After claiming the totesport.com Players’ Championship in Purfleet last week, giant-killer Paul Nicholson will be aiming for back-to-back victories this weekend and is a 12/1 chance in the Eddie Cox Memorial Players’ Championship betting.
With world number one and two Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld missing from the field of 2010’s first Players’ Championship, Sky Bet have installed James Wade as 11/2 favourite to take the title in Gibraltar.
Gary Anderson and Adrian Lewis are next in the Eddie Cox Memorial Players’ Championship betting at 7/1 and 10/1 respectively.
Sky Bet’s darts betting spokesman Craig Ibbotson said: “With both Taylor and Barneveld missing this weekend it looks a good opportunity for a handful of players to start the season with a bang and certainly Paul Nicholson will be looking to continue his good form from the Players’ Championship finals last weekend.”
Sky Bet also have exclusive ‘without Phil Taylor’ betting on the Players’ Championship Order of Merit and make James Wade and Gary Anderson joint 4/1 favourites. 2009 Order of Merit runner-up Mark Walsh is a 10/1 chance, with Simon Whitlock and Paul Nicholson both 12/1 shots.
Sky Bet’s Craig Ibbotson added: “Betting on the Players’ Championship Order of Merit is a great opportunity to have a bet for the entire darts season. With Taylor so far in front, we are offering betting without him. Walsh finished second to Taylor in 2009 but with Whitlock and Nicholson both committing to play in these tournaments this year they could certainly be the men to watch, as their recent form suggests.”
Eddie Cox Memorial Players Championship 1 Winner
Each Way terms: 1/2 of odds for 1st 2 places
Wade J 11/2 Newton W 33/1 Ovens D 66/1
Anderson G 7/1 Tabern A 33/1 Part J 66/1
Lewis A 10/1 Thornton R 33/1 Stompe C 66/1
Lloyd C 10/1 Webster M 33/1 McDine K 100/1
King M 10/1 Baxter R 33/1 Smith A 100/1
Jenkins T 12/1 Klaasen J 33/1 Clark M 125/1
Nicholson P 12/1 Jones W 40/1 Wright P 150/1
Osborne C 14/1 Van Gerwen M 40/1 Eccles T 150/1
Walsh M 16/1 Caven J 40/1 Manley P 200/1
Hamilton A 20/1 Van der Voort V 40/1 Brown S 200/1
Beaton S 33/1 Dudbridge M 66/1 Hine S 250/1
Painter K 33/1
Players Champs Order of Merit Winner 2010 w/o Taylor P
Each Way terms: 1/5 of odds for 1st 3 places
Note: To finish highest on the Players Champs Order of Merit at Dec 31st 2010, excluding Phil Taylor.
Anderson G 4/1 Baxter R 33/1 Stompe C 100/1
Wade J 4/1 Beaton S 50/1 Dudbridge M 125/1
Lewis A 7/1 Klassen J 50/1 McDine K 150/1
King M 10/1 Newton W 50/1 Smith A 150/1
Walsh M 10/1 Tabern A 50/1 Part J 200/1
Nicholson P 12/1 Webster M 50/1 Mardle W 250/1
Whitlock S 12/1 Priestley D 66/1 Rodriguez C 250/1
Thornton R 18/1 Painter K 66/1 Roy A 500/1
Jenkins T 20/1 Van Gerwen M 66/1 Eccles T 500/1
Osborne C 20/1 Van der Voort V 66/1 Jenkins A 500/1
Lloyd C 22/1 Caven J 80/1 Manley P 500/1
Barneveld R 25/1 Jones W 80/1
Hamilton A 25/1 Ovens D 100/1