Premier League Darts Night 16 Picks 2026 (Thursday 21st May)

We have made it through to the final regular season Night of the Premier League Darts, but not many would have anticipated that almost everything would have been decided ahead of time.

Both Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price reached the Final on Night 15 and that has pushed them into the Play Offs along with Jonny Clayton and Luke Littler.

The only situation of real importance on Night 16 is determining whether Humphries or Price finish 3rd in the standings and thus take on Clayton in the Semi Final, while the player finishing 4th will face Luke Littler at the O2 Arena.

It is not what the organisers would have wanted and it may finally mean a change in the format, which is something that the fans have been clamouring for over the last couple of years.

At the moment there is no changes and so the last regular season Night will be played as usual and with the Semi Final lineup to complete.

Luke Littler to win & over 5.5 total 180s v Josh Rock: There is nothing to lose for either player in this Quarter Final, but Josh Rock will be looking to round back into some kind of consistent form.

He won the last European Tour title, which is a big achievement, but his Players Championship runs have not been that impressive since then.

Josh Rock will be looking to have one more big impact in the Premier League and there has been little wrong with his maximum hitting, but Luke Littler is well rested and has just received his MBE award.

The World Number 1 has been skipping recent European Tour events and has not been playing in the Players Championship floor events, but he had won three Premier League Nights in a row before losing to Luke Humphries in the Semi Final last week. He may yet be hoping to avoid facing Humphries in the Play Offs next week, at least until the Championship Match, but Littler should also be focused enough to want another strong showing on the stage ahead of the visit to the O2 Arena where he will be looking to reclaim the title lost.

That focus should see Luke Littler have a bit too much for Josh Rock for the sixth time in a row in 2026.

Luke Humphries to win & both players over 1.5 180s v Michael van Gerwen: It took fifteen weeks, but Luke Humphries was finally able to pick up a Premier League Nightly win and remove all drama from Night 16.

The five points on the board have secured the defending Champion a spot in the Play Offs, but he may need to win another Nightly title if he wants to avoid facing Luke Littler in the Semi Final next week.

Luke Humphries picked up another Players Championship title earlier in the week and he will be confident in his own form even if he is to face Littler in his first match back at the O2 Arena, but avoiding the latest clash with the World Number 1 until the Championship Match is preferable.

Momentum is with Humphries who has won a couple of big titles over the last eight days and that will help against Michael van Gerwen who will be very disappointed that he has missed the Play Offs again.

Missing one of the fifteen Premier League Nights with an illness has proved costly for the Dutchman, but his overall form has been impressive and Michael van Gerwen can be confident it will lead to more titles over the remainder of the year.

Unlike Humphries, Michael van Gerwen did not play in the Players Championship events this week- that may be an issue when it comes to trying to beat the in-form World Number 2, but van Gerwen can certainly contribute in what should be a quality match and both players can hit at least two maximums in a Quarter Final that is eventually won by Luke Humphries.

Jonny Clayton-Stephen Bunting over 5.5 180s: Both of these players enjoyed one strong run at the two Players Championship events played earlier this week and that will give them some confidence.

That will be needed as both Jonny Clayton and Stephen Bunting look for much stronger Premier League efforts than in Night 15 when they were beaten 6-0 in Quarter Final matches.

This is a 'dead rubber' in terms of the standings, but both players should be motivated to want to have one more big night on this stage- Jonny Clayton is heading to Finals Night next week and he will be keen to keep his strong form going.

However, Stephen Bunting has shown he can pile in with the maximums when he does find time to build up his rhythm, while Jonny Clayton is very confident around the treble 20 as well.

Only the top two Ranked players in the world have more maximums than Jonny Clayton in the Premier League and this is a Quarter Final that can feature at least six as long as we don't have another blowout one way or the other.

Gerwyn Price to win & most 180s v Gian van Veen: After admitting he was not feeling his best and some uncertainty around his decision to skip the World Cup of Darts, Gerwyn Price produced a couple of key wins last week to earn his spot in the Premier League Finals.

He should be well rested having skipped the latest Players Championship events and Gerwyn Price may have too much for Gian van Veen in this Quarter Final.

The young Dutchman will have learned plenty during his Premier League run, but the last couple of months have been difficult as Gian van Veen has lost some confidence and his own health has not been at 100%.

Gian van Veen was unfortunate in his defeat to Price last week, but that has ended hopes of finishing in the top four in the Premier League standings, while a couple of relatively early defeats in the last Players Championship tournaments will not have helped the confidence.

Motivation has to be questionable for Gerwyn Price who may be more focused on the Premier League Finals next week, but there is a chance to avoid playing Luke Littler in the Semi Final. That may be important enough for the Welshman to dig in on Night 16 and Gerwyn Price has shown his power scoring throughout this Premier League run.

MY PICKS: Luke Littler to Win & Over 5.5 Total 180s @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Humphries to Win & Both Players Over 1.5 180s @ 2.30 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Jonny Clayton-Stephen Bunting Over 5.5 180s @ 1.91 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Gerwyn Price to Win & Most 180s @ 2.87 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 64-96, - 19.96 Units (157 Units Staked, - 12.71% Yield)

Rome Masters Tennis Picks 2026 (Saturday 16th May)

The WTA Final at Rome takes centre stage on Saturday and the winner is going to be heading to the French Open in confident mood.

It has long been considered that the majority of the best players will skip the last week in between this tournament and the start of the French Open, especially with a Sunday start in play at that Grand Slam and that is looking like being the case next week.

And that means Rome is the last big opportunity for those top names to make a statement ahead of the second Grand Slam title of the 2026 season.

Coco Gauff - 2.5 games v Elina Svitolina: You cannot ignore the fact that Elina Svitolina has beaten Coco Gauff twice this season on the hard courts, including at the Australian Open, while the World Number 10 is not going to be lacking for confidence in the Rome Finals.

Victories over Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek, two of the French Open favourites, on back to back days have carried the Ukrainian into the Final, although the numbers suggest Elina Svitolina was perhaps a touch fortunate in both matches. In those two wins, Svitolina faced 36 Break Points compared with the 22 created, but she has played the big points as effectively as possible and this is a tournament the veteran has enjoyed playing.

Her best run at the French Open has been reaching the Quarter Final and Elina Svitolina has done that five times, but she was back to back Rome Champion in 2017 and 2018. and has reached the Quarter Final on three occasions since then.

Of course she is enjoying her best run in Rome since last winning the title here eight years ago and that makes Elina Svitolina dangerous.

There is room for improvement when you look at the Break Points faced and being created, but this will be a confident player and those two wins over Coco Gauff will stand her in good stead.

The American is very comfortable on the clay courts and her Semi Final win and the manner in which it was delivered will have given the World Number 4 plenty of reason to believe she can finally win a big clay court event at 1000 level.

Coco Gauff has been a consistent figure at the French Open- she has reached the Quarter Final five times in a row, while turning one of those into a Semi Final run, another finishing Runner Up and then finally winning the Grand Slam title in Paris eleven months ago. At the same time, she has reached the Final in Madrid and Rome, but losing both times, and Coco Gauff has two other Semi Final runs in the Italian capital before reaching another Final here on Thursday.

On the clay courts, serving numbers are going to make difficult reading compared with the faster surfaces, but both have been doing well enough- the difference here is that Coco Gauff has been the superior return player in Rome and that could see her begin to exert some control on this Final.

