World Matchplay Darts Betting Tips
20:15: Ross Smith v James Wade – Smith -2.5 leg handicap
20:15: Ross Smith v James Wade – Ross Smith to Win the Match and Throw 12+ 180s
21:45: Luke Humphries v Dimitri van den Bergh – Over 26.5 legs
21:45: Luke Humphries v Dimitri van den Bergh – 19+ 180s & 5+ 100+ Checkouts in the Match
World Matchplay Darts 2024
Winter Gardens, Blackpool
TV: Sky Sports Action (20:00)
20:15 Ross Smith v James Wade – Smith -2.5 leg handicap
Ross Smith’s 11-9 victory over Gerwyn Price may have been the coming-of-age moment in the 35-year-old’s career.
Smudger already has a televised title to his name but this is his first quarter-final appearance at a ‘Triple Crown’ event and he is the favourite to reach the last four.
As was the case at the World Championships, Smith entered the Matchplay in excellent form but the difference this time is that the 2022 European champion didn’t fluff his lines when it mattered most in a close battle.
When it got to the business end of his match with Chris Dobey in the round of 32 at the Alexandra Palace, Smith’s doubling ability deserted him but against the Iceman on Tuesday, he got more clinical as the game went on, showing no sign of finishing line anxiety.
If Smudger reproduces at a similar level as James Wade, the Machine won’t be able to live with him. There is such a gulf between the pair in terms of scoring, and while Wade is renowned for being an opportunist, he may not get any chances against Smith who has seemingly added immense bottle and timing to his arsenal.
20:15 Ross Smith v James Wade – Ross Smith to Win the Match and Throw 12+ 180s
The 13 180s that Smith threw in his round of 16 match came in at a rate of 0.65 per leg, which is way above his normal output.
I wouldn’t blame anybody for expecting a regression, but Smith does have a history of chucking in an absurd number of maximums when he takes part in longer format matches.
In the Ally Pally defeat by Dobey in December, Smudger rattled in 13 180s in 26 legs. Go back another year, when he lost to Dirk van Duijvenbode at the same stage – that match featured 31 180s, including 19 from Smith which equalled the individual record for a best-of-seven sets match.
If this encounter – which is over a best of 31 legs – goes on for long enough, Smith is capable of registering at least 12 maximums. He settled into a beautiful rhythm against Price and can do the same here to give this bet a good chance.
21:45 Luke Humphries v Dimitri van den Bergh – Over 26.5 legs
Luke Humphries has been the best player in the tournament up to the press, but Dimitri van den Bergh can cause him problems.
The one meeting between the pair this year came in the UK Open final, which the Belgian won in a deciding leg. There were some bizarre antics from van den Bergh that night and Cool Hand wasn’t impressed at the extent to which his opponent slowed the game down, but it worked for the 2020 Matchplay champion.
Van den Bergh looked to get into Humphries’ head again on Tuesday night by claiming that the world number one is living in Luke Littler’s shadow.
The Dreammaker loves this event and format, and while I don’t necessarily anticipate an upset, he won’t be intimidated and can keep this interesting at the very least.
21:45 Luke Humphries v Dimitri van den Bergh – 19+ 180s & 5+ 100+ Checkouts in the Match
There were 13 180s and four-ton-plus checkouts in the best-of-21 tussle between these two in Minehead four months ago, and with the potential for a much longer match at the Winter Gardens, they can go along at a similar rate.
Humphries boasts the best checkout percentage on three-darts combinations in 2024, and van den Bergh – who took out 108 and 112 against Jonny Clayton in the last 16 – will likely need some big finishes if he is to stay in this.
The Dreammaker’s 180 hitting has improved over the last few months and Humphries is in the world’s top five in that department, so these two should give us a run for our money on this #WhatOddsPaddy punt.
World Matchplay Darts Betting Tips
20:15: Ross Smith v James Wade – Smith -2.5 leg handicap
20:15: Ross Smith v James Wade – Ross Smith to Win the Match and Throw 12+ 180s
21:45: Luke Humphries v Dimitri van den Bergh – Over 26.5 legs
21:45: Luke Humphries v Dimitri van den Bergh – 19+ 180s & 5+ 100+ Checkouts in the Match
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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