It’s that time again when PDC Darts return to Sky Sports screens. Next month brings one of the most intriguing tournaments on the circuit in Ireland, where legs have to be started on a double. 

Frustrating for players but certainly enthralling for viewers. It’s bound to separate the most dedicated players from the slackers with doubles needed to be hit on a regular basis. This unique competition brings the best players to the fore, so expect the big guns of the darting world to excel.

In normal events, finishing is vital.  No matter how well you throw, scoring wise, you have to back it up with consistent checkouts. However, in this competition, players have to start on a double to ensure they can finish on a double.

Phil Taylor, the greatest ever Darts thrower, is certainly going to be the favourite to win the £100k prize. Who else? Taylor prides himself on his finishing which should stand him in good stead in Dublin. It’s the toughest competition on the circuit and a tournament that Taylor relishes.

He does have a handful of players breathing down his neck. Last year, the 13th Grand Prix, Taylor was defeated in the semi-finals by World Champion Adrian Lewis, who no longer fears the Power. Jackpot has advanced his game over the last 12 months, coming of age in the process, and is a real threat.

As is James Wade, the defending champion. Those looking at free bets note how the Machine saw off Lewis in last year’s final to record another major win and, in current form, is a force to be reckoned with. Wade, after getting his form back following a few personal problems, is the closest challenge to Taylor and will want to retain his crown.

Premier League champion Gary Anderson, triumphant at the recent Players Championship, has thrusted himself into the top five players after a consistent year but will need to ensure his finishing is consistent enough to go all the way, while Raymond Van Barneveld, who won his first Players Championship for three years recently, looks to be getting back to top form after a dismal couple of years.

Simon Whitlock prides himself on his finishing and, after showing signs in the past, may well hold his own in Ireland and Wes Newton, the form player, is aiming to continue his successful 18 months and will be a huge threat.

Mark Webster and Terry Jenkins are likely to be in the quarter-finals but, if they don’t find the doubles to activate their legs, they are likely to fall at one of the first hurdles. Paul Nicholson, continuing to make headlines in the sport, is a dangerous operator and, like he has shown in the past, can beat anyone on his day.

Best of the rest include Andy Hamilton, who had an impressive World Matchplay in Blackpool, John Part, Co Stompe and Mervyn King, who all need impressive tournaments to send out a message to other emerging players.

In reality, it looks like the winner will be one of Taylor, Wade, Anderson or Lewis; the four best players in the world at this moment in time because the nature of the tournaments suggests the most consistent players succeed. So place your free bet now!

James Wade will be looking to build on his UK Open victory at the World Matchplay in Blackpool which starts this week. 

Wade convincingly beat in-form Wes Newton in Bolton to secure another major title and show everyone he means business after recovering from a series of personal issues. 

Wade is a genuine free bets contender to knock Phil Taylor off his crown as the number one ranked player in the world and is the most consistent performer on the PDC circuit when in form. However, the left-hander needs a run of positive tournament showings to give him the confidence and belief that he can reach the very top on a regular basis, like he has shown in the past. 

2011 Matchplay winner Taylor, on the other hand, will want to prove his doubters wrong after failing to reach the final of the Premier League and the UK Open. The Power will come back strong and will once again be installed as favourite to retain his crown in Blackpool. 

If Taylor fails to perform for the third competition in a row, there will be plenty of throwers ready to seize their opportunity. Adrian Lewis, who hammered Taylor in the Premier League semi-final, will want to add the World Matchplay to his World Championship and Premier League champion Gary Anderson will be among the front-runners challenging for his second major title. 

Newton’s form has been excellent over the last 12 months and his appearance in the final at Bolton was no surprise. A consistent and quiet performer, Newton has the ability to creep up on players and knows how to churn out victories. He may struggle to emulate Bolton’s showing but will be a dangerous competitor. 

Those looking to place a free bet on the event will tell you that Simon Whitlock needs to improve his finishing, something which was excellent in his first 12 months in the PDC following his move from the BDO. The Australian has been pushed back by the emergence of Anderson, Lewis and Newton, but still has the ability to cause an upset.

