Features

Taylor again the man to beat

Author: John Harris
Date: 12/12/2009
Darts betting

The undisputed King of Darts, Phil Taylor, will step up to the oche and battle it out with 71 other players in his quest to land the 2010 World Darts Championship.

Alexandra Palace in London will host the biggest event on the PDC calendar from December 18 to January 3 and defending champion Taylor will be looking to claim his 15th career World Championship crown.

A total of 16 entrants will battle it out in the preliminary stage of the tournament before they have the chance to come up against Taylor and the remaining 55 competitors. Players from 25 different countries will feature in the competition - a new record.

Fierce rival Raymond van Barneveld will be the number two seed behind Taylor, with James Wade three and Canada's three-time world champion John Part seeded fourth.

Mervyn King is at number five while the familiar names of Terry Jenkins, Ronnie Baxter, Adrian Lewis, Dennis Priestley and Colin Lloyd make up the top ten.

A record prize pot has been made available for this year's event with a total of £1million up for grabs.

The winner will receive a cool £200,000 which should give Taylor's likely threats the motivation to knock the Stoke-born thrower off his perch. Taylor begins the defence of his title against Colin Monk.

Netherlands ace van Barneveld has been drawn against Oceanic Masters winner Warren Parry from New Zealand, while Wade will challenge Bristol's Steve Brown.

Dutch youngster Toon Greebe has a tough task to beat 2008 champion Part.

Colin Osborne, who dismissed Taylor to win the Championship League Darts earlier this year, meets Australian number one Simon Whitlock.

Who will claim Lakeside World Championship glory in January? - Latest Darts Betting

Taylor, who tops the Order of Merit with a staggering £887,088 to date, has had an exceptional year, winning a mammoth 21 events, and the online favourite to claim yet another title will take some beating.

One of his most convincing displays came in the Grand Slam of Darts final in Wolverhampton where he beat BDO hope Scott Waites 16-2.

It would take a brave man to back against him as he seeks to claim yet another title to add to his ever growing collection.

BET NOW