World Matchplay darts: Can anyone stop Phil 'The Power' Taylor
Phil Taylor bids for 16th World Matchplay title in Blackpool
Thursday 23 July 2015 13:30, UK
Thirty-two of the world's leading darts players are set to do battle at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, all hoping to be crowned World Matchplay champion.
Phil Taylor has made the iconic venue his own with a record of 15 titles, including 13 in the last 15 years.
'The Power' has had a fairly quiet year by his standards but victory in the first Japan Masters last month sees him come here very much one of the favourites. So much so, Sky Bet have Price Boosted Taylor to 7/2 to secure his 16th crown.
Michael van Gerwen started 2015 with a bang, winning the Masters, UK Open, the first four European Tour events and the Dubai Masters. But his form has tailed off slightly with defeats in the last two European events and a semi-final exit in Japan.
But despite his dip in form 'Mighty Mike' loves the longer format and goes off clear tournament favourite at 15/8. He can be backed at 4/5 to reach the final and 2/5 to win his quarter.
World and Premier League champion Gary Anderson, a 9/2 shot with Sky Bet, comes to Blackpool to try and complete the Triple Crown.
The 'Flying Scotsman' looks unstoppable when he’s on his game and takes to the oche on Sunday evening in his first- round match against Steve Beaton.
Anderson narrowly lost out to reigning champion Taylor last year at the semi-final stage in a high-class thriller, maybe this year Anderson can go one further and take the title.
Outside the main contenders the likes of James Wade, Adrian Lewis, the in-form Dave Chisnall and recent Euro winners Robert Thornton and Michael Smith will be all keen to make an impression.
One player to keep an eye on at a bigger price is 25/1 Peter 'Snakebite' Wright.
Wright was runner-up in the UK Open and the Japan Masters, he has been tinkering with his darts but is growing in confidence. He has a tough opener with Kimmy Huybrechts and arguably the easiest quarter.
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