PDC World darts betting preview: A look forward to Alexandra Palace

Sky Bet's Andy Bell previews the PDC World Championship and highlights the dangers to Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen.

It's that time of year again. The excitement is in the air and people are waiting to find out if the big man will deliver the goods once more.

No, not Santa but Phil 'The Power' Taylor, who bids for a 17th world title and 15th since the formation of the PDC some two decades ago.

Taylor is Sky Bet's 2/1 favourite as we build towards the first day's play at Alexandra Palace and, once again, he arrives in top form having landed the Grand Slam last month, averaging over 100 in the process.

Earlier this month he was again in decent form only to bump into an inspired Gary Anderson, who went on to win the tournament in some style.

Taylor's quarter looks straightforward enough - a fact reflected by our 4/9 quote that he wins it - but after that things get tougher.

If he's to reach the final he'll have to overcome the victor in the so-called 'quarter of death', which sees dual champion Adrian Lewis pitched in with the likes of James Wade, Stephen Bunting, Raymond van Barneveld and young Michael Smith, who beat Taylor in the second round last year.

No longer is this tournament all about The Power, however. Not since Michael van Gerwen won the title last year on his way to the top of the world rankings, anyway.

MVG is virtually unstoppable on his game and victories in Dubai and Singapore as well as both the World Grand Prix and the European Championship had suggested that his dominance would continue this year.

Recent televised defeats to Mervyn King, Kim Huybrechts and Terry Jenkins leave the defending champion with questions to answer but I ha've no doubt he will have been pounding the practice board in a bid to recapture the form that saw him win this title so impressively back in January.

Van Gerwen will need to play like he did back then if recent form is anything to go by, as he is drawn to face red-hot Anderson in the semi-finals.

The Flying Scotsman has been bubbling away all year and finally exploded into life last week when taking the Players Championship Finals in Minehead, demolishing Bunting, Taylor and Lewis along the way thanks to an impressive 104 average.

Nobody will want to face Anderson in that sort of form and he is 13/2 to take away the Sid Waddell trophy for the first time.

The next three in the betting - Lewis (11/1), Wade (14/1) and Bunting (20/1) - are all in the aforementioned 'quarter of death' and whoever can progress will fancy their chances of going all the way.

Lewis has not enjoyed the best of years but showed much more in the Players final where the maximums were flying in once more, and this two-time world champion could look a big price if arriving in peak form.

Wade - who was extremely disappointed to be left out of the Premier League this year - has shown great character of late and arrives as the Masters champion.

He will be looking to cap a good year in fine style with a positive result here - but can he go all the way? Clearly he has a tough draw but this is one of the toughest competitors in the PDC so don't be surprised if he proves the doubters wrong once again.

Bunting has hit the ground running since switching to the PDC soon after his BDO success and quotes of 20/1 show you just how well regarded he is.

Personally, I think this will come a year or two too soon but I've no doubt he will become one of the very best in the world in time.

Best of the rest

Dave Chisnall (Sky Bet odds - 28/1)

Pushed Taylor all the way in the Grand Slam final and is a frightening scorer at times. If he can continue to pepper the lipstick and hits his doubles then Chisnall could be a live contender at a big price.

Mervyn King (Sky Bet odds - 50/1)

Another who had a good run at the Grand Slam, losing to Taylor in the semi-finals, and should have won the Masters only to suffer at the hands of a sensational Wade fightback. Doesn't fear anybody and will be hard to beat.

Terry Jenkins (Sky Bet odds - 80/1)

Jenkins is showing no signs of slowing down after making the European Championship finals in October and arguably arrives in the form of his life. After losing out on nine major PDC titles, I for one hope The Bull can go one better and cause an upset.

Keegan Brown (Sky Bet odds - 100/1)

Last year's World Youth champion has been well backed at big prices after his impressive showing at this year's Grand Slam where he lost in the quarter-finals. Another potential star in the making and capable of making a splash at a huge price.