World Championship Betting Preview: Bookies can't split Michael van Gerwen and Phil Taylor for outright win

Image: Bookies can't split Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen for World Championship win

The bookmakers are finding it impossible to pick an outright favourite ahead of the World Championship semi-finals, with Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen deemed inseparable.

The duo are priced up at 6/4 apiece with Sky Bet, although Phil Taylor is considered less likely to suffer an upset tonight, with Raymond van Barneveld 3/1 to oust ‘The Power’, compared to Gary Anderson’s odds of 13/8 to beat ‘Mighty Mike’.

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Watch Michael van Gerwen v Gary Anderson and Phil Taylor v Raymond van Barneveld live on Sky Sports Darts from 7pm Saturday January 3

Both Taylor and Van Gerwen started the event well clear of the rest of the field in the betting, with the former a 14-time PDC champion and the latter the reigning holder of the Sid Waddell trophy.

In contrast, Van Barneveld was 50/1 heading into the event and is still considered a relative outsider at 7/1 to secure his second title, having previously lifted the trophy back in 2007.

At 9/2, Gary Anderson is a shorter price despite being the only player in the final four not have won the tournament, with his best run coming in 2011 when he lost 7-5 in the final to Adrian Lewis.

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Assuming the bookies have got their semi-final prices right, history suggests Taylor should be favourite for a final showdown with Van Gerwen, having won 12 out of the 14 he has reached.

The last of those triumphs was his solitary Alexandra Palace final meeting with Van Gerwen in 2013, when the Englishman stormed back from a 2-0 deficit to prevail 7-4.

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However, Sky Bet Darts Trader Andy Bell said: "The market currently suggests Van Gerwen will be the slightest of favourites if he meets Taylor in the final, with both players tied in the outright despite the Dutchman facing the tougher tie."

With the bookies finding it virtually impossible to separate the pair right now, another final clash is sure to have a significant say in who is considered the greatest player right now.

However, Anderson and Van Barneveld will both be desperate to prove the bookies wrong and prevent a dream showdown.

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