The second serve continues to be a vulnerability and Elina Svitolina should be able to attack that part of the Gauff game to real positive effect.

The same can be said for the higher Ranked player and this has the makings of a Final that should see both players pick up some momentum at different times.

However, the edge has to be with Coco Gauff who has shown a bit more consistency compared with Elina Svitolina, even if the latter seemingly matches up pretty well with the World Number 4.

Both winning a set would not be a surprise, but Gauff may still have enough in her return game to cover this spread even if the contest does need that deciding set to determine the Rome Champion in 2026.

MY PICKS : Coco Gauff - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Rome Update: 6-4, + 0.74 Units (10 Units Staked, + 7.40% Yield)

Premier League Darts Night 15 Picks 2026 (Thursday 14th May)

We are into the penultimate week of the Premier League season and Finals night is looming large for the players still hoping to be involved.

Luke Littler and Jonny Clayton have tied up two positions, while Josh Rock is eliminated and Stephen Bunting could join him at the end of this Night 15 in Birmingham.

It is the middle of the table that is creating the drama and just 5 points separates Gerwyn Price in 3rd place and Gian van Veen in 6th.

Another run to a Nightly Final pushed Luke Humphries into 4th place, but the defending Champion will regret yet another 6-5 defeat to Luke Littler that prevented him moving into the driving seat for Qualification behind the top two. Momentum is with Humphries and he will be looking to add at least another two points this week before Night 16 when he is going to be facing one of his main rivals for a spot at the O2 in the Quarter Finals in Sheffield.

At one stage it felt like Gerwyn Price was going to coast into the Play Offs, but he has lost some momentum and has admitted that he is not playing at full health right now- it has seen him withdraw from recent Players Championship and European Tour events, although the World Cup of Darts withdrawal is apparently not down to poor health as the PDC stated and that according to Price himself.

Two Dutchman make up the foursome pushing for the final two places and Michael van Gerwen won a big title earlier this week and looks to have more going on for him compared with Gian van Veen.

Of course hings can change very quickly in the Premier League and two big Nights remain for the players involved in all of the drama.

Josh Rock to win v Gian van Veen: The Premier League run is over, but Josh Rock will blame his early form for his troubles and the Northern Irishman is still playing at a really good level.

Picking up the European Tour 6 title last weekend backs up the statement and Rock is going to be very dangerous for Play Off chasing Gian van Veen.

All of the pressure is on the latter, but over the last two months, Gian van Veen's level has not been near to what he had been producing at the back end of 2025 and into early 2026. This has led to a number of early defeats and the Dutchman looks vulnerable in the opening Quarter Final on Night 15 of the Premier League.

Those chasing bigger prices may think about Josh Rock to complete the match double of winning with most maximums- in the Premier League he has only one fewer maximum compared with Gian van Veen and that despite playing a lot fewer matches.

However, just simply backing Rock to win at odds against looks the call.

Michael van Gerwen to win v Gerwyn Price: One Dutchman could find himself on the brink of elimination earlier in the night, but Michael van Gerwen could put himself in a really strong position in the 'weaker' side of the bracket on Night 15.

He was in devastating form earlier this week in winning Players Championship 15 and Michael van Gerwen has found a consistency that has been lacking in recent Gerwyn Price performances.

The Welshman has admitted that he is playing through a few health problems and that has meant The Ice Man has not taken part in recent Players Championship or European Tour events. It has also led to early losses in the Premier League and that has allowed three players to pull in close to 3rd place Price and put him under some pressure.

Gerwyn Price has won the last three matches against Michael van Gerwen, including twice in the Premier League, but the latter has rediscovered some of the early season form and can come through as the narrow underdog.

Luke Humphries to win & most 180s v Stephen Bunting: Not many would have predicted Luke Humphries would be entering Night 15 of the Premier League without a Nightly win, but he has found a way to reach the Final in each of the last two weeks.

Of course the defending Champion will be frustrated he has lost the last two Nightly Finals by the same 6-5 scoreline to Luke Littler, but the points have pushed Luke Humphries back into the top four of the Premier League standings.

He still has work to do in order to Qualify for the Play Offs later this month, but Humphries has momentum and he did narrowly beat Stephen Bunting last week.

Credit has to be given to Stephen Bunting for offering as much resistance as he did in that Semi Final in Leeds, but the defeat likely ends his hopes of playing at the O2 Arena in London.

Two solid Players Championship efforts earlier this week will have given Stephen Bunting a boost and he can be dangerous when finding his rhythm around the treble 20 bed. That was the case in the Semi Final last week when hitting two more maximums than Luke Humphries, but overall it is the latter who has had the edge in that market and he can reverse those maximum numbers in another winning effort against this rival.

Luke Littler to win & most 180s v Jonny Clayton: There has been little wrong with Jonny Clayton's Premier League performance nor the manner in which he has produced some power scoring, but Luke Littler has won the last three Premier League Nights and is motoring towards top spot.

A win on Thursday will effectively secure him the position before Night 16 and Luke Littler should be well rested as he looks to make it ten Premier League wins in a row.

Jonny Clayton reached the Players Championship 16 Final on Tuesday and he has been playing at a really good level all season.

He loves the Premier League, but it is Littler who has ended his run in two of the last three Nights and the World Number 1 wants to continue sticking it to his main rivals. This will pay dividends in the big Ranking tournaments to be played in the second half of the season and Littler can complete the match double in the last Quarter Final of the night.

MY PICKS: Josh Rock to Win @ 2.10 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Michael van Gerwen @ 2.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Luke Humphries to Win & Most 180s @ 2.62 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Littler to Win & Most 180s @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 63-93, - 18.16 Units (153 Units Staked, - 11.87% Yield)

Rome Masters Tennis Picks 2026 (Thursday 14th May)

The Rome Masters is into the last of the Quarter Final matches in the ATP event being played in the Italian capital and the two WTA Semi Final matches are scheduled for Thursday as well, although the weather will need to play ball.

It was the weather that changed the momentum of the Casper Ruud eventual win over Karen Khachanov and perhaps prevented the Norwegian from making it 2-0 for the Tennis Picks on Wednesday.

This has still been a decent tournament to add to the earlier positive clay court numbers and that is going to give the pages a boost ahead of the French Open, which is now a little over a week away from beginning at the end of the month.

Coco Gauff - 3.5 games v Sorana Cirstea: Retirement at the end of the season has already been announced, but there has to be some second thoughts in the Sorana Cirstea camp having played some of the best tennis of her career.

If the Rankings were released in the morning, Sorana Cirstea would be back at her career best World Ranking mark of Number 21 and she is very much trending towards cracking the top 20 for the first time. The veteran is also at Number 11 in the WTA Race to determine the best players in the world and Sorana Cirstea has upset Aryna Sabalenka during her run to the Semi Final here in Rome.

A confident player is a dangerous player and Cirstea has a very solid 10-2 record on the clay courts in the build up towards the French Open.

However, both losses have been against some of the better clay courters on the WTA Tour and one of those came at the hands of Coco Gauff at the Madrid Masters.

The defending French Open Champion has shown plenty of character to come through three setters in her run in Rome and Coco Gauff has long been very comfortable on the clay courts. This is a surface where a vulnerable second serve is not punished nearly as much as it is on the faster surfaces where recovering breaks of serve can be very difficult against the best players on the Tour.

