Home favourites Michael van Gerwen, Raymond van Barneveld and Jelle Klaasen will all be looking to win on home soil this week as the Betway Premier League returns to Rotterdam Ahoy on Thursday.
Following the incredible success of last year’s sell-out first visit of the Premier League to the Netherlands, another 10,000-strong crowd will see the seventh league night of this season.
The five matches will include the huge clash between reigning Premier League champion Michael van Gerwen and 16-time World Champion Phil Taylor, as the great rivals meet on the big stage for the first time in six months.
Van Gerwen is the only unbeaten player as the tournament heads to Rotterdam, and is determined to continue his push to retain the title with another win over the six-time Premier League winner.
Five-time World Champion Van Barneveld enjoyed arguably the greatest reception of his career in last year’s visit to Rotterdam as he milked the adulation of a sell-out crowd.
The 49-year-old plays Gary Anderson on Thursday, and is eager to reward the orange-clad Dutch supporters with a key victory in his bid to avoid elimination.
Anderson had been cheered on by 10,000 Scottish fans in Glasgow last week but will be on the opposite side of the support in Rotterdam.
Klaasen, meanwhile, is making his Rotterdam debut after returning to the Premier League in 2017, and plays James Wade in a key fixture for his own hopes of remaining in the competition after Judgement Night as he continues to battle against a tendonitis problem in his wrist.
Another huge clash at the bottom of the table sees Belgium’s Kim Huybrechts play Adrian Lewis, while league leader Peter Wright meets Dave Chisnall, with the UK Open champion eager to get back on the Rotterdam stage.
Below we have an exclusive run through of each game with Betway’s Alan Alger.
Evens James Wade 7/2 Draw 2/1 Jelle Klaasen
Recent form will play heavily on the mind of Jelle Klaasen – he just won’t heed the advice to slow himself down at important stages of a match. For punters it’s infuriating to see him throw away big leads at big prices. Maybe we can only trust him in handicap bets? James Wade has the sign over him though and should all-but relegate the Dutchman with a victory.
8/13 Peter Wright 4/1 Draw 100/30 Dave Chisnall
Dave Chisnall is nicely in mid-table with nothing to worry about behind him, at least until the weeks following judgement night. The head-to-head is very close between these two players, but Peter Wright is in hot form and must be backed.
3/1 Raymond van Barneveld 4/1 Draw 4/6 Gary Anderson
When’s the last time Barney beat the Flying Scotsman on TV? The answer is a long, long time ago. 12 meetings ago to be precise. Back Gary to win and be more ruthless with the doubles after a wobble in front of that supportive crowd in Glasgow as he kept missing the finishing shots.
9/4 Kim Huybrechts 7/2 Draw 10/11 Adrian Lewis
Huybrechts is someone who can grind things out and that’s the type of player that Adrian Lewis sometimes struggles against. I think we can back the Belgian with a degree of confidence at a nice price.
5/1 Phil Taylor 9/2 Draw 2/5 Michael van Gerwen
Top of the bill! What a clash. MvG wins though.