Anderson becomes BoyleSports' 4/1 second favourite following first round

Gary Anderson (Kieran Cleeves, PDC)

Gary Anderson has become BoyleSports' 4/1 second favourite to win the World Grand Prix title this weekend following a dramatic conclusion to the first round in Leicester.

Two-time World Champion Anderson knocked out second seed Michael Smith in one of eight ties which took place at the Mattioli Arena.

Having been a 10/1 chance pre-tournament, Anderson has been trimmed to 4/1 by the title sponsor.

With six-time winner Michael van Gerwen also being knocked out on Tuesday, Welsh star Gerwyn Price - the 2020 champion - has now become the 7/1 third favourite.

Rob Cross is 9/1, with Dave Chisnall at 11/1 and the duo of Nathan Aspinall and Ross Smith at 16/1

2017 winner Daryl Gurney - who eliminated Van Gerwen in straight sets - is now 20/1 to claim a second title, alongside two-time champion James Wade.

Brian O'Keeffe, spokesperson for BoyleSports, said: "They're lining up to dethrone Luke Humphries and with Gary Anderson and Gerwyn Price both coming through first round assignments, it's shaping up to be a thriller as we approach the business end."

Humphries is back in action on Wednesday night as a hot 1/7 favourite for his second round encounter with Ricardo Pietreczko (9/2), while Nathan Aspinall, Rob Cross and Ross Smith are all marginal odds-on favourites to book quarter-final spots in the other three matches.

With the first round now complete, BoyleSports has already contributed £3,740 to a charity pot as part of its 'D20 for £20' initiative, which triggers a £20 donation every time the double 20 is hit during the tournament.

The target has already been hit 187 times after round one, with the player who heads the tops table come Sunday evening set to choose which charity benefits from the lump sum.

Gary Anderson currently heads the Double 20 Leaderboard having hit 19 in his opening round clash with Michael Smith.

BoyleSports World Grand Prix
Wednesday Night – Second Round Matches

8/13 Nathan Aspinall v Ryan Joyce 13/10
4/6 Rob Cross v Martin Schindler 6/5
1/7 Luke Humphries v Ricardo Pietreczko 9/2
11/10 Jonny Clayton v Ross Smith 8/11

BoyleSports' Early Payout offer on the second-round matches means punters could be celebrating early by getting paid out as a winner if their player two sets ahead, even if they go on to lose. For more information, visit BoyleSports.com.

BoyleSports World Grand Prix Outright Betting – EW ½ 1,2
2/1 Luke Humphries
4/1 Gary Anderson
7/1 Gerwyn Price
9/1 Rob Cross
11/1 Dave Chisnall
16/1 Ross Smith, Nathan Aspinall
20/1 Daryl Gurney, James Wade
25/1 bar