Darts Tips: PDC Grand Slam of Darts Picks for Day 1

Darts tipster Ben Smith's got three picks for this Saturday's action in Wolverhampton.

By / Darts / 3 weeks ago

The Grand Slam of Darts kicks off in Wolverhampton this weekend and PP’s darts man Ben Smith is all over the action for Day 1.

Let’s get his thoughts.

PDC Grand Slam of Darts betting tips

2:45pm Danny Noppert v Beau Greaves – Danny Noppert -1.5 leg handicap
4:05pm Ross Smith v Ritchie Edhouse – Ritchie Edhouse to win
8:45pm Michael Smith v Mensur Suljovic – Mensur Suljovic to win

WHERE: WV Active Aldersley, Wolverhampton
WHEN: November 9-17th
TV: Sky Sports Mix

Danny Noppert v Beau Greaves – Danny Noppert -1.5 leg handicap

Beau Greaves is among the star attractions at the Grand Slam for the second consecutive year. After coming within a leg of defeating Damon Heta and qualifying for the last 16 in 2023, there will be an expectation that she goes close again in what looks like a tight group.

The 20-year-old, who is open about her dislike for playing against men, has every chance of making it out of Group B, but the increased pressure and attention could go one of two ways and she is being thrown in right at the deep end against the eighth seed.

Danny Noppert has reached two semi-finals in his last three floor events and did the same at the European Championship at the end of October. He will have the crowd against him, but the Dutchman is no stranger to that. The 2022 UK Open champion has a sizeable advantage over Greaves on pure numbers and can get the job done without this one going the distance.

Ross Smith v Ritchie Edhouse – Ritchie Edhouse to win

It has all gone a bit flat for Ross Smith after an excellent summer. His average for the past three months is below 95, and he hasn’t won more than three matches at a tournament since Players Championship 18 in August.

For Ritchie Edhouse, it’s been quite the opposite. His European Championship triumph was out of nothing in that he had never come close to winning anything of that calibre before. Still, some strong prior showings on the European Tour did offer up some clues as to his improvements in 2024.

Since September, Madhouse has been the better player of the two. With the added confidence of being a major champion, it feels sensible to side with him as the underdog against the out-of-form Smudger.

Michael Smith v Mensur Suljovic – Mensur Suljovic to win

Lesser spotted on television these days, Mensur Suljovic is in the Grand Slam thanks to his World Cup final appearance with Austria in June. The former world number five has slipped outside the top 50 in the Order of Merit, and if Michael Smith isn’t careful, he might also be staring a big drop in the face.

Bully Boy’s Grand Slam victory two years ago led to him becoming world champion and the number one player in the PDC. That is over £650,000 in ranking money that he must protect, otherwise, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that he falls outside the top 16.

Sadly for Smith, that is a true reflection of his performance since reaching the summit. Group E could get awkward for him with finalists from each of the last two majors in there, plus Suljovic, who he has often struggled against.

Smith has only beaten The Gentle nine times in 24 meetings and only once in their last four encounters. At the odds quoted in a best-of-nine match, Suljovic is my favourite bet of the round.

Darts betting tips

2:45pm Danny Noppert v Beau Greaves – Danny Noppert -1.5 leg handicap
4:05pm Ross Smith v Ritchie Edhouse – Ritchie Edhouse to win
8:45pm Michael Smith v Mensur Suljovic – Mensur Suljovic to win

*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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