If you've been following along with our PDC Home Tour Darts coverage, you know what our basic strategy is for the early part of this first-of-its-kind event. Given the unfamiliar environment and format for this tournament– the players are at home, games are sometimes interrupted by phone calls and the matches are short — it seems unwise to back big favorites.
After six nights of play, only one favorite — Dave Chisnall (-134) — has advanced to Round 2. Peter Wright (-225), Gerwyn Price (-175), Ross Smith (+150), Luke Humphries (+115) and James Wade (+125) were all eliminated in the group stage with Jamie Lewis (+600), Luke Woodhouse (+600), Geert Nentjes (+250), Nick Kenny (+450) and Ryan Searle (+180) joining Chisnall in Round 2.
Will Night 7 bring more upsets?
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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, free of charge.
- The first eight groups have been announced, along with the order of play, though the PDC has yet to confirm the remaining competitors.
PDC Home Tour Night 7 Betting Odds and Picks
Group 7 Fixtures
Wednesday, April 23 at 2:30 p.m. ET
- No. 38 Gabriel Clemens (+130)
- No. 48 Jelle Klaasen (+200)
- No. 117 Ryan Meikle (+350)
- No. 74 Gavin Carlin (+650)
- Gabriel Clemens (-230) v Ryan Meikle (+175)
- Jelle Klaasen (-200) v Gavin Carlin (+150)
- Ryan Meikle (-143) v Gavin Carlin (+110)
- Gabriel Clemens (-165) v Jelle Klaasen (+125)
- Jelle Klaasen (-190) v Ryan Meikle (+150)
- Gavin Carlin (+220) v Gabriel Clemens (-305)
Odds as of Wednesday evening and via DraftKings. Get up to a $1,000 sign-up bonus at DraftKings today or see more offers and reviews for the best online sportsbooks.
Group 7 projects to be wide open with a lukewarm favorite in Gabriel Clemens standing at the top of the board. "The German Giant" is +130 to win the group with Jelle "The Cobra" Klaasen right behind him at +200.
Clemens has really started to put things together over the past year and was a popular sleeper pick to make some noise at the 2019-20 World Championships in December. Clemens didn't meet those expectations, "The German Giant" was unceremoniously dumped in Round 1, but his 95.33 average over the past year ranks 16th in the PDC.
Clemens is the most likely player to win Group 7 — the listed odds imply that Clemens advances 43.5% of the time — but there's no money to be made backing big favorites in a volatile tournament like the PDC Home Tour.
The fact that favorites have struggled to win their groups tells me that there seems to be a lack of motivation among the game's top players to give it a real go at The Home Tour. The big guns like Price, Wright and Wade were good sports to just participate in this tournament, but a win at this tournament wouldn't move the needle.
Clemens isn't an elite player and he's yet to win on the PDC, but I doubt he'll be as motivated for this tournament as some of the underdogs. I have similar doubts for Klaasen, who also doesn't interest me at his current prices.
The player I am swerving the favorites for is youngster Ryan "The Barber" Meikle, of Ipswich, England. The well-coiffed 23-year-old (he was a barber before turning pro) ticks a lot of the boxes I am looking for in the group stages of this tournament. Not only do I suspect Meikle will be motivated by the opportunity to make a name for himself in the PDC, but his odds are intriguing against the two favorites.
I'm especially excited to back Meikle against Clemens since they will play right out of the gate. I expect it to take some time for players to get used to the set up and that should bring more variance to an already-volatile matchup.
I'm going to finish the night by backing longshot Gavin Carlin in his curtain-closing matchup with Clemens. More often than not the final game of the group has not mattered to the standings and that should help the underdog.
PDC Home Tour Night 7 Betting Picks
- Ryan Meikle (+175) over Gabriel Clemens
- Ryan Meikle (+150) over Jelle Klaasen
- Gavin Carlin (+220) over Gabriel Clemens
[Bet Kenny now at DraftKings. NJ, PA, IN and WV only.]
PDC Home Tour Betting Record: 8-14, -1.2 units
PDC Home Tour Odds and Schedule
Group 8 Fixtures
Friday, April 24 at 2:30 p.m. ET
- No. 15 Johnny Clayton (+130)
- No. 115 Adam Hunt (+275)
- No. 87 David Pallett (+350)
- No. 55 Richard North (+400)
Jonny Clayton v Adam Hunt
Richard North v David Pallett
Adam Hunt v David Pallett
Jonny Clayton v Richard North
Richard North v Adam Hunt
David Pallett v Jonny Clayton
