World Matchplay Darts tips: Gary Anderson the value play at 25/1

Steve Davies Updated: 14 Jul 23 13:14 Published: 13 Jul 23 12:45

High summer in Blackpool means we're all off to the Winter Gardens for the World Matchplay, where the Racing Post's Steve Davies reckons there's plenty of value to be had beyond the Green Machine and the other favourites.

Steve Davies' World Matchplay Tips

Gary Anderson each-way @ 25/1
Luke Humphries each-way @ 14/1
Dimitri van den Bergh to win 3rd quarter @ 5/1

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Odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and subject to fluctuation.

What	World Matchplay Darts
Where	Winter Gardens, Blackpool
When	Saturday 15th July - Sunday 23rd July, 2023
How to watch	Sky Sports
Odds	Michael van Gerwen 4/1, Gerwyn Price 4/1, Michael Smith 9/2, Luke Humphries 14/1, Josh Rock 16/1, Peter Wright 16/1, Jonny Clayton 18/1

Setting the scene

32 players will take to the stage at Blackpool's Winter Gardens, each hoping to walk away with a £200,000 winner's cheque and the Phil Taylor Trophy.

The top 16 players in the PDC's Order of Merit are seeded to play the 16 highest-ranked players from the Pro Tour Order of Merit.

World champion Michael Smith, 9/2 to Win Outright, is the No.1 seed while Michael van Gerwen, seeded three, is the defending champion and 4/1 to win the title for a fourth time.

First-round matches are best-of-19 legs affairs with the matches getting increasingly longer until the final is played over a best-of-35.

Gary Anderson each-way @ 25/1

Unseeded players have won the Matchplay before - Larry Butler and Peter Evison back in the day and Dimitri van den Bergh three years ago.

And Gary Anderson was very definitely high on a list of this year's batch of non-seeds the top 16 wanted to avoid, a fate that has befallen Dave Chisnall.

Anderson is 52 and has long since stopped chasing around the world after ranking points, and while that has produced a tumble down the rankings it has also done him the world of good.

Indeed he has turned the clock back in 2023, averaging 98 and change on the floor, numbers that have earned him a place in three finals, one of which he won.

Still a sublime thrower, the rest of the field know the threat the former world No.1 possesses and he looks a great price.

Steve Davies' verdict

Anderson's Premier League snub and reluctance to travel means no one arrives in Blackpool fresher than him - and his game is in immaculate order.

A big-stage player, averaging as well as ever and a former champion - he won in 2018 and reached the final two years later - the Flying Scotsman is definitely value at 25/1.

Luke Humphries each-way @ 14/1

The fourth quarter is a brute with Michael van Gerwen, Josh Rock and Dirk van Duijvenbode in the section, but it's Luke Humphries who is taken to pip them all and go on to the final.

It's no good saying Van Gerwen isn't right after jaw surgery - after all he won in Poland at the weekend.

But Humphries looks ever more impressive and is enjoying another outstanding year.

Another player averaging over 98 on the floor where he won this week, Cool Hand has also reached five European Tour finals, winning the most recent in Germany.

Steve Davies' verdict

Humphries has won only one match in two visits to Blackpool but now he looks like a major winner-in-waiting and it would surprise no one if this sumptuously talented chucker dotted up this week.

Cool Hand has a winning knack this summer and Monday's Players Championship success should give a real confidence boost to the 14/1 shot.

Dimitri van den Bergh to win 3rd quarter @ 5/1

No.2 seed Peter Wright is a player you can definitely take on in the third quarter given the inconsistent nature of his game.

Snakebite is 5/2 to reach the semis followed by Jonny Clayton at 11/4 though the Welshman has won just once in five trips to Blackpool and that's in his head.

Next best is Dimitri van den Bergh, the Belgian champion in 2020 (in Milton Keynes) and runner-up 12 months later back in Blackpool.

Van den Bergh loves the atmosphere and clearly thrives at Winter Gardens where another good run is envisaged.