Betfred World Matchplay 2022 Odds | Van Gerwen favourite for Blackpool hat-trick
Michael van Gerwen will go into the 2022 Betfred World Matchplay priced as the favourite to claim a third title at the Winter Gardens.
Van Gerwen secured back-to-back triumphs in 2015 and 2016 but has suffered a mixed bag of results in Blackpool since.
He comes into this year’s event as the number four seed, having picked up the Premier League title in June before undergoing surgery on his throwing arm and subsequently missing the World Cup of Darts and Players Championship events.
Van Gerwen has been drawn to face 2013 finalist Adrian Lewis in Round One and is housed in a brutal second quarter of the draw which also includes the likes of Joe Cullen, James Wade and Luke Humphries.
Nonetheless, tournament sponsors Betfred make MVG the best price 6/1 favourite to lift the Phil Taylor Trophy on July 24.
Peter Wright is bidding to become only the fourth player in Matchplay history to successfully defend the title, and the world number one is 8/1 to go back-to-back in Blackpool.
Having secured his second world title at Ally Pally in January. Wright has struggled for consistency since, with sole tournament victory of the season coming on the ProTour back in February.
Snakebite is situated in the same half of the draw as rival Van Gerwen and the same quarter as World Grand Prix champion Jonny Clayton (8/1) and last year’s beaten finalist Dimitri van den Bergh (12/1).
World number two Gerwyn Price has never been beyond the Quarter-Final stage of this event but is the 7/1 second favourite to put his Blackpool demons to bed this year.
Michael Smith, runner-up in the World Championship and UK Open this year, is 9/1 to finally end the wait for a maiden TV major, having won the US Masters last month.
Luke Humphries is well-fancied among form backers at 12/1, having stormed to four European Tour titles this season and a career-high ranking of world number 12.
Humphries faces a tough opening task against Nathan Aspinall (33/1) and will have to do it the hard way if he is to clinch a first TV major.
Rob Cross, the reigning European Champion, is 16/1 to replicate his 2019 success on the golden mile, with UK Open champion Danny Noppert having been backed in from 40/1 to 25/1 following his superb recent spell of form.
James Wade, the 2007 champion who has also reached a further five finals in Blackpool, could represent each-way value at 40/1, while 2018 champion Gary Anderson is 33/1 to recapture his vintage best form after a barren recent spell.
Premier League runner-up Joe Cullen is 28/1 to back up January’s Masters title with a first ranked major, while recent ProTour event winner Adrian Lewis is an 80/1 long shot to mark a sensational return to the winner’s circle at the Winter Gardens.
Betfred are paying four places (1/4 odds) each-way on the World Matchplay outright market.
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Betfred World Matchplay 2022 Odds
| Michael van Gerwen | 6/1 |
| Gerwyn Price | 7/1 |
| Peter Wright | 8/1 |
| Jonny Clayton | 8/1 |
| Michael Smith | 9/1 |
| Luke Humphries | 12/1 |
| Dimitri van den Bergh | 12/1 |
| Rob Cross | 16/1 |
| Dirk van Duijvenbode | 25/1 |
| Damon Heta | 25/1 |
| Danny Noppert | 25/1 |
| Joe Cullen | 28/1 |
| Nathan Aspinall | 28/1 |
| Gary Anderson | 33/1 |
| Dave Chisnall | 33/1 |
| James Wade | 40/1 |
| Ryan Searle | 50/1 |
| Krzysztof Ratajski | 66/1 |
| Jose de Sousa | 66/1 |
| Chris Dobey | 66/1 |
| Martin Schindler | 80/1 |
| Callan Rydz | 80/1 |
| Adrian Lewis | 80/1 |
| Daryl Gurney | 80/1 |
| Brendan Dolan | 80/1 |
| Andrew Gilding | 80/1 |
| Stephen Bunting | 80/1 |
| Gabriel Clemens | 80/1 |
| Kim Huybrechts | 125/1 |
| Rowby-John Rodriguez | 150/1 |
| Martin Lukeman | 200/1 |
| Madars Razma | 250/1 |