On the clay courts, Coco Gauff will always feel she has enough quality from the return to neutralise rallies and ultimately break down an opponent and she is playing well on the surface this season. The numbers are not quite as good as the previous two seasons, but Gauff has shown she can dig in and overcome problems and that makes her the right favourite in this match.

Beating Sorana Cirstea in all three previous matches on the Tour, including twice this year, will also give the World Number 4 the confidence to push past this opponent again.

It was the Coco Gauff returning prowess that helped her beat Sorana Cirstea in Madrid and she created five more Break Points on the day.

Sorana Cirstea is playing with confidence and an almost 'nothing to lose' attitude, which makes her dangerous, but Coco Gauff can find those breaks of serve that helps her cover this spread set for this last four contest.

Daniil Medvedev - 3.5 games v Martin Landaluce: There have been flashes of his ability on the clay courts, but Daniil Medvedev has long stated his dislike for this part of the season and he is never that far from completely losing his temper when things are not panning out as expected. Little form had been shown prior to the arrival in Rome, which is the last big tournament Daniil Medvedev is set to take in before the French Open, but this is one of the clay court events that the World Number 9 has enjoyed.

In his career, Daniil Medvedev has reached one Quarter Final at the French Open and a couple of Fourth Round runs, but he has won the title here in Rome and followed up with back to back Fourth Round appearances.

He has already progressed at least one stage further here in Rome in 2026 and Daniil Medvedev is rightly set as the favourite to get the better of Lucky Loser Martin Landaluce.

The 20 year old is going to take another leap in the World Rankings thanks to his performances in the main draw, but the Spaniard is not the most convincing of clay courters.

In most cases you would expect anyone from his country to be very comfortable on the clay, but Martin Landaluce had a 4-4 record on the surface before winning one Qualifier and losing the other here in Rome. He earned a reprieve with the Lucky Loser spot, and Martin Landaluce has taken full advantage by winning three matches in a row without dropping a set, although this is another step up in level of opponent compared with what the youngster has faced in the main draw.

Martin Landaluce had never beaten a top 100 Ranked player on the clay courts in his career before his three main draw wins here, but none of the opponents beaten have been Ranked higher than Number 47 and so Daniil Medvedev should offer a much tougher challenge.

Confidence in putting a run like this together will make Martin Landaluce dangerous, but his serve can be vulnerable and that has been the main reason he had a 0-8 record against top 100 Ranked players on this surface before the last few days.

The expectation is that Daniil Medvedev can exert some pressure with his own serve and the higher Ranked player may have enough to cover this spread set.

Iga Swiatek - 4.5 games v Elina Svitolina: The latter played a Quarter Final that ended after two and a half hours on Wednesday evening and that is going to have an impact on Elina Svitolina, who has lost both previous clay court matches against Iga Swiatek.

The lower Ranked player has produced some very good tennis on the clay, but Swiatek is rounding into the kind of form that has seen her win multiple French Open titles.

The Pole was not pushed at all by Jessica Pegula to continue her incredible form in Rome and that long match played by Elina Svitolina has to be a factor without a day of rest between Quarter and Semi Final.

Covering this kind of spread against Elina Svitolina is always a challenge, but Iga Swiatek would have done that in both previous clay court wins over this opponent.

Energy and intensity should be with Iga Swiatek from early in this contest and she can eventually roll into the Final behind another confident win.

MY PICKS: Coco Gauff - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Daniil Medvedev - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Iga Swiatek - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Rome Update: 5-2, + 1.94 Units (7 Units Staked, + 27.71% Yield)

Rome Masters Tennis Picks 2026 (Wednesday 13th May)

The Rome Masters has reached the Quarter Final stage and there are several big names looking to win the first of potentially two big clay titles over the next few weeks.

Jannik Sinner is going to be the man to beat in Paris, but a wide open women's tournament here in Rome and at the French Open looks really interesting and one that will create the sporting drama that fans would all love to see.

Iga Swiatek - 3.5 games v Jessica Pegula: This is already looking like becoming the most productive year on the clay courts for Jessica Pegula who has moved into the Rome Quarter Final and has won nine of the ten matches played on the surface. A couple of those have been against top 20 Ranked opponents, which can only build the confidence, while the Third Round defeat at the Madrid Masters came at the hands of Marta Kostyuk, who eventually won the title in the Spanish capital.

The performances here in Rome are a real benchmark of the kind of successes the World Number 5 can have at the upcoming French Open.

She has reached the Quarter Final out in Paris before, but Jessica Pegula has one other Fourth Round run and so the wins she is putting on the board can only help as she looks to attack what feels like another wide open Grand Slam event.

Beating Iga Swiatek, the four time French Open Champion, would be a real statement of intent from the American.

Jessica Pegula has won four of the last six against Iga Swiatek, but one of those was on the grass courts and the others on hard courts and this will be only the second clay court contest between these highly Ranked players. The one previous occasion came all the way back in 2022 in the French Open Quarter Final and that was won pretty convincingly by Iga Swiatek on her way to a second title in the French capital.

We have yet to see vintage Iga Swiatek on the clay courts in 2026 and her Semi Final defeat in Paris, and the manner in which it ran away from her in the final set, will still be stinging. She has won five of the seven clay court matches played this season and Swiatek has produced very strong numbers, but a defeat to the World Number 9 Mirra Andreeva in Stuttgart suggests there is still a vulnerability about one of the favourites to win the next Grand Slam title.

This is something of a 'prove it' match for Swiatek, who will be keen to win the Rome title and just make a statement to her main rivals.

She is certainly the stronger return player on this surface and that is so important in clay matches, but the Iga Swiatek serve is to be respected and that should give her a chance to turn things around in the recent head to head.

Nothing is ever easy when facing a battler like Jessica Pegula, but the quality and confidence of Iga Swiatek on this surface should pay dividends at key moments within the sets.

The World Number 3 looks like a real potential winner at the French Open and she can be backed to make it through to the Semi Final in Rome with a big performance.

Casper Ruud - 4.5 games v Karen Khachanov: The hopes of winning a Grand Slam title remain high for Casper Ruud and his team, and the French Open may be the one tournament where he has his best opportunity.

The performances on the clay courts have remained strong and Casper Ruud is having a very strong run in the Rome Masters, which is laying a solid foundation for what can be achieved in the French capital. Not only has Casper Ruud won all three matches in the tournament, but he has done so in very strong fashion and wins over the likes of Jiri Lehecka and Lorenzo Musetti will have given Ruud a huge amount of confidence.

Next up is a Quarter Final against Karen Khachanov, who has had a much more battling run into this Round of the tournament.

In the past the World Number 15 has proven to be a solid competitor on the clay courts, and Karen Khachanov has reached the Quarter Final at the French Open twice. There had been little form produced before the Rome Masters as Khachanov had lost three of four clay court matches played, but three wins in a row will have rebuilt the confidence and this is a dangerous player when at his best.

The serve can be a big weapon for Karen Khachanov and he will need to employ that shot at a high level to just contain the threat coming from the other side of the net.

Out of the two players, Casper Ruud has been the happier return player on this surface of the two players contesting this Quarter Final and that may put the World Number 25 in a position to win the match and cover the spread set.

That slightly superior returning has been the key to Casper Ruud winning two of the three previous matches played between the players, although the most recent was won by Karen Khachanov last year on a North American hard court in the build towards the US Open.

