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There is no finer prospect than the thrill of competition. The finest athletes in the world going head-to-head in a game of endurance, fitness and skill. The poise, finesse and balance of honed gladiators participating in a noble art with a glorious heritage is something to treasure, the ‘arrers are back. Darts was made for in-play betting. It is perhaps the ultimate back-and-lay sport, with the odds flying about as much as the darts. Each leg can go right down to the wire, with the wire often playing a huge part! A player is heavily odds-on to win a leg, misses his doubles, only to see his opponent check out with 167. You can imagine the swings. Recalling the greats of Darts, one thinks of Bristow, of Barneveld, of Beaton. You can’t help think of the names, the lager, and the perms. But one man stands a part – Redgrave, Woods and Best rolled into one. Phil “The Power” Taylor. Taylor, now acknowledged as the greatest player ever, not only put the PDC (Professional Darts Corporation) firmly on the map but in winning the PDC World Championship a phenomenal 10 times in its 12 years (including a run of 8 years in a row) set a standard unsurpassed in dart's history. Over the years the PDC has gradually attracted more famous names. With young pretenders like Wayne Mardle and Mark Dudbridge, and more established players like Steve Beaton and Roland Scholten all competing, the market reads like a "Who’s Who of Darts". Phil Taylor is still a worthy favourite for the title, but players like Colin Lloyd, John Part and Mark Dudbridge are edging closer each year, with the last two finals extremely tense affairs. Indeed Colin has been a revelation over the last two years and currently stands World No. 1 in the PDC rankings. Whoever wins, it is certain that the PDC will be a classic sporting event, with quality, passion and showmanship in abundance. And of course a week later it’s the BBC’s turn with the World Professional Championship, featuring the likes of Raymond Barneveld and Martin Adams between (7th to 16th January). Did you know?At the start of the twentieth Century, betting on darts was an illegal activity as it was considered a game of chance and not skill. In 1908 a Leeds Publican faced charges of allowing gambling on games of chance at his establishment, at trial the said publican brought his Darts and a Yorkshire Dartboard with him. After the accused had thrown three darts into double top, the presiding judge tried his hand and only hit the board once. He declared, “This is no game of chance, case dismissed!” Useful links:www.planetdarts.co.uk/ - Planet Darts, including player profiles, scheduling information and video highlights Winners:1994: Dennis Priestley bt Phil Taylor 6-1 |
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