Clear favourite to win from double World Champion?

The wheat is slowly separating from the chaff at the World Darts Championship in London. The level is getting higher, the matches longer and the pros are getting closer together in terms of performance. On Wednesday evening in the third round among others Gary Anderson and Ian White will meet. Judging by the odds the “Flying Scotsman” has the better chances to progress into the last 16.

While the underdog Ian White should not be underestimated, especially as he can rely on the “home advantage” in the Ally Pally, the more experience, the higher quality as well as the impressions from the first matches of both players speak more in the direction of the 51-year-old double world champion from 2015 and 2016.

Because the set mode at the World Championship also plays more into the favourites’ hands, as minor lapses of the more inconsistent player can immediately lead to a set loss, we believe that a prediction on the better ranked “Dream Boy” also makes far more sense in the duel Gary Anderson vs.

Gary Anderson – Statistics & current form

Gary Anderson has been an absolute force on the darts scene for many years/decades. The 51 year old Scot has not only two World Championship titles on his personal letterhead but could also win several other big events in his long career. Among others he celebrated two overall wins in the Premier League, won the World Matchplay or the Champions League of Darts.

That the “Flying Scotsman” had such an impressive career comes as a surprise as many of his colleagues perceived the veteran as a rather lazy player but he has a very clean throw and especially in his prime time he was a very good scorer.

Is Anderson playing his best darts in time for the World Championship?

In recent years, however, Anderson has increasingly declined, which is primarily also due to recurring back pain as well as regular problems with his eyes. Nevertheless, the current world number six is still capable of defeating any opponent as long as he brings his A-game to the oche. Although he managed this relatively seldom in the current season, between Gary Anderson and Ian White the tip on the favourite victory is our first bet recommendation.

This is also supported by the fact that the two-time title holder already threw Adrian Lewis out of the competition in the second round and delivered a reasonable average of 93 points. An impressive check out rate of almost 46% will have pleased the Scot even more, as it was the double fields which ruined even better results time and again in his long career.

If the man from Musselburgh can build on his performance of just under a fortnight ago and perhaps switch his scoring up a gear, the chances are good that the lower odds will pay off in the Anderson vs White clash.

Last matches of Gary Anderson:

World Darts Championship
12/16 2021 – Gary Anderson 3 – 1 Adrian Lewis

Players Championship Finals
11/27 2021 – Michael van Gerwen 10 – 6 Gary Anderson

11/27 2021 – Ryan Meikle 2 – 6 Gary Anderson

11/26 2021 – Stephen Bunting 5 – 6 Gary Anderson

Grand Slam of Darts Final Stage
11/18 2021 – Michael van Gerwen 10 – 8 Gary Anderson

Ian White – Statistics & Current Form

Similarly to his opponent Ian White celebrated his 51st birthday this year. In terms of major titles, however, his stat sheet is still completely unblemished. More than quarterfinals or at most semifinals in the big events the Englishman can’t show.

Nevertheless the current 27 of the PDC Order of Merit has quality, among other things because he comes from the darts stronghold Stoke-on-Trent. Just like a certain Phil “The Power” Taylor, who for decades popularised the sport and took it from the pubs of Great Britain to the big TV stage.

White needs more scoring than first game

Before the start of the tournament, it was impossible to gauge exactly what kind of shape the “Diamond” was in. In his last tournaments, he already failed at the opening hurdles. At the Players Championships Finals against German Martin Schindler or before against Daryl Gurney. Two wins from his past nine matches before this World Championship are not a compelling encouragement to predict the underdog in the Anderson vs. White pairing.

The opening match was decent but not outstanding for the man who enters the darts halls of this world with the song Play That Funky Music. With an average of just over 90 points he dominated the action but was not really challenged by his opponent Chris Landman. He gave away five legs on the way to a 3:1 win and that although at least the check out rate with exactly 55% was convincing. Given his lukewarm scoring, a similar rate will be needed on Wednesday night to defeat his good friend Gary Anderson.

Last matches of Ian White:

World Darts Championship
12/18 2021 – Ian White 3 – 1 Chris Landman

Players Championship Finals
11/26 2021 – Martin Schindler 6 – 3 Ian White

Players Championship 30
11/04 2021 – Daryl Gurney 6 – 2 Ian White

Players Championship 29
11/03 2021 – Michael Smith 6 – 4 Ian White

11/03 2021 – Jeffrey de Zwaan 5 – 6 Ian White

Gary Anderson – Ian White Direct comparison / H2H record

Since 2011, these two pros have crossed paths ten times on the Pro Tour. With six wins against four losses Gary Anderson leads this direct comparison by a narrow margin. However, the most recent two duels went to the less successful Englishman, who won both matches in the current calendar year 2021.

In October he won the World Grand Prix 2:1 and in the Players Championship 2 in February White got the upper hand with 6:3. In both matches Anderson had big problems in the average. We think it is unlikely that this will happen to him again on the biggest darts stage in the world.

Gary Anderson – Ian White Tip

There is definitely no lack of curiosities in this World Darts Championship. First we see in the opening rounds of this tournament already two nine-darters of two players who are already eliminated. Then Flo Hempel, an inexperienced German, knocks out the number five seed, Dimitri van den Bergh, and finally three Dutch friends, Barney, van Gerwen and van der Voort, test positive and have to bury their hopes for the title.

On Wednesday evening the match between Gary Anderson and Ian White will be in the foreground. The betting odds are in favour of the Scottish double world champion, who has not had a good year on the tour but has once again found decent form in time for the season’s highlight. The 51-year-old should never be underestimated at the Ally Pally, especially as he was already challenged by Adrian Lewis in the second round and mastered that challenge with aplomb.

With Ian White now an opponent is waiting for the “Flying Scotsman” who never made the big breakthrough in the world elite but showed his potential in some matches. Since we think Anderson is much better in scoring and don’t necessarily expect the “Diamond” to check out as strongly as he did in Round 1, we agree with the bookmakers’ assessment and bet on the favourite to progress.

We don’t believe in more than twelve 180s in the course of the match.