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Cleggy’s Betting Predictions for this week’s Premier league
Who will be the Sheriff in Nottingham?

Consistency is the key for Nottingham…

After dethroning the King in typical Robin Hood-style last week in Newcastle, Barney has to contend with the Rocket in Nottingham on Thursday on what promises to be a cracking night of Dartistry in the East Midlands. Raymond also managed to notch himself a nine darter up in Geordie-land and will be hoping that his bow and arrows are in similar sharp-shooting prowess on Thursday. It is such a shame that Barney hasn’t played like his old self throughout the campaign; let’s face it, he’s been about as consistent as Nottingham Forest’s play-off record: narrowly winning the odd game only to be battered into submission in the next, in front of all your adoring fans, letting them down again and again and again…

Ronnie Baxter, however, reminds me of Blackpool rock: he’s tough and gets stuck in, as opposed to Barney and Nottingham Forest, who have been more like those hideous talking, music playing dolls you buy as a joke. They seem like a good idea to watch at the time, then they become annoying and repetitive…and frustrating and not good enough and a let down and a waste of money and lazy…sorry I was drifting off for a minute.

Despite Ronnie’s better season, Barney will fight on Thursday like Forest failed to on Tuesday and will do the Machine and Jackpot a favour as he inflicts Ronnie’s fifth defeat of the season. Get on Raymond.

Switch the power on, Phil!

Terry-Bull Jenkins gave the Power a fright last week by staying close to him. Well, I say close, a three leg loss to Phil is quite a result these days. Now, if Adie plays as he can, he will stay close to Phil; alas, when does this happen? The Jackpot rarely plays as his name suggests he should which is why he is languishing one place above the aforementioned Neverlander, Raymond, in sixth position. Trust me, I would love to say that ‘this one will be close’, or ‘Phil will be beaten, at last!’ BUT I can’t, I’m afraid. Taylor will Phil his boots and stick his other boot right down Adie’s semi-final chances. Jackpot for Lewis? Wooden spoon’s more likely…

The booze may work in Merv’s favour…

I hear the boos will be flowing in Nottingham this week. Well, at my house it certainly will. Now I love homophones and maybe Merv should too. If he convinces himself that the crowd are shouting for ‘booze’ as he walks out on stage, and in turn furnishes the crowd with a plethora of real ales, I am sure he would become a hero! Alternatively he could open a barrel of cheap lager and soak the lot of the disrespectful dimwits: either way, it will be much more successful than getting ‘wound up’ and losing one’s cool, wouldn’t it, Merv? There is no disputing that the King is class and WILL make this year’s final [you heard it here first] but first he must make the wizard Whitlock vanish from second spot, which he will do in Thursday’s four-pointer. The King will rain on the Wizard’s parade (homophones again…) and get his campaign back on track after a disappointing defeat to Barney last week.

Locked Horns

The aforementioned (twice in one piece) Bully will rage against the Machine, James Wade, this week and this is one James must win. This match is very difficult to call as Wadey aims to bounce back from a heavy mauling at the hands of the Wizard in Newcastle. Bounce back he will but he will bounce straight into the Bull’s horns and they will lock together at 7-7

Doubles for Dough

Get on the King to beat Whitlock and Wade/Jenkins draw. This double should be around 10/1 and any respectable Turf Accountants!

Trebles for Show

Taylor/Barney/King all to win. This treble won’t win you a fortune but everyone likes a successful threes-up. Get on it.

Week 12 premier league predictions from (Sometimes Psychic) Cleggy

More betting tips for tonights Whyte & Mackay Premier League darts… from our resident betting expert Chris ‘Cleggy’ Clegg…

Two fat ladies for Lowebo

The great John Lowe advised me that Phil Taylor provided him with two fat ladies last week – and it only took Lowebo the time for Taylor to win his match against Whitlock to ‘Phil’ his boots. Now, that must have been something special…

Winning £88 on one match…now that’s something to get excited about…what did you think I was talking about?

If you’re willing to put on a fillet ‘stake’, punters, the rewards are obvious…as are the risks. Personally, I can only afford a bit of rump so here go the predictions:

Booze in Scotland?

