World Cup Darts

[Fader]

This gets going tomorrow then (15-18th June) 

They've expanded it. 4 teams are seeded and through. They are England, Holland, Scotland and Wales. The other teams will be chosen with a group structure. 3 teams to a group. The top team goes through. No single matches, just teams playing the one-off match. So you need a good TEAM. I.e, Portugal is not a good selection with one good player (no offence to Portugal).

The draw is random after the seeds (Last 16) and I'm yet to discover if it will be teams only in the knock-out stage or if there will be singles, also. So if anybody knows that, please let me know. 

MVG was supposed to be in this event but he has pulled out. Anderson is in for Scotland, which probably makes Scotland's price big. However, Wright has been woeful recently. I'm going with the following :

10pts staked

2pts e/w Scotland to win WCOD 8/1 skybet
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1pt e/w Germany to win WCOD 20/1 Bet365
1pt e/w Australia to win WCOD 25/1 coral
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0.5pts e/w R.Ireland to win WCOD 66/1 Bet365
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0.25pts e/w Canada to win WCOD 80/1 Skybet
0.25pts e/w Phillapines to win WCOD 500/1 coral

 

 

 

[ThunderDan9]

Great write-up, Fader!

https://www.pdc.tv/news/2023/06/12/schedule-confirmed-opening-night-2023-world-cup-darts

Format
Group Stage - Best of seven legs
Second Round - Best of 15 legs
Quarter-Finals - Best of 15 legs
Semi-Finals - Best of 15 legs
Final - Best of 19 legs

All games will be played in a Doubles format.

So it seems to me, it's only "team" games, no singles.

I think Wales is the team to beat, that Price/Clayton machinery is such a force, and they are a proven unit too... but the odds are very short.

England looks scary, too.

Who will replace MVG for Holland?

Australia was my first instinct, it's a generous price, last year they were something like 10... and it's the same unit now, of course Whitlock is quite "off"... but Heta has just won a PC, and again... the format suits them.

I like your Germany pick too, when those tow are on, they are ON... and of course, they have HCA.

 

 

[Fader]

DVD will come in for Holland. Wales are an obvious front-runner but better value elsewhere for me. Agree with Australia. I had them last year too. Whitlock wasn't playing well at the start of the World Cup last year, also. Some players just love playing in this event and it raises their game.

If i could only have 2 picks then Germany and Australia at those prices would be it.

[daveg]

I’m not usually a big fan of the World Cup, but I think the format changes (particularly doubles matches only) will be good for the tournament, and I’m looking forward to this renewal.

Going on current form it’s easy to see why Wales are the strong favourites, Price and Clayton are good friends and both in pretty decent form, but they seem short enough in the betting. The price for the Netherlands to win has been pushed out in the last 24 hours due to van Gerwen’s withdrawal, and I’m happy to leave them alone, I think I read somewhere that van Duijvenbode is carrying a bit of an injury and he didn’t impress in the recent Players Championship events.

That leaves England and Scotland as the main contenders. Gary Anderson has been in fine form recently, including a win on the floor this week, but at the same events Wright was pretty awful. It would be typical for Snakebite to turn up for this event, but I’m going to just side with England. Michael Smith and Rob Cross reached the final of this event in 2020 and both come into this with recent wins under their belts. Smith won on the ProTour on Monday and Cross won his first ever Euro Tour event just three weeks ago. Their price has been trimmed in a bit recently, but at 100/30 I’m hoping Bully Boy and Voltage can win it for England, for the first time since 2016.

Those are the four favourites, after that the prices jump up to around 20/1 for the likes of Germany, Australia and Belgium; and it’s the German team that make most appeal. On their day Gabriel Clemens and Martin Schindler are a match for anyone, and it’s only six months ago that Clemens reached the semi-final of the World Championship. The other thing in their favour is home advantage, I think this could be the year the German pair make their presence felt on the World Cup stage.

Of those at bigger prices I think the Canadian pairing of Jeff Smith and Matt Campbell could go well. They find themselves in a very winnable group alongside India and Hungary and will expect to make the last 16 quite comfortably. Smith had a fine US Darts Masters a couple of weeks ago, whilst I always feel that Campbell plays better than his results suggest.