The one sole clay court meeting took place in Rome in 2020 and was won by Casper Ruud in a back and forth battle- that was a tournament played in September, rather than May, and the difference in the conditions has to be noted.

However, the performances over the last several days suggest Casper Ruud is still playing well enough to earn another clay court win over Karen Khachanov. The spread is going to be tougher to deal with, but Ruud has looked very good at this event and that kind of level may be high enough to cover this handicap line.

MY PICKS: Iga Swiatek - 3.5 Games @ 1.66 William Hill (1 Unit)

Casper Ruud - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 William Hill (1 Unit)

Rome Update: 4-1, + 2.28 Units (5 Units Staked, + 45.60% Yield)

Rome Masters Tennis Picks 2026 (Monday 11th May)

The Rome Masters continues on Monday and this is the last big week on the Tour before the French Open.

Players will take part in events next week, but the majority of the top names will feel that the groundwork has been laid ahead of the second Grand Slam of the season.

Some of the leading contenders on both the ATP and WTA Tours are still going strong in Rome, which is an event played in conditions much more familiar to those who will be playing in Paris compared with the Madrid Masters. Personally it has also felt like the Rome Masters is more of an indicative tournament as to the kind of successes that could be had in Paris and could form part of a staking plan.

The opening selections from the tournament both came through in largely comfortable fashion and on Monday there are three Picks that can be read below.

Coco Gauff - 4.5 games v Iva Jovic: Two American players meet in the Fourth Round in Rome and the experience of Coco Gauff should be a telling factor in the outcome of the contest.

There is no doubting the excitement around Iva Jovic and the potential she has, but the 18 year old is still going to be learning her trade on the clay courts. That is especially the case at this level having reached the French Open Doubles Final in her time in the Junior ranks, while Iva Jovic has only had one win against a player Ranked higher than Number 47 on the surface this season.

The two wins in Rome have been against compatriots, but neither McCartney Kessler nor Taylor Townsend can bring the credentials that Coco Gauff takes onto the court.

Coco Gauff is the defending French Open Champion and she has been amongst the best clay courters in the world on the WTA Tour.

Vulnerabilities remain with the second serve, but Gauff is very comfortable on the surface and she has won at least 50% of return points played on clay courts since the beginning of the 2024 season. That puts a huge amount of pressure on any opponent she faces and Iva Jovic is still going to be working on the serve and how to make the best use of that shot on this surface compared to the hard courts.

Every one of these kind of matches will help Jovic develop, but Coco Gauff should have enough to remind everyone of her threat to win the French Open again by producing a strong, solid win on Monday.

Mirra Andreeva - 4.5 games v Elise Mertens: This portion of the clay court season is relatively short and so you can't always take numbers being produced by players on their own without any context.

Someone like Elise Mertens has been playing well all season and has the kind of tennis that should work on all surfaces- she has previously had solid runs on the clay courts and so has to be respected.

However, the numbers from the six matches played on the surface this season are so much higher than previous years that you do have to wonder if she can maintain current levels. Elise Mertens has beaten home favourite Jasmine Paolini in her run to the Fourth Round in Rome, but Paolini has been struggling for consistency and this match is against a player that has really strong clay court form since she joined the Tour.

Mirra Andreeva lost in the Madrid Final at the last 1000 tournament, but she has won a clay court title in 2026 and reached the Semi Final in Stuttgart at another big event.

The 19 year old now has an 82-19 career record on the clay and Mirra Andreeva has not been slowed down by taking part in the bigger events on the Tour.

The serve continues to be an important weapon for Mirra Andreeva, although she has to be working on her return to take the next step on this surface. Her best Grand Slam results have been at the French Open where she has reached the Semi Final and the Quarter Final in the last couple of years, but Andreeva knows that is when you need to step up even more if wanting a place in the Final and then to pick up the title in Paris.

The World Number 22 will cause problems, but the Elise Mertens second serve can become vulnerable and that may be the edge that helps Mirra Andreeva win outright and perhaps narrowly cover this spread.

Andrey Rublev - 1.5 games v Alejandro Davidovich Fokina: You cannot ignore the fact that both of these players can be pretty erratic on the court, but the lack of recent tennis played by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina has to be a factor.

He does have a terrible record against Andrey Rublev, but the last clay court meeting ended in a win for Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in Barcelona last year.

The Spaniard had not played since the Miami Masters and went 1-1 in Madrid at the last tournament, while Davidovich Fokina has already won a match here in Rome. However, it is a considerable challenge against someone like Andrey Rublev who reached the Final in Barcelona in April and who has long been pretty comfortable on the clay courts.

A lack of match competitiveness cannot be ignored, while Andrey Rublev holds wins over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at the Madrid Masters and Rome Masters in previous years.

Over the last twelve months, there have been signs that Andrey Rublev is getting back to something like his best tennis and he can battle through this Third Round match.

MY PICKS: Coco Gauff - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (1 Unit)

Mirra Andreeva - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Andrey Rublev - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (1 Unit)

Rome Update: 2-0, + 1.57 Units (2 Units Staked, + 78.50% Yield)

European Tour 6- Austrian Darts Open Day 3 Picks 2026 (Sunday 10th May)

The wide open Austrian Darts Open concludes on Sunday and the manner of the Wessel Nijman defeat is a reminder of the depth of talent on the Tour.

He has been domnating on the floor all season, but Nijman had no answers for Niko Springer who blitzed past him to set up a big Third Round match with Josh Rock.

And while I have stated that the tournament looks wide open, there are plenty of big names in action on Sunday to suggest a familiar player can come through to pick up the title at the end of the Evening Session.

As has been the case with previous tournaments, any selections from the Quarter Final matches will be added to this thread at the conclusion of the Day Session when the entire Third Round is completed,

Kevin Deots to win & most 180s v Ryan Joyce: Credit has to be given to Relentless for finding enough big scoring and his usual level at the doubles in his upset win on Saturday.

However, he was aided by a poor performance from Mike De Decker and is unlikely to have the same slackness coming out of the darts of Kevin Doets.

The Dutchman is finding some real consistency on the Tour and he should have the edge on the maximums, even if Kevin Doets has not been hitting a lot of them over this weekend. He remains someone who can find a rhythm around the treble 20 bed and Kevin Doets can do what is needed to get the better of a solid competitor.

James Wade v Luke Woodhouse: This looks to be a quality Third Round match, but the slight edge has to be with James Wade, who beat Luke Woodhouse twice on the European Tour last year.

Respect has to be given to Woodhouse for reaching the Players Championship 13 Final last week and he has moved into the top 20 of the World Rankings thanks to a consistently improving twelve months.

The scoring can be strong enough to give the best players a problem, but James Wade remains a player who will stick around and battle and make sure he is in a position to take advantage of any mistakes.

Both Seeded players had strong wins on Saturday and this is likely going to be nip and tuck.

With that in mind, James Wade's temperament may just give him the edge.

Michael van Gerwen to win & over 1.5 180s v Rob Cross: This was a Premier League match twelve months ago and that will make sure Michael van Gerwen is taking nothing for granted.

You can't really do that against a former World Champion anyway and there have been some signs that Rob Cross is picking up his form after dropping out of the top 20 in the World Rankings.