Paul Nicholson, who has claimed some prized scalps in recent tournaments, is dangerous in front of the cameras but has always fallen at the final hurdle, but this tournament could be the start of a successful career in darts for the Aussie. 

Other challengers include Mark Webster who, after an embarrassing Premier League, restored confidence with an impressive showing in Bolton and is never far away while Raymond van Barneveld looks to have dipped in form over the last 18 months and will start to look dangerous before fading away. 

Dave Chisnall is the outsider for the tournament. The rookie, who has just moved over from the BDO after a successful World Championship, has create a good impression so far and has the ability to gain momentum as the competition progresses.  

Terry Jenkins is the nearly man of darts and that reputation is likely to be backed up in Blackpool while the likes of John Part, Andy Hamilton, Kevin Painter and Colin Lloyd will all be mentioned but will struggle to make an impact. 

bigfreebet underdog Gary Anderson has claimed his first televised PDC title after winning the Premier League Darts at Wembley.

The Flying Scotsman comfortably beat Adrian Lewis in the final after overcoming Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld in the semi-finals. 

Lewis, who demolished overwhelming favourite Phil Taylor in the semis, failed to come out of the blocks in the final and Anderson took advantage to gain revenge for his World Championship defeat to the Jackpot in January. 

It was a title well deserved for Anderson after impressing throughout the league which has seen him become one of the best players in the world. Anderson took time to adapt to PDC life after his move from the BDO but he is now expected to take on the likes of Taylor and Lewis on a regular basis as he looks to build on this success.

The Scottish right-hander has all the makings of a great player with his high scoring and impressive checkouts which are capable of beating anyone in the Darting world. Anderson has fallen short before after looking impressive but this tournament win will be a huge weight off his shoulders and will spur him on to win more events in the future. 

Anderson has the belief, you can see that in interviews, its his composure and consistency that needs improved if he is to take over from Taylor as the world`s best. On form, Anderson has the ability to beat anyone. 

Lewis, on the other hand, was always going to be up against it in the final after a fantastic performance in the semis. Lewis, the only man to beat big free bet favourite Taylor in the Premier League this season, raced into the lead and never looked back as he made the 15-time World Champion look ordinary on the big stage. He has learnt to dig in and have confidence in his ability and it has showed over the last 12 months. 

As history suggests, whenever a player beats Taylor in a tournament, he struggles to go all the way and win the competition. Lewis was hoping for a World Championship and Premier League double but looked to have peaked too early in London as Anderson hit the blocks from the off. 

After beating Taylor twice in the league, Lewis now fears no-one and the Jackpot from Stoke, along with Anderson, has the chance to dominate the Darts world in the coming years.  

The Power will be disappointed to lose to his former understudy again but Lewis and Anderson have emerged as early contenders for the UK Open in Bolton next month after their good form.

The Premier League started to hot up at the penultimate night in Bournemouth. With only Newcastle left to experience the buzz of Premier League action this season, the race for a play-off place starts to conclude with the fourth spot up for grabs, and big free bet will find it hard to separate the contenders for the final play-off spot.

Phil Taylor, Gary Anderson and Raymond van Barneveld have already claimed their spots at Wembley Arena for finals night with just one spot left to settle. 

Adrian Lewis moved a step closer to securing a top four spot with an 8-3 thrashing of Terry Jenkins. The world champion needs a point from his final game against Gary Anderson to make sure he will set up another showdown with his former mentor Taylor in the final four. 

Terry Jenkins has once again struggled to be consistent and as a result will miss out on the top four. 

Former BDO member Anderson suffered another defeat, this time at the hands of the in-form van Barneveld. Worrying for The Flying Scotsman is his form has dipped of late at the business end of the season and will need to drastically improve if he is to beat the Dutchman in the semi-finals.

Anderson had an explosive start, winning his first four games and has set the benchmark for the season but has struggled against the big names in the tournament which he will need to counter if he is to win the title.  

Barney has looked good after getting over his opening night defeat to Jenkins and has looked like his usual best. Barney will need to keep improving if he wants to beat Taylor, something he has failed to do over the last two years. 

