Darts Tips: Emma Paton has 8/1 fancy in her New Year's Day bets

EMMA PATON’S QUARTER-FINAL BETS

• Chris Dobey to beat Rob Cross 5-4
• Luke Littler to beat Brendan Dolan 5-2
• Michael van Gerwen to beat Scott Williams 5-0, record the most 180s and record the highest checkout
• Luke Humphries to beat Dave Chisnall 5-3

It’s New Year’s Day and the quarter-finals at the Palace and getting us underway we have the 2018 champion Rob Cross going head-to-head with Chris Dobey.

Cross has been brilliant throughout the tournament but for me Dobey has really been one of the standout players.

He averaged 103 in beating William O’Connor, 102 in seeing off Ross Smith in that absolute thriller and once again averaged over a tonne when dumping out the world champion and world No.1 Michael Smith.

Interestingly as well, Dobey beat Cross in their two meetings in 2023 and the standard of the recent matches has been ridiculous. I don’t think this will disappoint.

I think there’s value in Dobey and I think it will be close, I’m going for him to win 5-4.

In our second quarter-final in the afternoon session we have Brendan Dolan, who has been the giant-killer so far, up against the 16-year-old sensation Luke Littler.

Dolan has shown the ultimate composure in getting past the 2021 world champion Gerwyn Price and then seeing off a two-time champion in Gary Anderson.

But the level of performances from Littler, especially in his last outing demolishing Raymond van Barneveld – averaging 105 in the process – against what he said was his idol was incredible.

I’m going for another Littler win, 5-2.

While You’re Here…

We’ve got the final two quarter-finals in this evening’s session and first up it’s Michael van Gerwen, the three-time world champion, up against Scott Williams.

I think this one will be fairly one-sided.

We saw Van Gerwen against Stephen Bunting in the last fixture showing he is a man on a mission.

He is not a fan of everybody talking about other players. He wants to be the man on everyone’s lips.

Williams looks to have found his best form after not the best 2023, ending it on a high by making it to a first quarter-final at the World Darts Championship.

I fancy Van Gerwen to win this 5-0 and also hit the most 180s and highest checkout of the match as well.

Last up we’ve got Dave Chisnall against Luke Humphries, who was of course the pre-tournament favourite.

He looks to have found his best form, but Chisnall has been a thorn in his side throughout 2023.

They’ve been in five finals – although not on the big stage – three on the European Tour and a couple on the Pro Tour, and Chisnall has won four of those.

I think this could be close. Although it feels like things might be clicking into gear for Chisnall, Humphries looks to have found that form from the lead up to the World Championship and had that sudden-death final leg against Joe Cullen in the last round in one of the most dramatic matches we’ve seen on the Ally Pally stage.

He’s got the momentum and has found that form again. I’m going for Humphries to win 5-3.

*Odds quoted are correct at time of publication but are subject to change

EMMA PATON’S QUARTER-FINAL BETS

• Chris Dobey to beat Rob Cross 5-4
• Luke Littler to beat Brendan Dolan 5-2
• Michael van Gerwen to beat Scott Williams 5-0, record the most 180s and record the highest checkout
• Luke Humphries to beat Dave Chisnall 5-3