It’s the Rocket against the Machine up in Aberdeen and the Scots will be in for a trick (as opposed to a treat) as one of the men they love to boo (great English player), James Wade, will continue his excellent form. The Scots do tend to dislike many of the English, don’t they? Their disdain will remain for James tonight as he puts Ronnie to bed. I love Ronnie but he missed the launch last week and it will be goodnight from him as he might begin waving goodbye to the coveted top 4 spot. Get on Wade @ 2/5.

More booze? Of course, and English King is here!

Now, I wouldn’t advise old ‘stone face’ to pile in on Taylor this week as he’s up against the King of England. Now, Kings of England always triumph in Scotland, don’t they? And I’ve got a funny feeling that Merv will be on his ‘A’ game and will swerve the Scottish bullets up in Aberdeen to give the power a taste of his own medicine. King responded like a true English monarch last week as he demolished Adie Lewis and no-one could have predicted that (including me!) and I think he will take his sharpened, more accurate arrers up to bonny Scotland. He might need some ear muffs too (to drown out the accents, I mean boos!). King is around 6/1 on Skybet.

More pain for Raymond?

It’s Barney Jenkins in a basement battle as Barney attempts to turn his season around as the Bully just might have done last week. OK, it might be too late for both of them in the premier league but both will want to impress after languishing near the foot of the table for the whole season. Pompey fans can empathise. Terry Bullied Baxter last week whereas Barney was on the end of James Wade’s ass kicking. This one will be close, I feel, but it will be Jenks who administers more pain for the Raym’n. 11/8 about Jenks.

Draw your swords

The last match tonight is between the Jackpot and the Wizard. On current form, I can’t see past the wizard and on current size I can’t see past Adie. He’s a big player but often succumbs to the big occasions. This one’s a big’un as nothing else but a win will do for Lewis; alas I think Whitlock’s magic will prevent a Lewis victory. 7-7 for me and 7/2 is a niiiiiice priiiiiice: I liiiiiiiike!!!

Trebles for show

Get on King/Wade/Jenkins all to win for at least a 16/1 pay out. £80 for a fiver.

Doubles for Dough

King to beat Taylor and Lewis/Whitlock draw: well over £250 for your tenner

Premier League Darts – Betting Predictions by Cleggy

As always there are four cracking matches in the darting premier league this week. There were some close encounters in Sheffield last week: a punter’s paradise as any of the players involved could have won the last three matches. The close encounters in Sheffield have continued through the week at the melting pot that is the Crucible Theatre where previous world champions are rolling back the years: both Stephen Hendry and Steve Davis were 10-9 victors in their opening rounds of the snooker world championships. Hearn’s newest empire is becoming exciting again as it learns from the PDC. You never know, the nugget might be walking out alongside our own Nicola Cowell in round two…or maybe not!

For the spear-throwers, it’s up to the afore-awarded capital of culture (tha what?) city of Liverpool for this week’s battles.

Rocket/Bull

The Rocket embraced his followers last week and made the hostile (towards King) crowd almost ecstatic by nearly defeating the king; alas Merv showed real character to overcome the Sheffield ‘idiots’ (I quote) and earn a deserved draw. At last the Bully showed us what he could do last week as he left Lewis for dead in his demolition of the Stoke star. Ronnie will shade this one and will beat the Bully (yes you can…) 8-6. Cue Ronnie to start singing: “I’m not the man they think I am at home…oh no, no, no…I’m a ROCKET MAN!” And indeed he is becoming one. Could he win the title this year? I thought it would be “a long, long time” before we might contemplate this…

Barney/Machine

The next encounter would have been a classic in the past as both players would have averaged in excess of a hundred with their three arrers and the scousers would have been treated to a high standard match (something the red side of the city haven’t seen for some time…). If Barney turns up he might put up a fight; alas again he failed to play on the tour at the weekend and I don’t expect an improvement on Thursday: comfortable win for Wade; a mauling inflicted by the machine, in fact. 8-4?

