Peter Wright Goes 11/2 From 8/1 After Opening Round Victory
Michael van Gerwen is being well backed to go all the way in the BoyleSports World Grand Prix after coming through a heavyweight first round clash against Gary Anderson in Leicester.
The Dutchman got his bid for a sixth World Grand Prix title off to a positive start taking a scrappy opening set 3-0 and while the Scot led 2-1 in the second, two consecutive legs from Van Gerwen booked his spot in round two and saw BoyleSports cut him into 4/1 joint favourite from 7/1.
The three-time World Champion revealed his particular fondness for the unique double-start format when he spoke to Sarah Kinsella of BoyleSports after the victory.
"To win against Gary Anderson in the first round gives you confidence," he said. "To play him in the first round is not easy, so there is relief because he can still play good darts.
"But he missed a few doubles early doors and once I got the first set out of the way, I think I played really well.
"I really like this tournament, I think there should be more like it, it's something different with the double-in.
"I'm happy to still be in it, I feel good and I hope there's more to come."
Defending champion Jonny Clayton survived a scare with a comeback 2-1 victory over 2020 finalist Dirk van Duijvenbode and is now 8/1 from 11/1 in the outright betting, while Peter Wright was also clipped in to 11/2 from 8/1 following his 2-0 victory over Kim Huybrechts.
"I'm over the moon," Wright told BoyleSports afterwards. "It's always a difficult tournament with the double start and short format, so it's scary for the top players in the world.
"Kim has beaten me the last couple of times as well, but it was down to him missing doubles and I punished him.
"It played on him in the end, he was telling himself off and I told myself to stay calm and play the board."
BoyleSports World Grand Prix Outright
4/1 Gerwyn Price, Michael van Gerwen
11/2 Peter Wright
8/1 Jonny Clayton
10/1 Dimitri van den Bergh
12/1 Michael Smith
20/1 Danny Noppert
22/1 Joe Cullen
25/1 Rob Cross
28/1 James Wade, Nathan Aspinall
33/1 bar
Odds courtesy BoyleSports and correct at time of writing. Subject to fluctuation.