World Matchplay Darts - Tips for Day 1 from Blackpool
Lewis Watson 
- Gerwyn Price -2.5 v Daryl Gurney - 8/11 with bet365
- Raymond van Barneveld to beat Jonny Clayton - 13/10 with bet365
- Aspinall v Woodhouse over 16.5 legs - 8/11 with bet365
We’re heading north to Blackpool this weekend as 32 of the best players in the PDC fight for the richest prize available to them this summer.
World Matchplay Darts Tips
The World Matchplay gets up and running on Saturday evening and we’ve picked out three of the best tips for the opening day’s play.
Take a look below at our 13/10 shot as well as two 8/11 calls.
Gerwyn Price -2.5 handicap vs Daryl Gurney at 8/11 with bet365
- Saturday 13/07, 19:45
An on-song Gerwyn Price should be able to handle Daryl Gurney pretty comfortably inside the Winter Garden, but that isn’t a guarantee in 2024…
Price has underwhelmed in previous Matchplay outings, but in a favourable section of the draw should fancy advancing into round two at a minimum.
Gurney hasn’t made any notable splashes since 2020 and may struggle to keep with the pace of the “Iceman” if he averages anywhere close to three-figures.
Price to beat Gurney 10-7 or better is the call.
Raymond van Barneveld to beat Jonny Clayton at 13/10 with bet365
- Saturday 13/07, 20:30
Despite stringing together some positive performances on the Players Championship Tour and European Tour, Jonny Clayton is in a bit of a ranking tournament rut.
“The Ferret” has been dumped out earlier than the quarter-finals in seven of his last nine outings at ranked events, and has an appearance in last season’s Matchplay final only to hang his hat on.
Life inside the Winter Gardens hasn’t often been kind to the Welshman either.
This is his seventh year in Blackpool and he’s been eliminated in the first round on four of six previous occasions.
Barney’s second career on the PDC Tour has had more lowlights than highlights, but the Dutchman has got into the fourth round of the World Championship and UK Open already this year and is getting good momentum on the European Tour.
With the crowd behind him, we’re backing the van Barneveld upset.
Nathan Aspinall vs Luke Woodhouse – Over 16.5 legs at 8/11 with bet365
- Saturday 13/07, 22:00
Luke Woodhouse can definitely be filed under “possible banana skin” territory.
The 35-year-old is up to number 34 in the rankings, reached last season’s Players Championship Finals quarter-finals and ran well into round six of this year’s UK Open.
Nathan Aspinall will have Woodhouse on toast if he’s at the peak of his powers, but in a race to ten there will be openings for “Woody”.
Aspinall won the Matchplay last year so may feel the jitters of arriving in Blackpool as the defending champion.
The “Asp” should still get over the line, but we could be set for a thriller and a late Saturday finish.
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