King/Jackpot

The King will have to attempt to contain his emotions this week as he comes up against Lewis and, no doubt, another partisan crowd. There was a distinct lack of respect for one of the world’s greatest darts players last week, though, and I felt embarrassed for the city of Sheffield. The panto atmosphere, though, it has to be said, is rather amusing; and I fear the Scousers of Merseyside will revel in the visit of the king. After all, their Anfield outfit have played like pantomime jokers this season and they will have to take their frustrations out on someone (as they appear to remain behind genie Rafa and blindly expect him to rub his lamp and produce a title-winning team for next season…)

…Sorry, I’ve stopped laughing now! I hope Merv plays like Liverpool cannot – amazing – and silences the jeers. However, I have a feeling he may let them get to him again which may just affect his performance. 7-7 methinks.

Power/Wizard

Last but by no means least, the Wizard and the Power confront one another. Phil should have lost last week but the machine ran out of gas and couldn’t quite finish the job. Whitlock is magical so surely he will prevent the power from escaping his spell? Not for me. Taylor to love Liverpool as he waves away Whitlock’s wand and hits too many red and green bits with his own spears.

Doubles for Dough

King/Jackpot draw and Wade to win 8-4 against Raymond. You’ll be looking at around a 40/1 double at Skybet.

Trebles for Show

Taylor/Wade/Baxter all to win their respective matches…the odds won’t be spectacular (around 4/1) but this treble will show you that you can beat the bookies…even if it is only to the tune of £50 back for your Ayrton Senna…

Cleggy’s Betting Punditry: Premier League Darting Predictions

Ya can’t beat a bit of Bully, Merv!

What a terrific time to back the bully. Jenks heads to Cardiff to face the King on the back of a demolition by the Power in week 6 and a crushing by the Machine last week in Brighton. He’s had a Terry-Bull run of form but we know how good Jenks is and he averaged in the late nineties against Phil but hardly got a shot at the red (or green) bit thanks to you-know-who. Similarly last week James Waded in with a sublime robot-esc performance and gave him little room for manoeuvre. Merv was magically dethroned by the Wizard last week and will be hurting. He will hurt more this evening when the Bull charges and butts his campaign into gear, at last! Jenks is a big price against the King – 3/1 – GET ON!!!

Rocket Man

The Rocket Ronnie faces the Wizard and both players have been performing with aplomb this year and this match will not disappoint. Ronnie blew away out-of-sorts Barney last week and will be need to be firing on all cylinders against Simon, who says he’s enjoying this premier league caper. It will be a ‘good night from him’ and a good night from Ronnie as the two share the spoils. The odds suggest a close encounter and I concur. The draw is 10/3 which is value.

Manly Machine

Usually machines prevent me from winning the jackpot and it gets annoying after a while. When Lewis won the jackpot in Vegas he had to return it to the casino as he was underage! I fancy the Machine to do what fruit machines do best and keep the jackpot in check tonight. I don’t think he’s a fruit but he’s certainly a machine: a manly display from James tonight will result in a point apiece for the youngsters. Again 10/3 looks tempting!

The Big Two

Last but certainly by no means least in Cardiff, it’s the big one. Big Barney against Big Phil. Well, both players are still big – rotund one might say. However, Barney’s darting dominance has deteriorated of late and the real Raymond van Barneveld rarely appears. Despite this dip in form, I’ve got a feeling the real Barney will come to the floor tonight and give the Power a run for his arrers. Barney is around 7/1 at the booooookies and if he turns up is definitely worth a sky diver. Tonight could kick start Barney’s season. Expect plenty of 180s from both players and even a nine-darter? AND, you heard it here first, a Barney victory.

Doubles for Dough

Barney and Bully to upset the odds – you’ll get around 24/1 for the double: £250 for your Ayrton Senna…

Terrific Twosome

Draw double: Whitlock/Baxter and Wade/Lewis – around 18/1 double…One huuuuundddddrrrrrrreeeed and eeeeeeiiiiiiigghhhhty quid for a tenner. Game. Shot. And the match

Chris Clegg

Week 7 Premier League – Cleggy’s betting guide

Darting Tips: flights of fancy to stem the diminishing tide of money perhaps…that would shaft the bookies, wouldn’t it? Hope you’re not board with the darting punditry?