For my final outsider I was going to plump for either the Philippines or the Czech Republic, unfortunately they’ve been drawn together in the same group, but given you can get the Asian pair at 500/1, I’ve decided to stick a few pennies on them. Christian Perez does hold a PDC tour card after winning it at Q-School earlier in the year, but the first time we’ve seem him on the main circuit was earlier this week when he reached the quarter-finals of the floor event on Monday, included in that run was a win over Rob Cross. His partner is Lourence Ilagan who currently tops the Asian Tour money list this year and is always a player I enjoy watching.

 

3pts England @ 100/30 (Bet365)

1pt e/w Germany @ 20/1 (General)

0.5 pts e/w Canada @ 80/1 (General)

0.5 pts e/w Philippines @ 500/1 (Coral / Ladbrokes) 

 

(@Fader Just realised that we’ve gone with very similar selections - let’s hope we’re both celebrating come Sunday night) 

[Fader]

1 hour ago, daveg said:

 

I’m not usually a big fan of the World Cup, but I think the format changes (particularly doubles matches only) will be good for the tournament, and I’m looking forward to this renewal.

Going on current form it’s easy to see why Wales are the strong favourites, Price and Clayton are good friends and both in pretty decent form, but they seem short enough in the betting. The price for the Netherlands to win has been pushed out in the last 24 hours due to van Gerwen’s withdrawal, and I’m happy to leave them alone, I think I read somewhere that van Duijvenbode is carrying a bit of an injury and he didn’t impress in the recent Players Championship events.

That leaves England and Scotland as the main contenders. Gary Anderson has been in fine form recently, including a win on the floor this week, but at the same events Wright was pretty awful. It would be typical for Snakebite to turn up for this event, but I’m going to just side with England. Michael Smith and Rob Cross reached the final of this event in 2020 and both come into this with recent wins under their belts. Smith won on the ProTour on Monday and Cross won his first ever Euro Tour event just three weeks ago. Their price has been trimmed in a bit recently, but at 100/30 I’m hoping Bully Boy and Voltage can win it for England, for the first time since 2016.

Those are the four favourites, after that the prices jump up to around 20/1 for the likes of Germany, Australia and Belgium; and it’s the German team that make most appeal. On their day Gabriel Clemens and Martin Schindler are a match for anyone, and it’s only six months ago that Clemens reached the semi-final of the World Championship. The other thing in their favour is home advantage, I think this could be the year the German pair make their presence felt on the World Cup stage.

Of those at bigger prices I think the Canadian pairing of Jeff Smith and Matt Campbell could go well. They find themselves in a very winnable group alongside India and Hungary and will expect to make the last 16 quite comfortably. Smith had a fine US Darts Masters a couple of weeks ago, whilst I always feel that Campbell plays better than his results suggest.

For my final outsider I was going to plump for either the Philippines or the Czech Republic, unfortunately they’ve been drawn together in the same group, but given you can get the Asian pair at 500/1, I’ve decided to stick a few pennies on them. Christian Perez does hold a PDC tour card after winning it at Q-School earlier in the year, but the first time we’ve seem him on the main circuit was earlier this week when he reached the quarter-finals of the floor event on Monday, included in that run was a win over Rob Cross. His partner is Lourence Ilagan who currently tops the Asian Tour money list this year and is always a player I enjoy watching.

 

3pts England @ 100/30 (Bet365)

1pt e/w Germany @ 20/1 (General)

0.5 pts e/w Canada @ 80/1 (General)

0.5 pts e/w Philippines @ 500/1 (Coral / Ladbrokes) 

 

(@Fader Just realised that we’ve gone with very similar selections - let’s hope we’re both celebrating come Sunday night) 

yep, great write-up and agree on all of course. Apart from England/Scotland pick. 

It's funny because I had the exact same feeling in that group. Initially, I liked Czech to qualify but then Perez had a really good Players championship and Illagan is also a good player. Whereas Czech will rely more on one player. So Phillippines look huge at 500/1. If they get through the group and get lucky with one of the weak winners in the other groups. I think even the likes of Poland they'd beat. 

[Fader]

I also think France might be worth a bet on the group winners. Purely on the performance of Tricole in the Players Championship.