In the last few weeks, Rob Cross has had some decent floor efforts and the European Tour win on Saturday will have done him the world of good.

Another level will have to be found to beat Michael van Gerwen.

The Dutchman has looked like he is getting closer and closer to his best in the Premier League this season and his own Second Round win came through another very impressive showing.

MvG should win and he can add a couple more maximums to his two from yesterday in a victory.

Ross Smith-Martin Schindler over 5.5 180s: When these two players find their rhythm, the maximum hitting can be a joy to watch.

Both Ross Smith and Martin Schindler displayed that part of their darts in Second Round wins and there is every chance that this is a Third Round match that will need at least nine Legs to separate them.

With that much time on the oche, both are capable of contributing to this total line set for the maximums.

A blowout one way or the other would end the chances, but matches between Smith and Schindler have been competitive in recent battles and there is every expectation that will be another with a big Quarter Final berth on the line.

Quarter Finals: The opening Quarter Final looks like it could produce the winner of the tournament, but it is a tough one to call.

The next three have selections from the Austrian Darts Open as it is played to a conclusion this evening.

Rob Cross was excellent in his win over Michael van Gerwen and he can back that up against Andrew Gilding, while adding a couple of maximums.

The same can be produced by Josh Rock in what looks to be another fascinating Quarter Final against Cristo Reyes- the latter deserves so much respect for the standard produced since returning to the Tour and he will push the Premier League participant in this one.

Finally the expectation is that Martin Schindler can get the better of Daryl Gurney at an event the German clearly enjoys.

Maximum hitting has been fuelling the success over this weekend and that can be the case in this last eight clash.

MY PICKS: Kevin Doets to Win & Most 180s @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

James Wade @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Michael van Gerwen to Win & Over 1.5 180s @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Ross Smith-Martin Schindler Over 5.5 180s @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Quarter Final Picks: Rob Cross to Win & Over 1.5 180s @ 2.30 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Josh Rock to Win & Over 1.5 180s @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Martin Schindler to Win & Most 180s @ 3.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Austrian Darts Open: 2-7, - 4.58 Units (9 Units Staked, - 50.89% Yield)

Rome Masters Tennis Picks 2026 (Sunday 10th May)

After a decent start to the clay court season, the decision had been made to miss the Madrid Masters and resume Tennis Picks at the Rome Masters in the last big event before the French Open.

There have already been some upsets in the early days at this tournament, but Jannik Sinner will be heading to Paris as the player to beat on the Men's side of the draw.

We could have another wide open second Grand Slam as far as the WTA players are concerned, but this is the last chance to lay down a marker for Paris with some big names still fighting through the draw.

The season totals have been updated below and there are two selections from the Sunday tennis in the Italian capital.

Iga Swiatek - 6.5 games v Elisabetta Cocciaretto: The first point you have to make is that the home player is not going to lose this match to Iga Swiatek having won a single game, as was the case right here in Rome last year. That was a devastating Second Round performance from the multiple time French Open Champion, but Elisabetta Cocciaretto may be more prepared by what she is going to be facing and will be looking to use the home crowd to push her forward.

There has not been a lot of positive clay court form to call upon, but a couple of wins in the main draw in Rome will have given Cocciaretto some belief, even if she is well aware that this is a big step upwards in terms of level of opponent.

Iga Swiatek will go into the French Open as one of the favourites, but she will be looking for a strong run in Rome after some inconsistent results of her own during this portion of the Tour.

Three wins and two losses on the clay courts may mean Iga Swiatek is in danger of heading to Paris a little undercooked, although the numbers have been solid and some of her main rivals at the next Grand Slam have also had their issues.

The serve is always a strong part of the Iga Swiatek game- if she is serving well, the rest of her tennis seems to flow and the numbers in the five clay court matches this season have been decent enough. The World Number 3 has also been having strong success on her return in the limited sample of matches played and Iga Swiatek may still have enough to cover this spread, even if it is not expected to be as one-sided as when these two players met last year.

Elisabetta Cocciaretto did take a set from Jessica Pegula in Charleston earlier this year, but this is a big step up compared with recent level of opponents and that should play out on the scoreboard in favour of the higher Ranked player.

Alexander Zverev - 3.5 games v Alexander Blockx: He started the season having to Qualify for the Australian Open, but there is every chance that youngster Alexander Blockx will be Seeded when Wimbledon rolls around at the end of June.

Even as recently as the Monte Carlo Masters, Blockx was playing in the Qualifiers, but his run to the Madrid Masters Semi Final means the Belgian has pushed his way into World Number 36.

That run was ended by Alexander Zverev, who was eventually beaten by Jannik Sinner, and it is going to be tough for the younger player to change the scoreline.

Alexander Blockx does have a serve that can keep him in matches, but the clay courts are always tougher to impose that shot alone and in Madrid it was Alexander Zverev who had the bigger serve by some margin.

The experience is also an edge and Alexander Zverev has long been very comfortable on the clay courts and two of the three defeats on the surface this year have been against the World Number 1.

While the numbers are impressive, there is also a feeling that Alexander Zverev has room for improvement and he will be looking to peak at the French Open beginning at the end of the month and not at this stage of the clay court season. He will be expecting a bit more out of the serve and will feel there is more pressure he can exert on the return, but Zverev did more than enough to get the better of Alexander Blockx at the last tournament and can frank that form.

Respect has to be given to Alexander Blockx for the confidence he would have earned from some of the upsets produced during the clay court season, but he may not have had enough time to make the adjustments for this match up.

MY PICKS: Iga Swiatek - 6.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (1 Unit)

Alexander Zverev - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (1 Unit)

Season 2026: 97-82, + 10.54 Units (244 Units Staked, + 4.32% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2026- Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois (Saturday 9th May)

The biggest weekend of the 2026 Boxing season did not disappoint the fans and instead has set up some big opportunities for those involved.

Some are already thinking ahead to a Naoya Inoue vs Bam Rodriguez Super-Fight, but Junto Nakatani pushed The Monster in a high quality contest and there will be plenty of voices calling for a rematch.

It is a situation where the loser has actually raised his profile further and both fighters can either look forward to seeing each other again before the end of the year or earning a big purse in another fight before turning back to each other in the first half of 2027.

Many hours later, David Benavidez impressed in crushing Gilberto Ramirez to win yet another World Title in yet another Division.

The Mexican Monster has long called for a bout against Canelo Alvarez, but that ship looks to have sailed and instead the likes of Dmitry Bivol and Jai Opetaia look like the kind of names that could be tempted into a mega-fight.

David Benavidez is likely going to have his pick of opponents, although those suggesting he should move to Heavyweight and challenge Oleksandr Usky may be pushing him too far ahead (in terms of weight, not of the obvious qualities that Benavidez possesses).

May continues with a huge fight in the Heavyweight Division- it may not make the noise around the world as it will in the United Kingdom, but the winner of the Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois main event will be a World Champion and in a position to Unify if the World Titles continue to fracture away from Oleksandr Usyk.

Queensberry Promotions have put together a solid undercard in support of the top of the bill in Manchester and it is likely going to be a really good night for those in attendance.

Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois

One is a former World Champion and the other is going to be brining the WBO World Title into the ring, but, along with Ken Norton, is the only Title Holder in this Division who has never won a World Title fight.

Fabio Wardley is the Champion after being upgraded to full Title Holder after Oleksandr Usyk failed to fulfil his mandatory, but he would have much preferred to have had that WBO World Title on the line when he was beating Joseph Parker.