The Premier League

When you contemplate The Premier League you think of Manchester United, don’t you? You picture their epic duels with Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea; not to mention their most fierce rivals, Manchester City.

Alex Ferguson: arguably the greatest club manager of all time – the King, perhaps?

Wayne Rooney, a goal scoring Machine, hitting the target almost every time with aplomb.

Ryan Giggs, a skilful Wizard tricking his way past opponents with relative ease.

The Manchester United defence: the Power behind the force.

Roy Keane: a bullying midfielder of old.

You think of the dressing room Barney between Beckham and Ferguson when the King really stuck the boot in and Becks had the bruise on his forehead t prove it!

Every premier league season, United truly are like a Rocket launching to the summit, usually leaving most of their rivals for dead and invariably they hit the Jackpot.

Could you imagine all of the above happening every week in your own living room? Or better still LIVE at a huge arena surrounded by thousands of adoring fans…A wizard, a king, a machine, the bully, the power, the jackpot, a rocket, a barney and not forgetting a bottle of Becks…

The wait is over because the premier league is here: Premier League Darts!

This week’s action is in Birmingham as the king plays the wizard: imagine that – Fergie against Giggs! Well this is a different wizard – he has long blond hair and hails from down under – he’s the Wizard of Oz, you see. And the King is Mervyn – Ipswich, England, born and bred. Who will win? One way to find out…watch the action on Thursday evening, live on Sky Sports.

The King has been imperious this season and is the closest rival to the legend that is Phil Taylor. The Wizard started magically but his cauldron has gone off the boil of late – the machine turned him off last week in Brighton. The King will reign in Brum: Victory for Mervyn.

This week the Machine faces the Bully; that’s James Wade against Terry Jenkins in the darting world. Terry was well and truly Bullied last week against Taylor and will be reeling. This one will be close as Jenks attempts to bounce back (7-7 perhaps…)

It’s Barney against the Rocket, Raymond takes on Ronnie. These two boys are well and truly back in the darting town and will give us a treat in Birmingham. However, both failed to win last week, and may struggle to get over the finishing line in front on Thursday; another draw perhaps?

Potentially, the game of the week is the Power against the Jackpot: Phil against Adie. Now, Phil got his name the power by ruthlessly battering every opponent to their darting death in (almost) every tournament there has ever been, over and over, and over again. Adie, however, got his name by winning a jackpot on a fruit machine in Las Vegas…only to be ordered to give it back as he was underage at the time… Will there be a power shift on Thursday? Will the jackpot claim his winnings? Somehow I don’t think so… It will be a Power-walk in the park on Thursday for Phil.

I’m off to open a bottle of Becks and get ready for the action.

Tip of the week to shaft the bookie:

It’s doubles for dough this week as Jenkins and Wade share the spoils 7-7; and Baxter and Barneveld also fail to beat each other. The draw double is pushing 30/1 at the bookies: £300 for your tenner.

Premier League Punditry from PC: Psychic Clegg

Apparently there may be a few queens watching in Brighton this week: ‘ladies’ in waiting for the king perhaps?

Arguably the game of the night this week will be Mervyn against Raymond: King against Barney. At last, van Barneveld played darts like we know he can last week and demolished El Tel; alas the lack of floor tournament practice will prove costly in the premier league as consistency is the key to success…and qualification for the semi-finals. Barney is yet to enter a weekend floor tournament this year. The King won’t disappoint his queens/followers/suitors and will continue the terrific form to defeat Raymond with aplomb: 8-4

If you took last week’s betting advice you will now be a good deal richer as the double draws I predicted romped home:

(Get on a draw double (Taylor/King and Baxter/Wade) which will be around 25/1 at any boooookies. Half a monkey for your Paul Mckenna: hypnotic wager.)

29/1 was generously offered by the turf accountant and £150 returned for a sky diver. Hope you all got on!

Terry’s all gold or Terry-Bull again for Jenks this week?

