2017 PDC Worlds day 1 preview: Upsets expected, as Anderson begins title defence

Jabba won 6-4 at that Players Championship event in Barnsley, so is 4/1 to edge The Artist 3-2 this time.

Jamie Lewis v Mick McGowan

Next up onto the Ally Pally oche on day one is a match-up between 30th seed young-gun Lewis (4/7 favourite) and experienced Irishman McGowan (11/8).

There are no previous meetings to go by, but Ireland’s The Magnet has got past this stage twice before while Rasta has gone out at the first hurdle in each of the last three years.

Another slight shock is set up to be on the cards, therefore, but this might just be the year the Welshman finally gets off the mark at the PDC Worlds. Lewis is 10/3 to also win 3-2.

Gary Anderson v Mark Frost

Two-time defending champion Anderson goes up against his on tour friend Frost, who perhaps has the greatest nickname of them all – Frosty the Throw Man.

It is highly unlikely that there’ll be an upset on this occasion, though, with 74 places in the PDC world rankings separating the duo, which is why The Flying Scotsman is so heavily odds-on at 1/20 to win.

Anderson is a more tempting 1/2 price for a 3-0 victory, though if you fancy Frost to get a set then odds of 13/5 say he’ll lose 3-1.

Scotland’s finest Anderson is also 6/1 tournament second-favourite to get a hat-trick of titles.

Michael Smith v Ricky Evans

Quick throwers Smith and Evans may not have met since 2014, but the former boasts a 6-0 career record over his fellow youngster and being the 11th seed is 4/11 favourite.

However, Bully Boy’s form has tailed off in the past couple of months ever since finishing bottom of the 2016 Premier League.

So, why not back Rapid at 21/10 to cause another upset, as he did at this same stage the last two times he played here against Ronnie Baxter and Simon Whitlock in 2014 and 2016 respectively?

Evans has also been touted by former BDO world champion Stephen Bunting, who spoke exclusively to Coral before the 2017 Worlds, to go on a surprise run this tournament.

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