New Zealand Darts Masters predictions and darts betting tips: Cross to fire his way to Hamilton title

Where to watch the New Zealand Darts Masters

Starts 8am UK time Friday (delayed coverage on ITV4)

Best bets

Rob Cross to win New Zealand Darts Masters
2pts 7-1 general

Damon Heta -2.5 legs handicap v Simon Whitlock
2pts 13-10 Coral, Ladbrokes

New Zealand Darts Masters predictions

It's an early start to the New Zealand Darts Masters with first-round matches in Hamilton getting going from 8am UK time on Friday morning.

If you've made it in time, get on Rob Cross to take the spoils. If you're running a bit late, get on Damon Heta to make light work of fellow Australian Simon Whitlock in the last of the eight first-round matches.

This is the last of seven World Series Finals qualifiers and is being held once again at the Globox Arena in Hamilton, where Cross prevailed last year.

Cross is one of eight PDC superstars taking on eight Oceanic qualifiers in round one. And if it's anything like last week's Australian Masters, the eight PDC big names will be the octet who make up the second round.

There wasn't a single first-round shock in Wollongong, although Cross came close to an embarrassing early exit, pipping Haupai Puha. And as if by magic, he plays Puha in round one again in Hamilton, but this time punters should expect a slicker performance from the 2018 world champion.

Cross is enjoying a decent year, which started with a World Championship semi-final and has featured two wins, one in New York in the World Series, the other at the Baltic Sea Open.

He's up to fourth in the world and is in the softer half of the draw in Hamilton, away from Luke Humphries and Luke Littler. It was Littler who emerged from the top half in Wollongong, Gerwyn Price from the bottom and the Welshman won the final 8-1.

Cross is almost twice the Iceman's price, however, and is more than capable of going all the way.

It's hard to identify an upset in round one, where the main event - certainly for the status of darts down under – is the final first-round tie between Heta and Whitlock. Heta can beat his World Cup partner and win well, certainly if The Wizard throws like he did in a sorry 6-1 loss to Peter Wright last weekend.

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