Mark Webster, who will collect the wooden spoon after a difficult campaign, finally registered another point with a 7-7 draw against Simon Whitlock, who still has an outside chance of a play-off place. Webster, who beat Taylor in the World Championship quarter finals at the turn of the year, had suffered eight consecutive defeats, including four 8-1 hammerings. 

The Wizard of Oz has to win his final game against Taylor which looks extremely unlikely considering the form the Power is in. The Australian also needs Lewis to lose heavily to improve his leg difference. 

The current Premier League champion claimed his 13th consecutive win with a hard fought victory over James Wade, who despite being bigfreebet underdog put up a spirited resistance. Taylor hasn’t looked back since his opening night defeat to Lewis and is hot favourite to retain his crown, given the finishing he has shown over the last few weeks. 

Wade, who emulated last season and came strong after a poor start, is in the same situation as Whitlock and needs to win and hope Lewis loses to steal a top four spot. Wade had the talent to perform but hasn’t been consistent enough to try and claim his second Premier League title. 

The semi-finals looks set to be the best four players in the world, which is a mouth-watering encounter as they go in search of Taylor’s trophy.

Phil Taylor will begin the defence of his Premier League crown on February 10th against newly crowned World Champion Adrian Lewis.

Lewis rose to prominence after hitting a sensational nine-dart finish in the final of the World Championship against Gary Anderson to take the title earlier this month.

Taylor, attempting to win his 16th World Championship lost out to Mark Webster in the quarter-finals of that event, and will now look to the Premier League to gain revenge. The Sports Personality of the Year nominee hit two nine-dart finishes in the final of the Premier League in 2010, the first time this has ever been done, and will be hopeful of reprising the form he showed last year in the competition.

Lewis has risen to number 2 in the world rankings after his first World Championship win, and will look to cement his growing reputation with a good performance against the world number 1 at the O2 arena. The two will do battle again on April 21st as both seek to advance to the play-offs.

Also on the opening night, Lewis’s World final opponent Gary Anderson plays Simon Whitlock, while Raymond van Barneveld takes on Terry Jenkins and Wade will face Mark Webster. The competition takes on a different format to other events in the darts calendar; the eight men play each other in a league format twice before the top four go through to a play-off at Wembley Arena in May.

Sports betting patterns mean Taylor has emerged as a favourite to retain the title he has won five times before, while Lewis, who used to practise with Taylor in their native Stoke-on-Trent, will be close behind him.

Tony McCoy won the 2010 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award whilst darts legend Phil Taylor came second.

Taylor was aiming to be the first name in the world of darts to win the prestigious award but McCoy cantered to victory, becoming the first jockey ever to win the accolade.

Darts championship betting pundits note that McCoy's win was comprehensive as he picked up 41.98% of the vote. Taylor garnered 10.33%.

The jockey's success was arguably based on his Grand National triumph in April, which he won for the first time on Don't Push It.

The trophy was justly awarded as people voted for the two sportsmen who have dominated their respective sports for many years.

Even though Taylor finished second, he was delighted with the result. 'The Power' has had a fantastic year, winning the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship at the start of the year and backing this success up by also winning the World Matchplay, the Premier League of Darts, the European Championship and the UK Open in 2010.

Speaking about his runners-up spot, Taylor said: "It means the world to me.

"For darts as well, it's fantastic and I can't be any happier than I am now after all the years of dedication I've put in.

"It's a shock that sports people actually know who you are. David Beckham came up and said 'How are you, how are the kids? I heard you had a little grandson this week'." 

Taylor will be hoping to use his success to build his confidence as he aims to secure his 16th World Championship crown at the current tournament which is taking place at Alexandra Palace alongside the darts lads cup.

 Ladbrokes make him the overwhelming 5/6 favourite to achieve this.

Andy Jenkins will miss his first Ladbrokes.com World Championship since 1994 this year but insists he will be back for the 2012 event.

The Hampshire thrower failed to qualify for the 2011 tournament against most darts betting odds predictions.

The tournament takes place at Alexandra Palace from 16 December to 3 January.

Currently ranked 40th in the PDC Order of Merit, he lost in the qualifying tournament for the event and will now focus on boosting his ranking to qualify automatically for next year.

Jenkins’ year has been hit by a four month suspension, which was imposed on him for an altercation with Terry Jenkins late last year.

