World Darts Championship semi-final predictions and PDC darts betting tips

PDC darts tips, best bets and player analysis for the semi-finals of the 2022 William Hill World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace, London.

When to watch

Live on Sky Sports Main Event & Arena, 7.30pm, Sunday

Best bets

Michael Smith to win 6-1
1pt 13-2 general

Michael Smith to win 6-2
1pt 5-1 general

Peter Wright to win 6-4
1pt 11-2 general

Peter Wright to win 6-3
1pt 11-2 Betfred

Preview

The pre-tournament favourite has packed his bags and only four players remain in the William Hill World Darts Championship - it is semi-finals time at Alexandra Palace.

Gerwyn Price produced the third nine-dart finish of this tournament in his quarter-final against Michael Smith, but the defending champion suffered a 5-4 defeat and has headed home to Wales. Smith tackles James Wade in the first semi at 7.40pm, then Gary Anderson and Peter Wright meet in an all-Scottish affair at approximately 9.30pm.

Smith and Wright are jostling for market leadership, with Bully Boy, seeking a first world title, a best-price 6-4, and Snakebite, the 2020 champion, a general 13-8.

Michael Smith v James Wade

Head-to-head: Wade leads 17-4

The eyecatching head-to-head record of James Wade over Michael Smith may lead some punters to consider the outsider, but there is a lot of old form in that equation and Bully Boy is the superior player in the here and now.

Smith is producing darts in a different league to Wade. Bully Boy destroyed Ron Meulenkamp 3-0 with a 106.32 average in round two and the St Helens man has maintained a high standard throughout the competition. The draw was unkind to him, but the free-flowing 31-year-old has battled past Jonny Clayton and Gerwyn Price in final-set epics.

Wade, in contrast, has enjoyed an easy ride to the semis. An 83.74 average was enough to beat Maik Kuivenhoven in his opener, then he got a bye through the next round after Vincent van der Voort tested positive for Covid.

Wade's last two opponents let the occasion get the better of them - debutant Martijn Kleermaker froze in round four, then 55-year-old Mervyn King, doubtless sensing his last chance to win the world title, badly fluffed his lines in the quarters.

Wade has been outspoken and cocky in post-match interviews, ludicrously turning on the likes of genial pundit Wayne Mardle and others who apparently "don't think I'm good enough", but it seems like pure bluster from a player who deep down probably knows he isn't good enough to claim the ultimate victory. Wade, who got to the quarters without hitting a 180, has always lacked the scoring power when it matters most in the latter stages of a World Championship.

Wade, a three-time losing semi-finalist, is always dangerous on a checkout, but Smith's ability to relentlessly propel quickfire maximums will probably leave The Machine chasing shadows this evening. Smith won his only previous World Championship semi-final 6-3 - against Nathan Aspinall in 2019 - and an even more emphatic scoreline could be coming tonight.

Wade beat Smith 4-3 in round three of the 2017 World Championship - their only Palace clash - but Smith has grown in stature since then and can emphatically turn the tables.

Gary Anderson v Peter Wright

Head-to-head: Anderson leads 29-13

The second match of the night seems likely to be a closer contest. Gary Anderson and Peter Wright are compatriots and good friends, who like to play darts in a civilised manner, and the two experienced veterans should both be fully at ease from the off.

Anderson, a two-time champion and five-time finalist, admits he lacks his desire of old and does not practice much these days, but the chance to complete a World Championship hat-trick will surely have put some fire in his belly going into the semis.

Anderson has been beating good players in this competition - Adrian Lewis, Ian White, Rob Cross and Luke Humphries - while Wright has had an easier draw. But Snakebite can boast a superior average to Anderson in the previous three rounds and is just playing that little bit better.

Callan Rydz provided a serious examination for Wright in the quarters - the youngster from Newcastle conjured some amazing checkouts and had the crowd behind him - but Wright drew on all his ringcraft to edge through. The 51-year-old knows he will need to sharpen up on his doubles if he is to land a second World title, but he can be fully expected to do so.

Since committing to his old, gold darts after going 2-0 down against Damon Heta using new darts in round three, Wright has looked the likely champion. Rydz's heroics nearly ruined those hopes, but Wright came through the challenge and can stay on course for a final against Smith.

It typically takes a top-class player to defeat Anderson on the Ally Pally stage - Wright, who put the icing on the cake of a formidable darting CV when winning the Matchplay in Blackpool in July, definitely falls into that category.

Expect a tight tussle early on, before the all-round consistency and quality of Wright tells in the latter stages. Anderson has turned it on again at Ally Pally, but Wright is the much more dependable betting proposition these days.

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