Darts Tips
7:15pm Jermaine Wattimena v Dimitri Van den Bergh – Dimitri Van den Bergh to win
8:15pm Gian van Veen v Ryan Joyce – Over 16.5 legs
9:15pm Luke Littler v Mike de Decker – Mike De Decker +3.5 leg handicap
WHERE: WV Active Aldersley, Wolverhampton
WHEN: November 9-17th
TV: Sky Sports Mix
Jermaine Wattimena v Dimitri Van den Bergh – Dimitri Van den Bergh to win
The market has had its say on Thursday’s first match-up, as Jermaine Wattimena has been hammered into favouritism over Dimitri Van den Bergh, and it is understandable why.
He had his breakout major tournament run as he made the European Championship final last month, and the Dutchman has carried that form into the Grand Slam, winning all three group matches.
As impressive as Wattimena’s new-found consistency is, I am more struck by Van den Bergh’s ability to put aside his issues away from the oche and graft his way into the last 16. The Dreammaker finished the group phase with a 104.58 average in his triumph over Keane Barry.
He has been vocal about his recent struggles, but to deliver the performance he did highlights the value of his sports psychology sessions, which he cited after winning the UK Open.
Van den Bergh is the more experienced and talented player in this match, and he can keep up his terrific record on television in 2024 with a victory here at odds against.
Gian van Veen v Ryan Joyce – Over 16.5 legs
After emerging from the incredibly tough Group H with the highest overall average in the competition, Gian van Veen is the fourth favourite to lift the Eric Bristow Trophy.
Ryan Joyce’s average was 18 points worse than Van Veen’s throughout the groups but while that is significant, it is important not to get carried away and assume the 22-year-old will blast his Geordie opponent out of there in double quick time.
Van Veen is the heavier scorer and is the more likely of the two to achieve great things in the sport but Joyce will stick around in this contest. He has reached two semi-finals in his last five major appearances by being a steady player who is difficult to beat.
There is less separating these two than the odds suggest, and I’m happy to take the over on total legs rather than the handicap, as it gives us two extra legs to play with and I can’t see a landslide win either way.
Luke Littler v Mike de Decker – Mike De Decker +3.5 leg handicap
Mike de Decker is a live underdog on Thursday night. Luke Littler is the rightful favourite to go all the way in Wolverhampton and was always going to be odds-on for this game, but De Decker’s price doesn’t show him enough respect.
The case for the Belgian is quite simple. He won his maiden televised ranking event – something Littler is yet to do – by defeating Luke Humphries in a marathon final at the World Grand Prix, and has looked the part since then, particularly in his 5-0 whitewash over Michael Smith on Tuesday when it was win or bust.
Of course, if Littler is at his best he will win, but seven legs is not too much of an ask for a player of De Decker’s quality. The Nuke will eventually rack up the televised ranking victories, and the first may come on Sunday, but he is being priced up as if he has already won a hatful.
Grand Slam of Darts betting tips
7:15pm Jermaine Wattimena v Dimitri Van den Bergh – Dimitri Van den Bergh to win
8:15pm Gian van Veen v Ryan Joyce – Over 16.5 legs
9:15pm Luke Littler v Mike de Decker – Mike De Decker +3.5 leg handicap
*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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