The background story is fascinating and Wardley has already overachieved, but he will take some big confidence from the way he has continued to step up.

Opening up his career with a Points win, Fabio Wardley has Stopped the next 19 opponents faced with the only blemish being the Draw with Frazer Clarke, which was wiped out impressively in the rematch. Following up with wins over Justis Huni and Joseph Parker has only continued the surge, but this is another step up in class.

Daniel Dubois is another big puncher and his three losses have been against Joe Joyce and Oleksander Usyk (twice).

Some will have questioned the manner of the first two of those losses, but the Fifth Round Stoppage against Usyk last year was emphatic and ended a strong run of form that Daniel Dubois had put together.

There was nothing wrong with his character and heart in beating Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua, but questions remain and this is a bout where both fighters will have to dig deep.

In reality we have seen Fabio Wardley dig and scrap even when fights have been turning against him and he carries his power very late.

That makes him dangerous, although he cannot afford to be tagged with some of the shots that have been allowed against the likes of Huni and Parker who simply do not hit as hard as Daniel Dubois.

Fabio Wardley's power is clear to see, although it does feel like Dubois' ability to take some shots is a little underrated- he's not granite, but the idea that Wardley could walk through fire all of the time has been proven to be a fallacy, which Joe Joyce found out to his cost.

It is a Heavyweight World Title fight that excited me as soon as it was announced and it would be stunning if there were not the fireworks that will be expected.

You can imagine both fighters being a little cautious of the power the other brings into the ring, but the first big contact could see things open up dramatically.

The Champion deserves nothing but respect for how far he has pushed his career, but Daniel Dubois has long felt like a fighter just below the very elite in the Heavyweight Division.

Fans of Daniel Dubois will want to see him make an early dent in Fabio Wardley, if only to build confidence within the ring when Dubois becomes his most dangerous.

I just can't shake the kind of shots Wardley has taken from lesser punchers than Daniel Dubois and for a fighter learning on the job, that is unlikely to be much different in this one.

Maybe he does have a really special chin, but Daniel Dubois has shown he can be a clinical finisher when he has his man in trouble and the feeling is that the former Champion can win a firefight that should entertain all who tune in.

There is a deep undercard that has been put together by Queensberry and some of those names are in a position to move onto really big nights if they can win, and win impressively.

Bakhodir Jalolov has long been touted as a potential World Champion in the Heavyweight Division and some even think he could soon be an opponent for Moses Itauma.

There is some uncertainty as to how long this fight is scheduled for, but Jalolov has been put in a showcase spot and should win early.

Fighters like David Morrell and Jack Rafferty are expected to win, but the opponents will give them something to think about.

Out of the two, Morrell should showcase his experience in fighting at a much higher level than Zak Chelli and he may be able to end the contest by breaking down the British fighter.

Jack Rafferty is in for a tough introduction to this weight class against Ekow Essuman and that looks like a potential upset with the ability of the latter to outwork opponents. Dropping back down to a domestic level should help The Engine and he may yet have another big night in the locker.

MY PICKS: Daniel Dubois to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.62 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Bakhodir Jalolov to Win Between 1-5 @ 2.00 Coral (2 Units)

David Morrell to Win Between 6-10 @ 3.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Boxing 2026: 13-27, - 13.42 Units (59 Units Staked, - 23.25% Yield)

European Tour 6- Austrian Darts Open Day 2 Picks 2026 (Saturday 9th May)

It is a game of inches on the board and that has been the feeling around some of the narrow slips in the first four months of the Darts Picks.

More of the same was on display on the opening Day of the Austrian Darts Open and there is a sense that I am overcomplicating matters.

There is still a long season ahead and the next couple of months are incredibly busy on the Tour before the Ranking events get underway again. Some momentum is needed to just settle things down and that has to begin on Day 2 of the European Tour 6 event being played this weekend as the Seeds get into the mix.

The Second Round is played across two Sessions on Saturday before the tournament is concluded on Sunday.

Mike De Decker to win & most 180s v Ryan Joyce: There is no ignoring of the fact that Relentless Ryan Joyce is a dangerous opponent with his finishing of the highest quality.

That does build pressure on opponents to make sure they are doubling out as they would expect, but you do have a sense that the heavier scoring of Mike De Decker can put him in a position to win this match double.

Ever since he was ignored for the Premier League last year, De Decker has struggled for consistency on the Tour.

We have seen more of that in 2026, but he remains a solid player and the maximum hitting shoud land his favour in this Second Round match.

Everything will come to the doubling and the anticipation is that Mike De Decker has enough chances to find his way through to the final day.

Ryan Searle-Kevin Doets over 5.5 180s: Two players who are very capable at hitting the big scores should be able to combine for at least six in this Second Round match.

Of course there is always a concern that one could run away from the other, but Ryan Searle looked to be rounding into some decent form earlier this week.

On the other side, Kevin Doets continues his very strong form that could see him Seeded for these European Tour events sooner than later and this looks a match that should go at least nine Legs, which will give the players enough time to surpass this total set.

Ross Smith-Niels Zonneveld both over 2.5 180s: Another big maximum potential Second Round match follows on from the Searle-Doets contest.

There is no denying the capabilities of Niels Zonneveld and Ross Smith when it comes to pounding in the big scores and it is another contest that is expected to go at least nine Legs.

Time is the biggest factor when it comes to these totals and you do need both players to be producing enough quality to make sure those Legs are played.

Chris Dobey-Kim Huybrechts both over 2.5 180s: These two players met on the European Tour in March and both players combined for seven maximums, which ended 4-3 in favour of Kim Huybrechts.

Ultimately it was Chris Dobey who progressed and this final match of the Afternoon Session has the makings of another quality contest.

Both players are looking to push up the World Rankings over the course of the year and there have been some really positive signs for both.

The edge is rightly with Chris Dobey, but Kim Huybrechts should be able to push him all the way and this could be another maximum-filled contest.

James Wade & Wessel Nijman to win: The Evening Session has a number of quality matches and there looks to be room for a couple of upsets.

However, these two players should be able to get the better of Mensur Suljovic and Niko Springer respectively, even if the crowd is firmly going to be siding with the underdog.

James Wade will respect some of the floor performances produced by Suljovic over the last week, but he has found a way to get past the Austrian in recent head to head. Experience of the style should be a huge help and James Wade has played at a consistent level that may be too much for the home favourite.

Doubling him up with Wessel Nijman who has moved into a Seeded spot and who has obliterated the competition on the floor in Players Championship events all season is the play for the Evening Session.

Wessel Nijman will have a real respect for Niko Springer and the quality the latter can throw, but the Dutchman has been in imperious form and reached the Semi Final of the last European Tour event he played. Earlier this week he added yet another Players Championship to his collection and he should have enough to find a way through to the Third Round.

MY PICKS: Mike De Decker to Win & Most 180s @ 2.50 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Ryan Searle-Kevin Doets Over 5.5 180s @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Ross Smith-Niels Zonneveld Both Over 2.5 180s @ 2.05 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Chris Dobey-Kim Huybrechts Both Over 2.5 180s @ 2.37 Bet365 (1 Unit)

James Wade & Wessel Nijman @ 2.04 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Austrian Darts Open: 0-4, - 4 Units (4 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

European Tour 6- Austrian Darts Open Day 1 Picks 2026 (Friday 8th May)

It is not a big surprise that some of the Premier League participants have decided to skip this European Tour event in a bid to remain fresh as the Premier League comes to a conclusion.

