Clayton vs Bunting (Premier League Darts): odds and bets 12.02.2026

This one has the feel of a classic Premier League “swing match”: best of 11 legs (race to 6), so there’s no time to ease in. A slow start at the doubles can leave you chasing all night, and with two players who can both apply pressure in the middle of the leg, the first break of throw is often the defining moment.

From a betting angle, I’m balancing Clayton’s control and percentage finishing against Bunting’s streaky scoring and ability to flip legs with one big visit. I’m expecting a tight contest rather than a runaway, because stylistically they both have clear routes to six — Clayton through tidy, repeatable legs; Bunting through momentum and pressure spells.

Jonny Clayton

Clayton is one of the best “rhythm managers” in the game. He rarely looks rushed, he takes sensible routes, and he’s very good at leaving the double he actually wants rather than forcing hero shots. In a race-to-six, that matters because so many legs are decided by one scrappy moment where somebody finally pins tops on a second visit.

The other reason I tend to trust Jonny in this format is how well he converts half-chances. If you give him a look at a finish on your throw, he’s excellent at turning that into a break — not always with something flashy, but with the right darts at the right time. That’s the exact skill that wins Premier League leg-play matches, where you might only get two genuine break opportunities all game.

The slight downside is that Clayton can sometimes have spells where he’s tidy but not explosive. Against Bunting, that can be dangerous, because Stephen can turn a “standard” 60–100 scoring pattern into a 180-led burst and suddenly Jonny is defending holds under heavy pressure. For Clayton to win, I want him to start cleanly and keep his first-visit doubling sharp.

Stephen Bunting

Bunting is a momentum player in the best sense. When he finds the treble early, he can rattle off legs quickly and make even a composed opponent feel like they’re constantly playing catch-up. He’s also someone who feeds off the stage — when he gets a foothold, you’ll often see him raise the tempo and squeeze opponents on their finishing visits.

What I’m looking for with Stephen here is simple: a sharp start on doubles. Clayton doesn’t give you many cheap breaks, so Bunting often needs to take one — either by pinning a timely finish on Clayton’s throw or by landing a chunky checkout that flips the pressure. If he’s clean on the outer ring early, the scoring bursts can do the rest.

The risk is the familiar one: if Bunting has a patch where he scores well but doesn’t close, those missed darts at double become match-defining in a best-of-11. Miss two in one leg and you’re 3–1 down instead of 2–2 — and Clayton is the type who will punish that by quietly locking the match down.

My picks for Clayton vs Bunting

BeniThe conservative one

Jonny Clayton to win. Odds 1.66

I’m happy to keep this one straightforward. Clayton’s edge feels more repeatable: calmer routes, fewer rushed visits, and a better chance of landing the key doubles in the tight legs that decide these Premier League sprints. If it becomes a series of holds with one break deciding it, I’d rather be with the player I trust to take that break chance when it arrives.

BetoThe bold one

Correct score — Clayton 6–4. Odds 6.50

This is the bigger-price angle that fits the script in my head. I can see Bunting having spells where he looks the sharper scorer and takes legs on throw, but Clayton edges the swing moments — the one break, the one scrappy finishing leg, the one checkout that flips the rhythm. A 6–4 line also makes sense for two players who can trade holds without it ever feeling comfortable, before one late break settles it.