[daveg]

Yeah, France look a decent price in what looks like a straight shoot-out with Northern Ireland.

I was wondering whether to back a couple group outsiders, with the format being first to 4 legs in the group matches we could see a couple of shocks. The two that stood out to me were Denmark and Lithuania, both at around 10/1 in a 3-horse race.

[Fader]

I would agree that Austria looks quite weak in that group but I actually think the USA are more likely to take advantage of that. If any. It's a shame that the USA does not have Danny Lauby in their team. If they did, I'd fancy them to win that group. In the other, agree that Poland looks weak. Ratajski was utter garbage in the 2nd player's championship and was smashed 6-0. However, Labby was also very poor in those events. Whereas De Sousa actually performed to a decent standard. 

 

[Fader]

I'm going to take NZ to beat Latvia tonight. NZ have Warren Parry and Ben Robb. In my eyes, they are better than Latvia's pair of Razma and Zukovs. Razma is better than Parry and Robb but if we talk purely in teams then I believe the better team is NZ. 

I'm taking the 4/1 on 4 teams all to win without dropping more than one leg. All four of those teams I expect to win well. Little added bonus if they can all win 4-0.

2.5pts New Zealand to beat Latvia 11/10 william hill
2pts Belgium, Australia, Canada & ROI (-2.5 leg handicap) 4/1 Skybet
0.5pts Belgium, Australia and ROI all to win 4-0 18/1 Skybet

 

[Fader]

let down by Canada on the handicap bet and ROI on the 4-0 bet. 1 leg from the 18/1. 1 leg from the 4/1.

France looks like they're going to qualify. Denmark looked good with that Reus. Never heard of the bloke but he had a stormer. Germany was very good. Especially Schindler. Hoping NZ can get the win in the final match.

[Fader]

NZ I hate you! of all the teams I liked the look of and the prices they were at and I choose these two chuckle brothers. 2-0 up and throw it away. 3 darts at double top and end up needing D7. utter dross.

only plus side is that all the outright bets look to be through to the last 16. 

[Fader]

L16 draw : 

England        vs    Latvia
Poland        vs    Germany
Scotland    vs    Philippines
France        vs    S.Africa
Wales        vs    Denmark
Sweden        vs    Canada
Holland        vs    Belgium
Australia    vs    Croatia
 

 

[Fader]

Tomorrows quarter final draw 

England v Germany 

Scotland v France 

Wales v Sweden 

Belgium v Australia 

Anything but an England wales final please. For sake of me. Germany Australia final would be perfect but in reality, at this point I think it will be England/Scotland v wales/Belgium 

[amity]

England were very up and down today vs Latvia, some 180s but also some dreadful scoring at times, that would have been punished by Scotland or Wales. Meanwhile Germany have been quietly impressive, if they can keep their composure, they'll be well in this match. 

[ThunderDan9]

Heta... 

A heartbreaking loss...

[Fader]

yeah, really sick. Personally think in a World Cup you should go until somebody is broken on their throw. Heartbreaking.

What a performance from Germany though. A guaranteed finalist. 

[Fader]

Germany v Scotland
Wales v Belgium

who wins then? Belgium will give Wales a good game but despite having a good 92-odd average throughout, they've won every single match by the deciding leg. I think Wales make the final and probably against Scotland. However, Id rather Germany make the final. The thing is, I think Scotland has a chance of beating Wales, where as I don't think Germany would.

[ThunderDan9]

Yeah, winning 10 legs against Wales would not be easy... but maybe it's one of those days for the German duo... and there is still a chance it's a Germany-Belgium final!

[Fader]

4 minutes ago, ThunderDan9 said:

Yeah, winning 10 legs against Wales would not be easy... but maybe it's one of those days for the German duo... and there is still a chance it's a Germany-Belgium final!

that's the final I'd like now. Two teams that have not won it.

[ThunderDan9]

Wales-Scotland it is then... on paper, Wales should win it, but it's four superstars, who knows... Wright should trim down on those 1's and 5's though...

[Fader]

yeah, all about Wright isn't it. If he doesn't turn up then it's Wales to lose. 

[Fader]

load of rubbish. absolutely getting waked over. Ah well, each way winner on Scotland I suppose. so boring when a heavy favourite wins.