Chris Dobey v Dirk van Duijvenbode (Premier League Darts): odds and bets 19.07.2026

Chris Dobey arrives in Blackpool with momentum firmly on his side. The Northumberland player has enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career, producing ProTour results that have established him among the world’s top 16 and given him a level of confidence that is evident in every match he plays. Hollywood has an entertaining, direct style that connects particularly well with the Winter Gardens crowd, and that can be an important factor in Blackpool. The atmosphere inside the Empress Ballroom can either lift or unsettle a player, and Dobey is someone who tends to thrive when the crowd is fully involved from the opening dart.

Dirk van Duijvenbode is one of those players who has never quite fulfilled his obvious potential. The Aubergenius has spent several years proving that he can beat anyone on his day, but he has also shown that he can lose to far weaker opponents when his game is not functioning properly. His style is explosive and unpredictable, which makes him a difficult opponent for anyone in a shorter contest, but that inconsistency can work against him over the Matchplay’s longer format. He needs to maintain his level across far more legs than he is usually required to manage on the weekly ProTour circuit.

Van Duijvenbode’s problem in major televised tournaments has often been the same: when things go wrong early, he struggles to find a way back into the match. He does not possess Dobey’s mental resilience when it comes to surviving a poor spell and recovering without allowing frustration to take over. Dobey, meanwhile, is exactly the type of player who applies further pressure when he senses weakness, refuses to give away easy legs even when he is comfortably ahead and knows how to manage a lead on the scoreboard.

Blackpool has not been Van Duijvenbode’s favourite venue either. His appearances at the Winter Gardens have been inconsistent, without the sustained level required to make a deep run in such a demanding tournament. Dobey, by contrast, looks completely at home on this stage, backed by a crowd that knows him well and supports him from the outset.