2017 Premier League Darts: Week 5 Preview & Betting Tips

We witnessed an incredible night of darts last week in the 2017 Betway Premier League with an historic four draws on the one night – something that’s never been seen before. It just goes to show the quality of these players and how hard it can be to break throw against someone playing well. If you’re not getting it done in 12 darts or less, then forget about it, because your opponent won’t give you another look at the board.

Week 5 of the Darts Premier League has thrown up another twist with world number one Michael van Gerwen withdrawing from the event with a back injury. It’s possible that he may miss the UK Open over the weekend as well. It means that Dave Chisnall will have to step up and play two matches in one week, with MVG to do the same at an event down the track. It’s disappointing for the local Exeter fans but it is great how the PDC and the players always manage to work out a contingency plan without complaint. It does put some pressure on Chizzy though, stuck at the bottom of the table, and if he can’t get some points this week then his season is just about over.

Let’s take a look at our preview and betting tips for Premier League Darts Week 5!

Premier League Darts Week 5 Betting Tips

Dave Chisnall vs Raymond van Barneveld

As already mentioned, it’s a big night for Chizzy and he’ll be desperate to kick it off with some points against Barney. With Klassen and Huybrechts playing each other this week, Chisnall could very well be two points plus percentage away from escaping the relegation zone if he goes home from Exeter empty-handed. He’s also coming off his worst performance of the season against Klaasen, a 7-3 loss where Chizzy had no maximums and just five 140s. Scoring power is normally his strength but this was well below par. By contrast, Barney is ticking over nicely with just one loss for the season and a handy draw last week against the in-form Peter Wright. Barney averaged 103 last week and if he plays that well again this week, then it’s hard to see him losing to Chizzy.

TIP: Raymond van Barneveld to win - $2.03 at CrownBet

Jelle Klaasen vs Kim Huybrechts

An interesting match between the two players who made their return to the Premier League this season. Huybrechts has been playing well but has yet to record a victory this season, with his two points coming from draws against Raymond van Barneveld and last week versus Phil Taylor. Huybrechts was in control of that match and was bitterly disappointed not to claim the win as nerves got the better of him. He needs to take his chances this week against Klaasen. Huybrechts is yet to play the top tier of players in the league while Klaasen has already played the top three in the world and has a much easier draw coming home. So basically if Huybrechts loses here, it’s going to be hard to see him avoiding relegation. Klaasen is a confidence player and he will be brimming after getting his first victory of the season last week against Dave Chisnall. It was strong win with a near 99 average, four maximums and a brilliant 152 checkout. He makes the ridiculous look easy at times, and if he can get more consistent then he’s a star on the rise. It is a tough match to call, but happy to nibble Klaasen at the price given his winning 4-1 record in head-to-head matches, but I do think it will be close.  I do like the over 10.5 legs but there’s no value in the price so we’ll slip it into our multi. I would also lean towards Klaasen most 180s but I think it’s too close for an official play.

TIP: Jelle Klaasen to win - $2.30 at CrownBet

Gary Anderson vs Phil Taylor

A classic match-up between the two-time World Champion in Gary Anderson and the 16-time World Champion in Phil Taylor. Incredibly, Anderson has only had one win so far this season, which was against Jelle Klaasen in Week 2. He’s had draws with Wade and MVG, and lost to the rampaging Peter Wright. Precariously placed outside the top four at the moment, Anderson really does need a win here or he slips further behind in the race for the Playoffs. It’s not that Anderson has been playing badly, but he’s come up against some fierce opposition, and he’ll need to keep his foot to the floor to overcome “The Power”. Taylor is yet to taste defeat this season as he pulled out a remarkable draw against Huybrechts. I thought Taylor was extremely arrogant last week by not attempting bull checkouts when Huybrechts was on a high checkout, and also his mocking celebration after the match was completely disrespectful. You’d think a 16-time champ would know better, but he’s clearly jaded from years of dominance, and the sooner we wheel him off into the retirement village, the better. Sad legacy if you ask me. I hope Ando smashes him. I’ll leave the match betting alone and take the unders on the 180s. The price isn’t huge but Taylor has the least 180s of anyone this season and the line of under 7.5 looks pretty safe to me.

TIP: Gary Anderson vs Phil Taylor under 7.5 180s - $1.61 at Bet365

Adrian Lewis vs Peter Wright

An exciting match-up on paper but one that scares me from a betting perspective! Two players capable of truly anything, but that “anything” can sway in either direction! After showing some scrappy form in the first few weeks of the season, Adrian Lewis turned up to play last week against MVG averaging 101, including a magnificent 170 checkout. Lewis also reportedly had a nine-darter in an event over the weekend. He’s a confidence player so I expect him to come out firing. Peter Wright is also a confidence player, but he may have peaked a few weeks ago. He wasn’t terrible against Barney last week, but a 95 average is well below his expectations as he escaped with a draw. A loss here for Lewis puts him well behind the top four, and nudges him closer to relegation danger zone, while Wright will be looking to consolidate his top four spot. While I would tip Wright, I’m nervous betting on the match result with these two, and I prefer to take a look at the 180s market. While Lewis was very good last week, he still only had one 180. He switched a lot to the 19s and had several 170+ scores, but just one maximum. His total of 7 for the season is an average of less than two a game, and the second lowest in the league. There’s a couple of different ways to play it. You could take the under 6.5 total 180s, or the under 3.5 180s for Lewis, but I think the most value is backing Wright to simply have more 180s than Lewis.

TIP: Peter Wright Most 180s vs Adrian Lewis - $2.00 at Ladbrokes  (BEST BET)

James Wade vs Dave Chisnall

The final match of the evening sees Chizzy back up again for a match against James Wade. The form of Chizzy from his opening game will go a long way in determining his chances in this match. At first glance it may seem like a disadvantage having to play twice, but if Chizzy has a good first game, then his eye will be in, he’ll be adjusted to the conditions and could put in a good showing. Of course, if he struggles in the first game, then he probably won’t be looking forward to this match. Wade has had a really solid Premier League so far with two wins and two draws against some strong opposition. His average was under 90 last week, yet his ability to convert in clutch situations, especially when he holds the throw, helped him to secure a draw last week against Gary Anderson. I don’t think the change of opponent will put off Wade too much and he should be good enough to get a win here at a nice price. Eventhough I think he’ll win, I’m going to suggest taking the unders on his average line of 98.5. Wade has averaged over 100 only once in his past 25 major matches (ironically that match was against Chizzy). His game is not one of high scoring, and with Chizzy unlikely to be smashing the checkouts, I think Wade’s average gets dragged down even in victory.

TIP: James Wade to win vs Dave Chisnall - $2.26 at CrownBet

TIP: James Wade average under 98.5 - $1.83 at Sportsbet

Multi of the Week:  Huybrechts/Klaasen o10.5 legs + Anderson/Taylor u8.5 180s + Lewis/Wright u8.5 180s + Chisnall most 180s (vs Wade) = $3.18 at CrownBet

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