Quartet do battle for McCoy’s Premier League Darts title

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The three-month battle for the McCoy’s Premier League Darts title culminates at The O2 in London tonight, as Phil Taylor, Simon Whitlock, Andy Hamilton and James Wade do battle in the event’s Play-Offs.

The quartet progressed to compete for the £150,000 first prize in Thursday’s semi-finals and final following their success across 14 weekly rounds held in arenas around the UK and Ireland.

Taylor was a comfortable league leader after losing only one of his 14 league games, with Whitlock finishing second, while both Hamilton and Wade won their places in the semi-finals on a dramatic final league night last week.

Whitlock’s win over Adrian Lewis denied the World Champion a top-four finish, while Hamilton defeated Kevin Painter to finish third and Wade edged out Raymond van Barneveld on leg difference after they drew in their decisive contest.

Tonight’s Play-Offs will now see Taylor face Wade in the semi-finals in a repeat of the Premier League finals in 2008 and 2010 – with the latter seeing history created when Taylor hit two nine-dart finishes in a 10-8 triumph.

Whitlock plays Hamilton in the other semi-final, with the two winners then returning to the stage in front of around 10,000 fans to battle for the prestigious trophy.

The semi-finals will be played over the best of 15 legs, with the final being the best of 19 legs.

William Hill, the official betting partner of the McCoy’s Premier League Darts, make Taylor their odds-on 2/5 favourite to claim his sixth Premier League title.

Whitlock is the 9/2 second favourite, with Wade priced at 7/1 to claim his second  title and newcomer Hamilton the 10/1 outsider.

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