The absence of the likes of Jonny Clayton, Gerwyn Price, Luke Littler and Luke Humphries will feel like it has created an open tournament, but there are some big names in quality form taking part over the weekend.

Day 1 is an opportunity for players to put a solid win on the board before going into the Day 2 Sessions against Seeded opponents and there are plenty of First Round matches to get through over two Sessions to open this tournament on Friday.

Kevin Doets to win & most 180s v Chris Landman: These two split two matches on the Tour last year, but Kevin Doets looks to have pushed on another level.

He won a Players Championship event earlier this week after reaching a couple of Semi Finals at those floor events in the previous week, while Doets has been putting together some solid form on the European Tour as well.

Chris Landman has been a bit more streaky and deserves his respect, but the power scoring of the Dutchman should be enough to see him win this match and the maximum count on the way through to the Second Round.

Joe Cullen - 1.5 legs v Robert Owen: You cannot always be sure what you are going to get from Joe Cullen, but he may just have enough in the locker to beat Roberto Owen in this First Round match.

Some decent runs were put together at the two Players Championship events earlier this week and Joe Cullen is familiar with the European Tour setting.

Ignoring some of the wins that Robert Owen has produced over the last couple of weeks would be a huge mistake- he has beaten the likes of Beau Greaves, Josh Rock and Danny Noppert on the floor. That is a level that makes him dangerous, but The Rock Star has been in decent form of his own and has the kind of scoring that can see him push clear.

Dirk van Duijvenbode to win & most 180s v Madars Razma: A four match losing run to this opponent was ended by Dirk van Duijvenbode earlier this week on the floor at Players Championship 13.

That can be franked in this opening Round at the Austrian Darts Open having had a stronger showing at Players Championship 14.

The Dutchman should always be the bigger maximum hitter of the two, but Madars Razma is a very capable player and will need to be respected.

Recent form has not been the most positive though and that can hold back Razma and allow Dirk van Duijvenbode to bull his way into the Second Round behind the heavier scoring power.

Micahel Smith to win & most 180s v Ian White: The Bully Boy is still throwing erratic darts, but he reached the Players Championship Final a couple of weeks ago and that will have reminded Michael Smith of the obvious qualities he has.

Two losses in three matches since that run at Players Championship 11 will have slowed some of the momentum, but veteran Ian White has been in poor overall form himself.

Ian White did Qualify for this event, but that was at the start of April and he has lost eight of the last twelve matches since then.

He can be a dangerous scorer, but so can Michael Smith when he does find some rhythm and the latter is going to need that to come to the fore in his bid to make the Second Round.

MY PICKS: Kevin Doets to Win & Most 180s @ 1.61 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Joe Cullen - 1.5 Legs @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Dirk van Duijvenbode to Win & Most 180s @ 1.66 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Michael Smith to Win & Most 180s @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 57-83, - 14.43 Units (137 Units Staked, - 10.53% Yield)

Premier League Darts Night 14 Picks 2026 (Thursday 7th May)

Three Nights remain on the Premier League tour before half of the field is eliminated and the pressure is on.

Two players have already Qualified for the Play Offs- both Jonny Clayton and Luke Littler deserve their spots at the O2 Arena having already produced over 30 points in the Premier League regular season.

A double digit gap then develops to Gerwyn Price, but he looks like he is a couple of wins away from joining Littler and Clayton, but that is when things become really interesting.

Michael van Gerwen is 4th, but he is only a couple of points clear of both Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries and there is a big opportunity for the latter two players on Night 14.

That is because the current top four are all in one half of the bracket, while Luke Humphries and Gian van Veen will be confident of adding at least two more points to the total. That would really build some momentum towards a top four finish, especially if Michael van Gerwen is to lose early, but of course both van Veen and Humphries have to deal with the pressure that they are currently under in their own bids for a Play Off place.

Gerwyn Price to win & both players over 1.5 180s v Jonny Clayton: There has been a number of close, competitive defeats to Gerwyn Price, but Jonny Clayton continues to find it difficult to get over the hump and beat his compatriot.

He does have one win over Price in the Premier League, but a couple more losses have been added to the head to head since then.

This is a tournament and format that Jonny Clayton loves and that has to be respected, as well as his continued strong scoring.

However, Gerwyn Price is a bit more desperate and continues to play strong stuff all around.

The last four Premier League efforts have been disappointing, but The Ice Man can find a way past his mate in this one and likely in a quality match where both do hit a couple of maximums on the time spent at the oche.

Luke Littler-Michael van Gerwen over 6.5 180s: The last couple of clashes between these players have produced some eye-catching numbers and this Quarter Final could be another.

The crowd are going to be on the side of the Dutchman with Littler's connections to Manchester United well known.

However, that has tended to fuel Luke Littler and the World Number 1 is usually pretty sharp on the maximum hitting.

Michael van Gerwen has found some heavy scoring against Littler in the last couple of matches and he will be disappointed to have lost the last three Premier League meetings. None have been in blowouts and these two players can put together at least nine or ten Legs, which will give them an opportunity to cover this total line set for the maximums.

Luke Humphries to win & both over 1.5 180s v Josh Rock: The extremely slow start to the Premier League was always going to be too much for Josh Rock to overcome, but he has at least shown what he is about over the last few weeks.

With three weeks left, Josh Rock still has a chance of avoiding finishing bottom of the pile and that has to give him some motivation.

He will be taking on the home favourite on Night 14 when going into the lion's den in Leeds against Luke Humphries, but Josh Rock has shown he can give as good as he gets in recent Premier League outings. Last week he pushed Luke Littler and he can do the same to a desperate Humphries who needs to rack up a few wins to avoid exiting the tournament before the Play Offs.

It would be a huge disappointment for the defending Champion to exit the 2026 Premier League in that manner, but Luke Humphries is still performing at a really good level. It is the doubling that has let him down, but Humphries can showcase a bit more scoring power than Josh Rock in winning this match, although both producing a couple of maximums en route is likely.

Gian van Veen to win & 1+ 100 Checkout v Stephen Bunting: Both of these players have been going through a bit of a rough patch, but Gian van Veen has shown signs of coming through that period.

He played well on Night 13 before losing to Luke Humphries in the Semi Final and van Veen has to be feeling healthier now.

Stephen Bunting's chances of reaching the Play Offs have all but faded as he continues to suffer too many early defeats, but he is dangerous and can produce the heavy scoring that will give him chances.

The superior finishing has come from Gian van Veen and combination finishing is something he is renowned for.

You can make the case for Bunting to do that too and so a single 100+ checkout in this match can be doubled up with an improving Gian van Veen to pick up two priceless points in what could be a pivotal night in the race for a place at the O2 Arena later this month.

MY PICKS: Gerwyn Price to Win & Both Over 1.5 180s @ 2.25 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Littler-Michael van Gerwen Over 6.5 180s @ 2.10 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Luke Humphries to Win & Both Over 1.5 180s @ 2.05 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Gian van Veen to Win & 1+ 100 Checkouts @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 55-81, - 14.58 Units (133 Units Staked, - 10.96% Yield)

NBA Playoffs 2026- First Round Game 5-7 (Monday 27th April-Sunday 3rd May)

The First Round Series have provided plenty of drama and there are at least two Game 6s to be played in the Eastern Conference, while teams like the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets will be looking to push Series at least that far, even from 1-3 deficits to overcome.

