2011 Premier League Darts Betting – Week 13 Bournemouth

Thursday, May 5th – Well, we know two of the faces who will be in the semi finals of the 2011 Premier League Darts. Phil Taylor and Gary Anderson have booked their places, so now it is realistically down to a four horse race for the last two places. The action moves on the BIC Bournemouth this week, in what is the penultimate round for your 2011 Premier League Darts Betting. Odds are that Raymond Van Barneveld will be joining The Power and Anderson in the knockout stage so it looks as if that fourth qualifying spot will be very closely ran thing between World Champions Adrian Lewis, James Wade and Simon Whitlock. Big, big matches this week, with the James Wade v Phil Taylor fixture looking crucial. Taylor has now won the Premier League Darts regular season, keeping up his record of having finished top of the table in all eight runnings of the event so far. The five times Premier League Darts winner, including last year’s triumph, looks to be a sure-fire bet to go and win the tournament again here. Gary Anderson does look the biggest threat, but then that big threat was brushed nonchalantly away by an 8-3 victory by Taylor against the Scot last week. It is down to the wire now for the players chasing those play off spots. The advantage does look to be with Lewis, but he needs a win and this could be the defining week of booking play off places, or are there twists to come and it will all go down to the final week? Here is a guide to this week’s round of matches:
Simon Whitlock v Mark Webster

Wales’ Webster is down and out, uninterested in the thing any more, with just two wins out of the season and not going to qualify. It has been a very disappointing campaign from Webster, of who, many great things were expected as he made for a hot tip at the start of the tournament. It has not turned out that great for him so far, and he is just struggling to pick up legs. This should work heavily in Whitlock’s favour, as the Wizard needs a victory to keep his qualification hopes hanging in there. He is currently on ten points, just one point behind Adrian Lewis and James Wade (who both have eleven). So a win here and the Aussie could really be in the hunt. If things go to plan with Wade losing to Taylor, and Lewis beating Jenkins that would keep Whitlock in touch. He needs to get these points because his last match of the season is against Phil Taylor, so there may not be anything there for him. Stick with Whitlock here, as he has something to play for, he has a lot to play for actually and shouldn’t let this opportunity slip against Webster who is not bringing anything to the table at the moment. Whitlock hammered Webster 8-2 when they met on week 7. More of the same this week one suspects as Whitlock needs to bounce back from last week’s 8-5 defeat against Lewis, so look for the Aussie in your Premier League Darts Betting this week.
Whitlock 1/2 at Blue Square, Webster 4/1 at BetFred, Draw 5/1 at Paddy Power
Gary Anderson v Raymond van Barneveld

Should be a titanic battle between second and third respectively. Scot Anderson can relax a bit because he is already in the semi finals, even if he loses his last two matches. Anderson has been brilliant in the completion this year, which is his inaugural season. The Premier League of Darts is all about consistency, week in week out, which is totally different from turning up and playing tournament darts of a lot of matches in a short space of time. Anderson went up against Phil Taylor last week, and couldn’t live with the power of The Power. Anderson went down 8-3 to Taylor, but it didn’t affect his chance of progressing. He is through, but Barneveld is on the bubble here. A win puts him through to the semi finals but defeat and wins for Lewis, Wade and Whitlock would have the big Dutchman looking over his shoulder. Barneveld dropped a point last week, being held to a draw by James Wade, who is picking up his form at the right time of the season. Barneveld will be calling on the strengths which saw him take their previous meeting in the Premier League this season 8-5. Anderson has been playing so very well though, but he may just be relaxed. Barneveld needs to close this one out, even though his final league match of the season is against Webster, he won’t want that extra pressure. So look for the Dutchman to inflict a defeat on Anderson for your Premier League Darts betting. Definitely the highlight match of the night.
Anderson 10/11 at Paddy Power, Barneveld 9/4 at Boylesports, Draw 17/4 at Unibet
Terry Jenkins v Adrian Lewis

A win for current World Champion Adrian Lewis would see him breathing more easily. Lewis is level on points with Wade, but is clinging on to fourth place because he has a better leg advantage (+2 compared to -9 for Wade). So a win here for Lewis and he would be safely in the semi finals. He is not the most consistent player in the tournament, and he lost three on the bounce before beating Simon Whitlock last week. He should be able to handle the pressure really, especially after going all the way to win the World Championships. You don’t win that without controlling your nerves. Just this one more win would get him to the play offs, and truthfully, he’ll be looking at the fixture list and be feeling grateful for this one. He plays Gary Anderson in the final week of the league stage, so he’ll definitely be driving hard for a victory here. It is something which should come, because Jenkins has had a hard time living up to the quality of the tournament. The Englishman has won just three matches and holds a -25 leg advantage. Jenkins did win last week, but that was only against Mark Webster, which didn’t need a particularly high three dart average to get the job done. Still, it will have been a confidence booster, but really, the power Lewis has, he should be able to dominate this one and get himself into the knockout stages. He won’t want to have to rely on beating Anderson next week. Interestingly, the two played out a 7-7 draw when they met on week 7.
Lewis 8/11 at Blue Square, Jenkins 5/2 at Bet365, Draw 9/2 at Boylesports
James Wade v Phil Taylor

England’s World Cup representatives go head to head with Wade desperate for a win. Wade has been looking out of sorts for most of the 2011 Premier League Darts season, but is now unbeaten in his last four. Battled his way to a 7-7 draw with Raymond van Barneveld last week, despite having a much higher three dart average than his Dutch counterpart. It’s all about the finishing! Wade is level on points with Lewis, and Wade will be hoping Lewis loses, not only because Wade could get a massive two point lead, but also because Wade himself is likely to lose. If Wade loses and Lewis and Barneveld win, then it’ll be curtains on Wade’s Premier League dream for this season. He needs to beat Phil The Power Taylor though, and it is unlikely to happen. Taylor is a legend, nothing less. Everyone was shocked when Adrian Lewis demolished him on the opening night of this year’s Premier League Darts season. But Taylor has subsequently won all eleven matches following on from that, barely letting his opponents get in amongst the legs. Taylor crushed easily the second best player in the competition this far, Gary Anderson 8-3. That was on the back of an 8-3 win over Adrian Lewis the week before (a match in which Lewis upped his three dart average to 107). He is in full flight at the moment, and no-one can touch him. Can Wade find a way to battle past Taylor? It is unlikely and certainly wouldn’t throw the kitchen sink at him doing so. Stick safe, stick with Taylor. It was an 8-1 victory for The Power over Wade when the came together on Week 7.
Taylor 1/3 at Bet365, Draw 6/1 at Boylesports, Wade 6/1 at Totesport
2011 Premier League Darts Standings

Phil Taylor: P12 W11 D0 L1 Pts 22
Gary Anderson: P12 W8 D0 L4 Pts 16
Raymond van Barneveld: P12 W6 D0 L4 Pts 14
Adrian Lewis: P12 W5 D1 L6 Pts 11
James Wade: P12 W5 D1 L6 Pts 11
Simon Whitlock: Pts 12 W5 D0 L7 Pts 10
Terry Jenkins: P12 W3 D2 L7 Pts 8
Mark Webster: P12 W2 D0 L10 Pts 4
2011 Premier League Darts Outright Betting Odds

Phli Taylor: 2/5 at SkyBet
Gary Anderson: 9/2 at Bet365
Raymond van Barneveld: 10/1 at Totesport
Adrian Lewis: 16/1 at SkyBet
James Wade: 25/1 at Totesport
Simon Whitlock: 33/1 at SportingBet