Despite being odds-on, Van Gerwen is great value for Ally Pally glory

Last weekend the Braehead Arena played host to the Ladbrokes World Series of Darts finals, where, quite simply, Michael van Gerwen ran riot, winning his 23^rd title since the turn of the year. And while he may be odds-on to win the World Championship at the Alexandra Palace this winter, at 10/11, he still represents incredible value.

In short, though it may be an old cliché, it’s simple: if he plays, he wins.

On his game, nobody on the PDC circuit can come close to beating him. Take Simon Whitlock, for example. Last month the Wizard came within one dart of knocking the Dutchman out of the European Championships. The pair met again in Glasgow last weekend. The result? A 10-0 hammering from the world number one.

Next in the market is Phil Taylor, who hasn’t had the greatest year of his career by any stretch. Defeat in the semi-finals against Peter Wright in Glasgow means we’ve seen The Power win just one televised event this year (excluding the World Cup, which he won with Adrian Lewis).

Though we mustn’t write Taylor off, it’s hard to see how he wins his 17^th World Championship title this time out with Van Gerwen playing so well.

And while Gary Anderson is looking to become only the third player in the history of the sport to win three consecutive world titles, like Taylor, he’ll be heading into the tournament with very little to speak of in the way of form this year.

There is, however, some value in the Each Way betting. As is so often the case in darts, MVG’s short odds mean that a whole host of the world’s finest tungsten throwers offer great value just to make the final.

Peter Wright was 20/1 to win the Ladbrokes World Series of Darts Finals last weekend, meaning those that backed him Each Way would have been paid out at 10s.

And a quick look at the World Championship outright odds shows that, remarkably, six of the PDC’s top 10 players are priced at 20/1 or above – with Robert Thornton priced as high as 100s.

Our advice? Look at backing MVG outright at 10/11, or take your pick from any of the other players on the circuit and back them Each Way, as we’re paying ½ odds for finishing first or second.

Click here for a full list of 2017 PDC World Championship odds.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing