Defending champion Jonny Clayton will kick off a revamped Premier League when he takes on newcomer Joe Cullen in the first match on Night One in Cardiff.
There’s a whole new look to this year’s Premier League, the competition’s first major overhaul in its 17-year history.
The previous 10 players have become eight with 16 stand-alone mini-knockout tournaments, each and every week, replacing the round-robin format we were used to.
That’s four quarter-finals, two semis and a final, all over a best-of-11 distance, on each night, with two points awarded to the two losing semi-finalists, three for the runner-up and five for that night’s winner. The four top points scorers at the end of 16 weeks head to the playoffs.
Smith Gets Chance to Avenge World Heartache
Tie of the night at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff has to be the showdown between Peter Wright and Michael Smith, a rerun of last month’s world championship final.
Smith was 5-4 up that night at Ally Pally, playing out of his skin and just a few more darts away from finally landing his first major title. But Wright never knows when he’s beaten, suddenly shifted up a gear, and went on to win 7-5 and lift the trophy for a second time.
Smith is 11/10 to get his revenge and that looks a fair price based on last weekend’s Masters, the only form guide we’ve got. He played twice and averaged around 102, whereas Wright, going through yet another change of hardware, lost his opener against Simon Whitlock.
His darts weren’t pretty, his performance wasn’t easy on the eye either and it’ll be fascinating to see what missiles the Scot brings to Wales.
Home Heroes Hoping to Thrill Cardiff Crowd
Gerwyn Price, the 3/1 tournament favourite, doesn’t usually have the crowd on his side but the Icemen has no worries on that score as he prepares to take on James Wade.
Gezzy has to endure interminable stick whenever he toes the oche in England so the world No.1 can enjoy himself against Wade – and if the odds are right, then he’s also nailed on for a place in the semis.
Price is 5/12 to beat Wade, just as he did in November’s Grand Slam semis.
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝘅𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀
Here are the confirmed fixtures for the 17 nights of 2022 @CazooUK Premier League action!
https://t.co/qeOVxyWUrG pic.twitter.com/mREWhD4QnD
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) February 1, 2022
That looks short enough, as does the 4/6 against Jonny Clayton to also fly the Welsh flag with pride by taking care of debutant Joe Cullen.
Clayton, of course, was a rookie last year and went on to win the tournament, but The Ferret certainly won’t be taking Cullen lightly, especially after the Yorkshireman won Sunday’s Masters to book his place.
Anderson Needs To Defy Form to Pip MvG
The climax of the quarter-final stage is the showdown between Gary Anderson and Michael van Gerwen, two men with seven Premier League titles between them.
The Dutchman is the 20/43 favourite and on head-to-head form alone that makes sense – he has lost to the Scot in just one of their last 15 meetings.
But Van Gerwen has never been easier to back in this tournament – he’s a 15/4 shot in outright betting – and has been a model of inconsistency over the last 18 months or so.
*All odds correct at time of writing.