When you are not playing well it is nice to come up against someone rubbish in order to get your confidence back, isn’t it? Well Terry Jenkins will be stuck between a Brighton rock and a hard place on Thursday on the south coast as he comes up against the power that is Phil Taylor: quite the opposite of rubbish. In fact, Taylor heads to Brighton on the back of back-to-back victories in Wigan at the weekend in the Players’ Championships, when on Sunday he beat Jamie Caven 6-0 averaging over 120 and requiring no more than 13 darts per leg: quite literally unstoppable. I’m afraid that the Bully will not achieve what the King achieved last week in Manchester. Big victory for Phil: 8-4. Silver for Jenkins.

It is Simon ‘Whit’lock, but will the Machine have the key to open up the Wizard’s defence?

Wade played well last week and perhaps should have overcome Baxter; alas again he found winning elusive as he had to settle for a point. The Aussie, however, maintained his terrific target hitting to take out Adie Lewis 8-4. I am going to predict science over spirit this week as the Machine will overpower the Wizard…only just though…8-6 to Wade.

Sleepers never prosper!

James and Simon’s opponents from last week play each other in Brighton on Thursday: the rocket against the jackpot. The result of this will depend on which Lewis turns up. The focused, accurate Lewis is as good as anyone on his day; alas when Adie nods off on stage, his opponents tend to take advantage. Ronnie is enjoying some of the best form of his career and I feel he will give Lewis a run for his jackpot money this week. Let’s go for a draw! 7-7.

Trebles for Dough

King to beat Barney at around 11/10; Taylor to beat Jenkins (1/6) and Wade to whip the Wizard @ 6/5. This treble pays between 4 and 5/1…£50 for your tenner. However, if you add Baxter/Lewis draw to it @ 4/1 you’ll be getting more like £270 for your Ayrton…Up to you! It’s much easier to have a threesome than a fours up. The fourth one always gets in the way

Terry’s all gold?

You could ignore my predictions and back the bully to upset the applecart. He will be around 16/1 on Betfair – amazing odds in this format and you just never know… If you double that up with Baxter/Lewis draw you’ll be looking at a 80/1 double for plenty of DOUGH!!!

Chris Clegg

Premier League week 5, Darting Punditry from Cleggy

Ok, so only some of what I predicted came true in last week’s cracking premier league action. I quote:

1 “If Barney has the whole of Holland’s army behind him on Thursday he won’t be able to live with the power. Get on Taylor to Phil his boots against his arched rival.”

2. “I fancy that Simon’s spell may break one of these days and it could be this week…Simon says he’ll win. I disagree.”

3. “This one will be close but it will be Merv who swerves the Bull-ets and bags his third win of the campaign…No early Exet-er down in the South West for Merv this week. Sorry about the Terry-Bull puns.

4. “It’s true what the advert says: “it matters more when there’s money on it”, you will see on Thursday when you’re shouting at the screen, loving someone you thought you could never love (no, not your missus!) and hating his opponent with a passion as he urinates on your promising betting bonfire.”

Needless to say, I’m not going to mention the predictions I got wrong. You have got to be selective in this game – I can’t get everything right!

The wizard couldn’t master the rocket last week; and the King was all too powerful for “Terry-Bull” Jenkins – apologies again but I am starting to like this pun. Like the Rocket managed earlier in the campaign, Barney and his army surged into an early lead…until Phil switched on his Black and Decker (power tool) and destroyed the lot of them in one powerful motion.

It is nice how he gives the others a chance in the first few legs nowadays, isn’t it?

Oh yes, and I also told you that you would be shouting at the television because it matters more when there’s money on it. So, who hosed out your betting bonfire, ensuring you will hate them forever…or at least until this Thursday? Or did you fall in love with a big man as he launched his pointed arrow into the red bit? You never thought that would happen, did you? Only in the PDC.

Terry to Bully Barney?

This week’s red hot action comes from Manchester as the wounded Barney army march towards a somewhat castrated Bull. Both players were stripped of their mojo last week: Barney was limp and lifeless after the first two legs and would have liked to Exeterlier than he did. I am sure Cheryl Cole feels the same about her marriage. The Bull was defeated by King Merv last time out, which is no disgrace, and he will be the one who bounces back to bully his bewildered rival in Manchester on Thursday. 8-6 to the male cow. You can’t beat a bit of Bully, Raymond! No, seriously, you can’t.

