Taylor ready to torment Europe

A rested Phil Taylor, the 11/10 bet365 favourite in the outright betting, said he was determined to defend his European Championship crown when the showpiece competition gets underway in Germany on Thursday.

The 15-time world champion has an unbeaten record in the competition after winning the first four years of the event and will begin the defence of his title against Sweden’s Magnis Caris in Muelheim. He is priced up 1/16 for the win, with Caris quoted 7/1 in the bet365 match betting.

They have only ever met twice, with Potteries legend Taylor romping to a 6-1 success in the last 32 of the UK Open in April last year.

Taylor said: “I’ve had a nice break this summer and I’m keen to get back up there on stage. I know it will be tough against Magnus because he’s been a quality player for years.”

In the other stand-out fixtures on Thursday, home hopes Andree Welge and Michael Rosenauer face Mark Webster and Ronnie Baxter respectively, while Andy Hamilton, the World Championship runner-up in January, takes on last year’s European Championship quarter-finalist Paul Nicholson.

Also, Mervyn King plays Kevin Painter and Justin Pipe faces 2011 World Grand Prix finalist Brendan Dolan.

Taylor aims for European perfection

Bet on the BDO World ChampionshipPhil ‘The Power’ Taylor is bidding to maintain his perfect tournament record in the fourth edition of the European Championship which begins tonight in Dusseldorf (5/4 Taylor to win outright with Bet365).

Taylor has won all three of the previous European Championship events since the tournament was introduced in 2008, defeating Adrian Lewis (11/1), Steve Beaton and Wayne Jones in the respective finals.

Scotland’s Gary Anderson (13/2), who lost to world champion Lewis in the final of the PDC World Championship in January, and England’s James Wade (7/1), who Taylor beat in he final of the World Matchplay in Blackpool last week, look to be his main rivals for the tournament.

But the 50-year-old from Stoke is not yet looking past his first round opponent – debutant qualifier John Michael, a Greek player who will be making his first televised appearance.

“I don’t know much about John but I’ve seen him a couple of times and he’s a good player,” said Taylor.

“In a short format I know I’ll have to be on top of my game on Thursday and will have to start well.”



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