Darts / David Croft / 15 November 2007 /

The BBC's darts correspondent David Croft talks us through this week's two fantastic darts tournaments and the good, the bad and the ugly bets out there

So once again I'm packing my suitcase this week and I'm off to cover another international sport for the BBC. But it's not the glamour of Monaco or Melbourne and the noisy world of Formula 1 that awaits me, no, the only sound ringing in my ears will be the cry of "Let's Play Darts". I'm off to Bridlington for the Winmau World Masters in which Martin Adams bids to become only the 5th player in history to become a world master and world champion in the same year. Martin's available at [3] with Betfair which is too short a price in such a competitive event.

Ted Hankey at [11] is a much better bet as the Count has rediscovered his world championship winning form this year. You'll be able to see the action on Saturday and Sunday on BBC Television on what promises to be a wonderful weekend for Darts fans in the UK as it also marks the return of the sport on ITV 1. The channel along with ITV 4 will be showing the new Grand Slam of Darts, a tournament designed to pit the best of the PDC stable against their counterparts playing in the BDO system. The original idea was for the best 16 in each code to face each other across the week and although it's not turned out exactly as intended, there are still some fascinating match-ups in prospect and from a punter's perspective, great value bets to be had.

As you'd expect from a 13-time world champion, Phil Taylor leads the outright winner market on Betfair but given the fact that he hasn't won a major tournament in the last 12 months and has at times looked decidedly under par, (those who backed him to retain his World Grand Prix title will still be counting the cost of his first round defeat), the price of [4.3] to lay Taylor might be more appealing.

One day he will return to form, that's for sure, and only last week "The Power" beat Raymond van Barneveld in a players championship event in Holland, but in a stronger field at the Grand Slam of Darts, I'm afraid I don't see The Power going all the way.

The form man in the PDC of late has been James Wade who you can back at [5.8] with Betfair. Wade triumphed in both the World Matchplay and World Grand Prix events finally producing the sort of form that had many tipping him as a future world champion from an early age. He also took the UK Open Regional Championship in Scotland and has to go on the shortlist for Wolverhampton.

As impressive as Wade has been however, there are two other bets that stand head and shoulders above the rest. In the two tournaments this year that have seen the best of the PDC take on the best of the BDO, the World Darts Trophy and International Darts League, one man has shone throughout, a player who has to be taken seriously in this tournament and who has been knocking on the door of major success for some time.

WDF number 1 Gary Anderson, is available with Betfair at a best price of [8.2] to win the Grand Slam of Darts. Anderson warmed up nicely with victory last weekend at the Northern Ireland Open. If he were playing week in week out with the PDC boys that price would be halved, as it is he can sneak in almost under the radar for this tournament at a price far greater than he should be.

In the meanwhile, current world cup singles winner Mark Webster - the man who lost in the World Darts Trophy final to Gary Anderson - is available at [38] with Betfair. Once again here's a price that doesn't accurately reflect his chances. Don't complain, just use the value to your benefit.

The first round of the Grand Slam of Darts features three round robin matches for each player. Both Anderson and Webster fall into the bottom half of the draw with Wade in the top half and if you fancy an outsider from Wade's part of the draw, then Terry Jenkins at [16] could be hard to shift. He, like Wade has had an excellent 12 months and often proves a very stubborn man to beat.

It's a fascinating tournament that I hope proves to be a great success. For Darts fans it's magnificent to have another event on terrestrial television and the format should ensure that it goes from strength to strength in the future. The only thing it needs is to have both the world champions in its ranks. That, for many reasons, mostly political, hasn't happened this year. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that something can be worked out in 2008.

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