If you're following along with our PDC Home Tour Darts coverage, you know what our basic strategy is for the early part of this tournament. Given the unfamiliar environment — the players are playing at home and competing via video conference — it seems unwise to back big favorites.
Like in plenty of other sports name recognition can sway odds drastically in darts. Yesterday we saw unheralded Welshman Jamie Lewis, No. 60 in the world, defeat World No. 2 Peter Wright as a +450 underdog. Lewis also won the group, cashing at 6-1.
I see no reason to back off this strategy for Night 2, which is headlined by a different kind of Welshman. World No. 3 Gerwyn "Iceman" Price, the Bad Boy of Darts and a personal betting nemesis of mine, is the prohibitive favorite to win Group B over Luke Woodhouse, Ted Evetts and Rowby-John Rodriguez.
You know where we're going with this.
Odds as of Friday evening and via BetMGM. Get up to a $500 risk-free bet at BetMGM today or see more offers and reviews for the best online sportsbooks.
PDC Home Tour Darts Tournament Rules and Format
- If you're unfamiliar with the rules of darts, click here.
- The tournament will feature 32 groups of four players who will play a round robin to determine a group winner.
- One group plays per day, for 32 days in a row. Yes, 32 days in a row.
- All group-stage matches are best-of-9 legs and two points will be awarded for a win. If there is a tie at the top of standings, the first tiebreaker will be leg difference.
- After the 32-day group stage, the winners will advance to the second phase of the competition. I'm assuming that means a single-elimination, bracket-style tournament. But, the PDC website didn't go any further than that.
- The action will begin at 2:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. local time) each night and stream on PDC.tv. It will be shown for free, although I am not 100% certain it will be available for users in the United States, let's hope for the best.
- The first four groups have been announced, along with the order of play, though the PDC has yet to confirm the remaining competitors.
PDC Home Tour Night 2 Betting Picks, Preview
The PDC Home Tour will pick back up on Saturday with Group B. The schedule features six games, starting at 2:30 p.m. ET. PDC is streaming the event for free, but there were some technical difficulties on Friday, so keep an eye on their Twitter with how to watch.
Additionally, you can track the action on Bet365, which is honestly an exhilarating way to watch a bet lose in soul-crushing fashion.
Group B Odds
- No. 3 Gerwyn Price (-200)
- No. 57 Luke Woodhouse (+600)
- No. 66 Ted Evetts (+600)
- No. 70 Rowby-John Rodriguez (+500)
Group B Order of Play
First match begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 18.
- Gerwyn Price (-600) v Rowby-John Rodriguez (+400)
- Luke Woodhouse (-163) v Ted Evetts (+120)
- Rowby-John Rodriguez (-120) v Ted Evetts (-120)
- Gerwyn Price (-400) v Luke Woodhouse (+275)
- Luke Woodhouse (-163) v Rowby-John Rodriguez (+120)
- Ted Evetts (+400) v Gerwyn Price (-600)
Odds as of Thursday at 1:20 p.m. ET and via bet365. Get up to $100 in bet credits at bet365 today or see more offers and reviews for the best online sportsbooks.
Once again, I'll be full-on-fading the big dog in Group B. That means a bet on each of the underdogs against Gerwyn Price.
As I explained yesterday, the playing conditions of this one-of-a-kind tournament is perfect for upsets. Not only is this the first tournament of its ilk, but these players have not played a regular, competitive game of darts in weeks.
Additionally, Price is the type of competitor who thrives off being the heel. He lives to intimidate his opponent, trying to get in their head with his blustering post-throw celebrations and fist pumps. The former Rugby Union professional is as boisterous as he is square-shaped and the man knows how to work a stage. It also helps that he's off his damn rocker.
Without the crowd jeering him and his opponent rolling his eyes behind his back, I just don't know how this format will suit Price. Will he be up for a game of darts when he can't scream back at a thousand people hopped up on the beer? Color me skeptical.
I'll also be having a go with "Super" Ted Evetts in all three of his matches. Evetts is the sort of anti-Gerwyn Price. The Iceman, muscles bursting through his shirt and eyes popping out of his head, is an imposing figure on the oche. Evetts, with his glasses and babyface, just seems like a genuinely good bloke and earned a ton of praise for being a gracious loser to Fallon Sherrock when "The Queen of the Palace" became the first woman to ever win a match at the World Championships this past December.
I'm not just betting on Evetts because he is a good guy (and apparently a qualified chef), but because he actually has some experience in this format. The PDC ran a test run for the Home Tour format a few days ago and Evetts was one of the pros who was invited to take part in the dry run. I think that gives him a bit of an edge and in an event with so much variance, I'll take any edge I can find. In addition to match-betting, BetMGM is offering Group-Winner odds. I see no reason not to back Evetts at +600.
So there you have it, a Good Guy vs. Bad Guy betting angle in the middle of a quarantine. #LovetheDarts
Day 2 Betting Picks
- Ted Evetts to Win Group B +600
- Rowby-John Rodriguez +400 over Gerwyn Price
- Luke Woodhouse +275 over Gerwyn Price
- Ted Evetts +400 over Gerwyn Price
- Ted Evetts -120 over Rowby-John Rodriguez
- Ted Evetts +120 over Luke Woodhouse
PDC Home Tour Betting Record: 1-2, +2.75 units
PDC Home Tour Odds and Schedule
Group C Odds
- No. 11 Dave Chisnall -138
- No. 102 Scott Waites +320
- No. 58 Jan Dekker +420
- No. 91 Jonathan Worsley +700
Group C Order of Play
First match begins on Sunday, April 19 at 2:30 p.m. ET.
- Dave Chisnall v Scott Waites
- Jan Dekker v Jonathan Worsley
- Scott Waites v Jonathan Worsley
- Dave Chisnall v Jan Dekker
- Jan Dekker v Scott Waites
- Jonathan Worsley v Dave Chisnall
Group D Odds
- No. 47 Ross Smith +140
- No. 53 Mickey Mansell +260
- No. 71 Geert Nentjes +260
- No. 128 Lisa Ashton +550
Group D Order of Play
Matches begin at 2:30 p.m. ET on Monday, April 20.
- Ross Smith v Lisa Ashton
- Mickey Mansell v Geert Nentjes
- Lisa Ashton v Geert Nentjes
- Ross Smith v Mickey Mansell
- Mickey Mansell v Lisa Ashton
- Geert Nentjes v Ross Smith