Injuries are a crucial factor at this time of the season and we have seen a number of those really changing the narrative not only around the First Round Series to be played, but potentially much further into the Playoffs.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are reeling with both Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo expected to miss significant time and they will be looking to find a way past the Denver Nuggets. That likely means a Second Round Series against the San Antonio Spurs, who have just had Victor Wembanyama return from a concussion,

It might be the kind of situation that would suit the Spurs- if the Timberwolves can upset the Nuggets and move through, it is a more comfortable Series anyway, but a shorthanded Minnesota would be something San Antonio are really comfortable in facing before a potential Western Conference Finals against Oklahoma City Thunder,

And if a healthier Los Angeles Lakers team moves into the Second Round, the Western Conference Bracket may actually shift in favour of the San Antonio Spurs.

Over in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics are doing what they do best and look to be cruising through to the Second Round.

They have a big chance to finish the First Round Series in Game 5, while the likes of the Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers are all due to play a Game 6 at the minimum.

And that is if the Pistons are going to find a way to turn around a 1-2 deficit and make it through to the next Round.

Selections from the remainder of the First Round Series will be placed here as the Series come to a close, but those will begin on Tuesday after the Denver Nuggets were set as a big favourite to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves that have been ravaged by injury.

However, my concern is that the role players have a couple of big efforts in them to find a way to help the Timberwolves move through this Series.

If they are blown out, Minnesota might be set at a tempting line to cover as what is expected to be a home underdog in Game 6, but that is going to be answered following the Monday Game 4.

Tuesday 28th April

Philadelphia 76ers @ Boston Celtics Game 5 Pick: The return of Joel Embiid will have given the Philadelphia 76ers a lift and there was nothing wrong with his performance in Game 4.

Unfortunately for Embiid and his team, the Boston Celtics have not changed the approach taken and that means bludgeoning the 76ers from the three point distance.

Over the last few seasons, it has become clear that the Celtics will be happy to live and die by the three pointer with the full belief in the shooters and making those plays often enough to win games and, ultimately, Series. That looks unlikely to change and this Game 5 really comes down to whether you believe the 76ers can either restrict the Boston Celtics from finding their rhythm or, more likely, whether Philadelphia can find enough shots to keep up.

Nothing we have seen from this Series suggests anything other than another comfortable win for the Boston Celtics and they can come through Game 5 with another big win and a cover of the spread set.

Portland Trail Blazers @ San Antonio Spurs Game 5 Pick: Victor Wembanyama was back, but the San Antonio Spurs perhaps lost some focus in the first half of Game 4 as they looked to take control of this First Round Series.

There must have been words exchanged at half time because the Spurs came out with a lot more intensity in the second half and they crushed the Portland Trail Blazers at both ends of the court.

Home teams have tended to dominate Game 5s when it comes to the wins, but the cover rate is below 50%.

However, the Spurs are the second team liked in that spot and that is because they look like they are now settled into the post-season and the Portland Trail Blazers may struggle to be competitive enough at both ends of the court.

Respect has to be given to the Trail Blazers for the intensity, grit and determination taken into this season, the Play In Tournament and into this Series, but they are short of the required quality to match this deep Spurs team. Experience will give Portland plenty to take into the next season, but this one could come to a close as soon as Tuesday and the San Antonio Spurs may just end up pulling away as they have in the last couple of road wins to take control of this Series and for a place in the Western Conference Second Round.

Sunday 3rd May

Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons Game 7 Pick: You do have to wonder if the Orlando Magic are going to regret going absolutely ice-cold from the field in Game 6 of this First Round Series just when it looked like they were going to eliminate the top Seed in the Eastern Conference. This side of the bracket could have become wide open if the Magic and Toronto Raptors are able to upset higher Seeds, but both have to win a Game 7 on the road.

A couple of minutes into the Third Quarter of Game 6 at home, the Orlando Magic led the Detroit Pistons by 24 points.

For whatever reason, Orlando began to struggle and the fightback from the Detroit Pistons must have overwhelmed them as a 42-10 run turned things around.

The Magic finished with just 79 points in Game 6 having scored 62 early into the Third Quarter and the key in this one is making the adjustments to slow down the flow if things begin to work against them again. They have already won on the road at the Detroit Pistons in this Series, while one of the defeats was only by a 7 point margin and that should give the Magic some confidence, even if they have to shake off what happened in the last game.

For the Number 1 Seed, the situation will feel much more manageable having overcome staring into the abyss in Game 6 and using the home fans is so important. The Pistons have some Playoff experience and they will certainly take heart in the fact that the favourites have tended to win Game 7 in the First Round of the Playoffs.

Franz Wagner's absence will favour the Pistons, who have won both games he has missed in the First Round Series, but Orlando have to believe they showed enough physicality to give the Detroit Pistons trouble.

In saying all that, the collapse in Game 6 is the one that can stick with a team for a long time and that does make it harder to trust the Orlando Magic with little time to recover mentally and physically.

All of the pressure is on the Detroit Pistons, even now, and that could help the road team who many will believe have missed their best chance to eliminate this top Seed.

The Pistons will likely find a way to win, but the Magic are being given a lot of points in this Game 7 and the underdog is 11-8-1 against the spread in recent games in this situation.

Toronto Raptors @ Cleveland Cavaliers Game 7 Pick: The manner of the opening two defeats in this First Round Series suggested the higher Seeds were right in identifying the Toronto Raptors as one of the weaker teams that could be faced in the opening Playoff Series.

The Cleveland Cavaliers may certainly have believed that, but it is the Raptors who have won three of the next four games to force a Game 7.

They were without Brandon Ingram in Game 6, but that did not stop Toronto and they forced Overtime and ultimately outlasted Cleveland to hold serve and force this Game 7 on the road.

If they want to progress, the Raptors have to be the first in this Series to win a road game.

Confidence won't be an issue, even if Ingram is unable to suit up again, and the Toronto Raptors have to believe they have shown enough about how well they are matching up in the Series. They have fewer adjustments to make as we reach the decider in this Series and all of the pressure is on the Cleveland Cavaliers, which is something that the Raptors have to look to exploit.

After signing Donovan Mitchell to a big contract and then trading for James Harden, it is clear that the Cavaliers are all in on this season and losing in the First Round of the Playoffs will lead to massive questions to answer. Both players have had moments, but you can feel the pressure that is building on both and that is also leading to more pressure on the role players to step up.

Being at home should give the Cavaliers enough of an advantage to find a way through, but they are giving plenty of points to a team that have the momentum.

Like the other Game 7 being played on Sunday, the Cavaliers will know favourites have tended to win these deciders in First Round Series, but they are just 8-11-1 against the spread.

After the two opening 'blowouts', the Raptors have covered in the last four in a row and they can do that again in Game 7 even if they are ultimately eliminated.

MY PICKS: 28/04 Boston Celtics - 11.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

28/04 San Antonio Spurs - 11.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

03/05 Orlando Magic + 9.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

03/05 Toronto Raptors + 8 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

First Round Update: 15-17, - 3.28 Units (32 Units Staked, - 10.25% Yield)