Between January and May he played on the pub circuit and this lack of professional experience may have cost him.

Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, he implied that this may have been the case. "I will definitely be back next year. I had too much to do this time around," he said.

Jenkins admits he will miss playing at this year’s World Championship but insists he is looking forward to having an enjoyable Festive season.

Online darts betting pundits note that his previous best in the competition is his semi-final appearance in 2007, where he lost 6-0 to Raymond van Barneveld. The big Dutchman went on to beat Phil Taylor in the final to pick up his one and only Ladbrokes.com World Championship crown.

This passage to the later stages of the tournament propelled Jenkins to number six in the rankings, a position he clearly would like to emulate again. Before his return, Jenkins admits he asked himself some tough questions as he pondered whether he could still perform at a professional level.

Answering in the affirmative, he has now stressed his aims for the

2011 season, saying: "I'm playing well enough to make good progress up through the rankings. The way that the PDC order of merit is set up these days makes it easier for people like me to make a rapid rise.

"I will definitely be in the World Championships next year, 100%."

The final international qualifiers for the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship have been confirmed ahead of the tournament which begins on December 16.

Jyhan Artut and Scott MacKenzie will join 70 other hopefuls to compete at Alexandra Palace, all with the hope of picking up the top prize on January 3.

Artut defeated Wayne Mardle in the World Darts Championship last year and qualified again by virtue of being top of the rankings at the PDC Europe German Qualifier. He retained his German National Championship title, finishing above Michael Rosenauer and Kevin Munch.

Meanwhile, MacKenzie beat Alex Hon in the final of the Greater China qualifying tournament in Hong Kong on Sunday to guarantee his berth at Ally Pally next month.

Those paying close attention to this ladbrokes darts event note that Alex Roy and Matt Padgett booked their places at the prestigious event after coming through a gruelling set of fixtures at the PDPA Qualifier in Derby. Roy will enter the first round directly whilst Padgett will play in the preliminary round.

Meanwhile, Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor is 8/15 favourite with Ladbrokes to take his third successive World Darts Championship title – and fourteenth overall. He will be hoping to enjoy the same success in 2011 that he enjoyed in 2010, having picked up six titles this year including the Premier League and World Matchplay crowns.

This form has resulted in him being nominated for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award, which he could collect on 19 December as the tournament is progressing.

Whatever the result of this phone vote, you feel Taylor will turn it to his advantage. If he wins, he will simply try and build on the success. If he doesn’t, it will strengthen his resolve and he will be determined to show the world what he can do.

Taylor is clearly the man to beat and the latest qualifiers will be hoping they can avoid him until the latter stages of the tournament if they have aspirations of picking up a substantial amount of prize money.

The excitement is building ahead of the PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace and Ladbrokes is giving you the opportunity to play on the same oche as Phil Taylor, James Wade and Raymond van Barneveld.

With the crowd baying and the TV cameras whirring, you and three mates could be participating in a nine-dart challenge that is broadcast live on Sky Sports. You will also receive tickets for the Championship so you can watch your heroes in action whilst they will also be able to watch you show off your skills!

Phil Taylor (8/15) is the overwhelming favourite with the darts championship odds to win the event, having won the Championship 13 times in his career. He has also qualified for 16 out of the 17 finals, only being beaten by Dennis Priestley in 1994, John Part in 2003 and Raymond van Barneveld in 2007 in the showpiece event of the competition. The only time Taylor failed to reach the final was in 2008, when he crashed out at the quarter-finals stage at the hands of Wayne Mardle.

According to darts championship betting pundits, the challengers include van Barneveld (12/1), 2010 runner-up Simon Whitlock (12/1) and Part (125/1), the only man other than Taylor to have won the crown on more than one occasion (in 2003 and 2008). However, there is no one quite like The Power and he will be determined to secure his third consecutive title when proceedings begin on December 16.

Taylor is a darts legend and he also forms part of Ladbrokes.com’s Ladscup judging panel. Along with his fellow judges, he will select the 16 teams he would like to see compete at Ally Pally from December 19 to 23. So head over to the Ladscup website and sign up – and you could go from playing in front of an audience of tens in the pub to an audience of millions around the world.