a decade, and this is a massive thing for MVG. He will have some defeats in the coming months but the supposed “crisis” that will come with this is grossly harsh in my view. All he needs is time to settle with the new sharper tungsten in his fingers in matches and he will be buzzing sooner rather than later. However if you are looking for a punt in Week 1, it has to be on the World Champion.
Looking in Wright's column with a win and highest finish at very healthy odds, I am twinkly eyed looking at that right now, and it is probable based on what we know from 2020 so far. It doesn't get much brighter than that. Well, maybe Peter's trousers will be!!
Selection: Match Winner & Highest Checkout – Wright (29/20)
Match odds: Van Gerwen (EVS), Draw (33/10), Wright (39/20)
Click here for all Premier League Darts Week 1 betting
The Longshot
When you think of Aberdeen and Premier League darts, you think about three things. The first one is Hendo from last year, obviously, but after that it is 9-darters of which we have had two in previous seasons (Raymond Van Barneveld, 2010, and Phil Taylor, 2012), and world record performances (MVG, 2016).
With that in mind, you have to say that Aberdeen tends to breed excellence on its PL night, and for a bit of a long-shot at 8/1, who is to say that we won’t get our first 9-darter of this decade on the big stage. I think those odds with the company that is present, it is very possible. Selfishly, I’d love Hendo to hit one against debutant Nathan Aspinall in front of his home crowd, because the scenes would be off the scale. I think even Nathan would love to see that, as long as he wins the match.
Selection: 9-darter in any match (8/1)
