One week from putting an end to his half-decade wait for a TV championship win at the European Championship, James ‘The Machine’ Wade won another as he beat Michael Smith 11-10 in the final of the World Series of Darts Finals.
Wade’s TV double came in Vienna after a hard-fought match that only began to split after The Machine broke to a 10-9, only to miss two darts for the match. This fumble allowed Smith back in the match from where he managed to force a deciding leg where he would throw first. Just like his opponent at the oche, Bully Boy also dropped his two championship shots.
In a match where seemingly no one wanted to win, Wade couldn’t take out his required 141, instead, letting Smith in for three shots at the double 20. Missing all three, Wade returned to take out the double 18 in one shot to bring home the title, his second in as many weeks. The Machine, who knocked out Raymond van Barneveld in the semi-final, hit five 180s and averaged 97 in the match where he would win his ninth career TV title. Smith, who one round earlier dispensed of Welshman Gerwyn Price, would average 99 and hit five maximums.
A look at the Grand Slam of Darts matchups
This Saturday sees the Sky Sports-televised Grand Slam of Darts, which takes place at the Aldersley Leisure Village in Wolverhampton from November 10-18. This unique tournament features players from both the PDC and BDO, which is combining to make a field of 32 in a 24/8 split. The event’s structure sees eight groups of four in a round-robin phase make up a first round, before the remaining 16 players go through to the knockout stages. During the round robin phase, each player will face off against each other once in a best-of-nine legs match, with two points going to the winner.
Michael van Gerwen has been grouped with Jonny Clayton, Joe Murnan and Gary Robson in Group A, while Michael Smith headlines Group B with Raymond van Barneveld, Krzysztof Ratajski and Adam Smith-Neale.
The in-form James Wade faces a tough Group C that includes Keegan Brown, Mark Webster and Wesley Harms, while Group D pits Ian White, Steve Hine and Michael Unterbuchner against Gary Anderson. Peter ‘Snakebite’ Wright, seeded second, leads Group E where his opponents will be Max Hopp, Josh Payne and Jim Williams.
BDO world champion Glen Durrant goes in Group F, along with Simon Whitlock, Gerwyn Price and Andrew Gilding, while Mensur Suljovic will be the favourite in Group G that includes qualifier Stephen Bunting plus Martin Schindler and Scott Mitchell. Reigning PDC world champion Rob Cross will meet Ryan Searle and Mark McGeeney along with hot prospect Dimitri van den Bergh in Group H.
Grand Slam of Darts Betting Tips
Despite not being quite as dominant in the second half of this year, three-time defending champion Michael van Gerwen is the 10/11 favourite to lift the trophy for the fourth year in a row. The PDC world number one showed his class with last month’s World Grand Prix triumph, however, and it’s up to the likes of Gary Anderson, Peter Wright to stop him. Worryingly for the challengers though is that the format of this event suits the 29-year-old Dutchman — is there one that doesn’t? — who can utilise his three group matches to gather momentum as the competition goes on.
Of course, the same can be said for world number one and three Gary ‘The Flying Scotsman’ Anderson and Peter Wright. Anderson, in particular, offers the biggest threat to Mighty Mike and Betway have installed a 5/1 price on his head to win the tournament. Don’t discount a rejuvenated James Wade, fresh from his dual wins on the European circuit in Dortmund and Vienna. Betway are offering 20/1 on Wade and 9/1 on Wright to win outright. Mensur Suljovic is the other name worth considering this coming week after such an improved season. He can be picked up for 18/1.
Glen Durrant is my pick of the BDO qualifiers at 33/1 after reaching the quarter-finals last year, although emulating Scott Waites as the only other past winner from the BDO is a very tall order. In fact, Betway have priced any winner from the BDO at 20/1. Rob Cross fans can back their boy at 14/1, while Michael Smith, still looking for his first televised win, is available on 20/1, which is 30 points away from Gerwyn Price’s 50/1, again at Betway.
Group A
- Michael van Gerwen (1)
- Jonny Clayton
- Joe Murnan
- Gary Robson
Group B
- Michael Smith (8)
- Raymond van Barneveld
- Krzysztof Ratajski
- Adam Smith-Neale
Group C
- James Wade (5)
- Keegan Brown
- Mark Webster
- Wesley Harms
Group D
- Gary Anderson (4)
- Ian White
- Steve Hine
- Michael Unterbuchner
Group E
- Peter Wright (2)
- Max Hopp
- Josh Payne
- Jim Williams
Group F
- Simon Whitlock (7)
- Gerwyn Price
- Andrew Gilding
- Glen Durrant
Group G
- Mensur Suljovic (6)
- Stephen Bunting
- Martin Schindler
- Scott Mitchell
Group H
- Rob Cross (2)
- Dimitri Van den Bergh
- Ryan Searle
- Mark McGeeney
Fixtures
Wednesday November 14
- Second Round (Best of 19 legs)
Thursday November 15
- Second Round (Best of 19 legs)
Friday November 16
- Quarter-finals (Best of 31 legs)
Saturday November 17
- Quarter-finals (Best of 31 legs)
Sunday November 18
- Semi-finals (Best of 31 legs)
- Final (Best of 31 legs)