Will Ronnie rage against the machine… a ‘good night from him’?

The Machine kept the jackpot in check (as machines tend to) last week as they shared the spoils. This week, James has a Rocket to contend with; alas, which one of the two Ronnies will turn up this week? The one who puts his opponents to bed as he did the wizard last time out in Exeter; or the one who races into a 4-0 lead only to relinquish it and utter “it’s goodnight from me” as he goes for a walk, leaving his opponent to take the match without a fight? If the real Rocket Ronnie would please stand up this week, as he has in the previous two, he will rage against the machine, and could win. Alas, Wade had the X factor last week and almost hit the jackpot for six (8-6), though he had to be content with a draw in the end. This one is guaranteed to be close. I predict a quick fire draw from the sharp slingers! 7-7.

Silence isn’t so golden

Some people like to sit and muse on an evening, pondering their day at work, reading in silence, perhaps. Well, I like noise and plenty of it and to quote Dizzy Rascal, “a heavy waistline is my kind a silence” which is why I like darts. Adie Lewis’s rotund midriff will be up against the slender frame of the wizard in Manchester and like the aforementioned matches, this one is difficult to predict correctly. No wizardry from Simon this week as his spells become somewhat dizzy as the rascal Lewis produces the magic darts to triumph. 8-4 to the big man.

Taylor to be tamed…and I’m not joKing

Last but by no means least, there will be no joking around from Merv as he attempts to unplug the Power tool. Now, Sid always says “you’ve got to start well against Phil!” Well, Ronnie Baxter did…and Barney did, and they were demolished with relative ease; no, scratch that, with consummate ease. The King must play well for the duration of his encounter with the drill and remain concentrated (as you should when dealing with powerful drills). If he does this on Thursday he might just spring a surprise. I’m backing another draw though, which will be brilliantly priced at around 6/1.

Top Double

Get on a draw double (Taylor/King and Baxter/Wade) which will be around 25/1 at any boooookies. Half a monkey for your Paul Mckenna: hypnotic wager.

Blue-Skybet!

Some people pay for thrills, but I get mine for freeeeeee…there’s nothing crazy about meeeeeee!!!

Get on the FREE skybet super six where you can win £25,000 for predicting the four results alongside number of 180s and highest checkout.

I put a couple of quid on my four (incorrect) scorelines last week and the odds were astronomical – around 3000/1. If I’d have won I’d probably be out of this world by now, or certainly on the other side of it. It’s got to be worth a couple of quid, hasn’t it?

by Chris Clegg

Fancy a free Bet?  Sky Bet Launch Darts Super 6

TO add to the weekly excitement of the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts, official bookmakers Sky Bet have teamed up with Sky Sports to launch a FREE-TO-ENTER darts prediction game, which gives fans the chance to win £25,000.

I’ve already entered – it honestly is free – make your selections, enter your e-mail, name, and phone number, and you’re done.  You don’t have to open an account or give card details – and that’s a Krispy promise!

To be in with a chance of winning, simply put your darts knowledge to the test and make six correct predictions across the weekly matches:

• the correct leg scores for each match,
• the highest checkout of the night,
• and the player with the highest checkout.

It costs nothing to enter and if you get all six outcomes correct then you could win the £25,000 jackpot.

If the jackpot isn’t won, £1,000 will be awarded each week to the player who makes the most correct predictions.

Sky Bet’s darts betting spokesman Tim Reynolds said: “The toughest prediction each week will definitely be the highest checkout, but with £25,000 on offer and with the Darts Super 6 being free-to-enter, the new competition should be hugely popular.”

Predictions for this week’s Premier League Darts Super 6 must be made before 7.15pm on Thursday 4 March.

To access the Premier League Darts Super 6 competition, please click here

Premier League Betting Tips – Flights you might fancy?

Where can you witness a jackpot next to the machine? Be in the presence of an army and a king; witness a wizard, feel the power, see a raging bull and observe a flying rocket? Enter Exeter this Thursday and you see them all… at the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts.

The Power Drill

Barry Hearn’s empire is in its fourth week of this year’s Premier league campaign as the Barney Army attempt to cut off Phil’s power supply, or lead, one might say. But, what are the chances? Well, unlike the big two on stage, they are very slim…but possible – anything is possible in this best of 14 legs format. Indeed, the rocket Ronnie Baxter launched himself into a 4-0 lead only a fortnight ago against the power tool, sorry Taylor, although Phil does resemble a relentless drill in his demolition of opponents. Did Baxter win? Well, I was in heaven for a time as I’d backed Baxter at almost 20/1 on Betfair…but like so many men Ronnie peaked too soon on the night as the Black and Decker turned up the revolutions to eat into his opponent’s resistance and triumph 8-6. As Chrissy Kamara would say, “Unbelievable, Jeff!” Well, very believable actually, Phil does it all too often. His performance against the Rocket would once have been described by the legend Sid Waddell as “the greatest comeback since Lazarus!” It is now merely a typical Taylor performance. I would like to advise you to back Barneveld at roughly 13/2 as it’s a great price in a two horse race. The problem is, Taylor’s a thoroughbred and these days Barnie’s throwing is a bit like a three-legged donkey – wonkey. If Barney has the whole of Holland’s army behind him on Thursday he won’t be able to live with the power. Get on Taylor to Phil his boots against his arched rival. The result is a bit like Frankenstein’s monster’s head…nailed on! 8-4 Taylor.

Will Merv be King again?

This one might just be the most intriguing match of the night as in-form King squares up to El Tel. The King reigned supreme in Swindon last weekend. Not only did he hit a plethora of doubles, he also did the double, then celebrated with a double. You would think that the King would reside in a five star hotel, wouldn’t you? Apparently the Swindon rooms were hardly fit for a pauper, never mind a king. Anyway, back to the betting. This one will be close but it will be Merv who swerves the Bull-ets and bags his third win of the campaign. 8-6 I predict, a reversal of the king’s shock defeat to The Rocket last time out. No early Exet-er down in the South West for Merv this week. Sorry about the Terry-Bull puns.

Machine Wades in?

You would think the machine would Wade in on his opponents being such a class act; alas James doesn’t practise much. Helen, why is that? They say practise makes perfect and Adie Lewis has begun to put this theory into action. There will be no jackpot for the machine on Thursday as Lewis will continue to assert his dominance on the game he is finally getting to grips with, and some! I agree with Waddell that Adie will win the World Championships very soon and he will win by at least three legs on Thursday. 8-5 to the jackpot.

Magic Science

Who would win if a powerful rocket came face-to-face with the magical Wizard of Oz? There’s only one way to find out….“FIGHT!!!” There is heavy weather forecast for Thursday and in the blizzard, the wizard may just magic his way past the rocket…if he continues to hit every double first time, that is. I fancy that Simon’s spell may break one of these days and it could be this week. In fact, Chris Mason threw a large spanner in The Wizard’s works on Saturday in the Players’ Championship in Derby, beating him on his way to reaching the semi-final. Mase also saw off Gary Anderson, Jelle Klassen and Michael Van Gerwen in only his second tournament since returning to the floor. If things keep going as well as they are for Mase, he might be on this big stage next year…

Rocket Ronnie is proving that he can weather a storm or two, and is improving every week; indeed he dethroned the king last time out. This one will also be close: Simon says he’ll win. I disagree: 7-7.

Thursday’s four timer:

Taylor to beat Barney (1/5); King to rule the Bull (1/1 or just under); Lewis to hit the jackpot against Wade (5/4) and Whitlock/Baxter draw (9/2). A tenner on this accumulator pays nearly £300. Not bad for a night’s work…

Double Draw

It’s true what the advert says: “it matters more when there’s money on it”, you will see on Thursday when you’re shouting at the screen, loving someone you thought you could never love (no, not your missus!) and hating his opponent with a passion as he urinates on your promising betting bonfire. Anyway, the draws are brilliantly priced typically at 9/2 and a double invariably pays over 20/1. How about ignoring what I’ve said at whacking a fiver on King/Bull and Lewis/Wade draw double. A ton for your trouble.

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Chris Clegg
New staff writer @ Darts, Beers & Cheers