Van Gerwen Opens Against Whitlock at European Championship Darts

As he bids to win a record third consecutive European Championship title, the recent draw for the tournament has seen Michael van Gerwen open his account against Simon Whitlock. With the competition set to get underway on October 28 in Belgium, the winner of the past two events, and number one seed, will once again be the firm favourite in the darts odds among bookmakers, given his recent form. The £44,000 tournament has seen a restructure this year, with the seedings for players based on their performances in the ten European Tour events. Having won six of those ten events, it is little wonder that Van Gerwen is seen as the early favorite.

Elsewere, having claimed his third Players Championship win of the year in 2016’s final tournament in Barnsley recently, Benito van de Pas has been rewarded with an opening round encounter with German Max Hopp. The Dutchman overcame Dave Chisnall in impressive fashion, and despite having completed a sensational hat-trick of successes, following another win in Coventry earlier this year, Van De Pas is 66/1 in the darts odds from bookmakers Betway to claim the biggest tournament win of his young career. Meanwhile, Van Gerwen is just 11/10 on to claim an unprecedented third consecutive title. For all odds at the oche, head to Betway’s website and back your favourite.

Having won the International Darts Open earlier this year, second seed Mensur Suljovic will be confident of further success in Belgium, with the Austrian second seed taking on Jermaine Wattimena in the first round. Suljovic is just 1/4 in the darts odds from Betway to come through his opening encounter, and 33/1 to go all the way.

Despite being unseeded in the competition due to a lack of play throughout 2016, four-time European Championship winner Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor will be hoping to claim glory in the tournament for the first time since 2011, and takes on Alan Norris in the opening round. The compatriots will go head-to-head in Belgium, and despite Norris being the seventh seed, Betway have Taylor as the 1/5 on favourite in the darts odds.

Finally, UK Open runner-up from both 2015 and 2016 Peter Wright, will head to Belgium as the third seed, hoping to win the biggest tournament of his career. The colourful Scot takes on Justin Pipe in the first-round, and is a massive 250/1 with Betway to win the whole thing.