"Bookies be careful as it could cost you a lot of money": New major winners not a huge surprise says Dimitri van den Bergh

Dimitri van den Bergh did not buck the trend of big names heading out of the PDC World Darts Championship on a Sunday night of carnage at Ally Pally with The Dreammaker being the only seed to make it through.

But he is keeping his head level and on the ground. He spoke afterwards about how in his view those reaching the top right now in De Decker, Edhouse and Wattimena aren't a massive shock, his views on the 13-year-old prodigy Lex Paeshuyse. As well as whether he thinks he will be in the Premier League.

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"I grew into the game, but fair play to Dylan, I have a lot of respect him," said Van den Bergh.

"You don't want to be a part of that group. But second of all focus because it's not just a finger click that you're through to the next round you need to make sure that you're on point. You've got to do your job."

"I'm already looking forward to the game against Callan, and I will be back on the board tomorrow, because the World Championship isn't over! It might be Christmas, but I've still got a job to do, and I still have dreams to make true."

"Callan is very unstable, he played an amazing first game and I said to him Cal where have you been all that time. He just said I needed to go to the toilet and I said come on man don't be an idiot."

"He played against a very strong opponent and it wasn't going as easy as the first game so I can't calculate what kind of a player he is. But I can say that we all know that the first game compared to the second game was unstable so that'll give me a lot of confidence."

Dimitri van den Bergh managed to get past Dylan Slevin on Sunday night.

But he also said he won't rest on his laurels despite the big names getting culled left right and centre.

"Normally everybody was saying that MVG and Gary Anderson were going to bump into each other. I think I'm not 100% sure, it will be the Quarter-Finals. The highest seed in my section is Dave Chisnall, as an 11th seed I am the highest seed in my section. I always push myself to be focused on what I need to do instead of what could happen."

New major winners not a shock, thoughts on 13-year-old prodigy

Whilst also saying that in his view, those who won majors this year or reached finals aren't as much of a shock as people let out due to their runs to complete such a feat.

"Since Mike won against Damon, nobody could touch Mike. Mike was incredibly good, from the World Champion in the final Luke Humphries all the way to the Last 16 nobody could beat him. He beat me, Humphries, Wade, Anderson after he won against Heta, that's not an easy run."

"Afterwards Ritchie Edhouse, we have seen so many high quality games from Ritchie Edhouse over the whole year. He hasn't just been doing once, he's been doing it on a consistent basis. It's not a surprise that they all of a sudden got to a final including Jermaine Wattimena. Look to the World Championship, he was doing well getting to the European Championship final. He took it onto the Grand Slam getting to the Quarter-Finals. Now he's into the third round, twice he played phenomenal. Players are not maybe considered higher than what they can do. That's up to the bookies, that's their choices. I am saying bookies be careful as it could cost you a lot of money."

Lex Paeshuyse won the JDC World Championship yesterday and he spoke about not wanting to put too much pressure on at 13 as he continues to rise in stature but that he has good signs that the levelhead nature will continue.

"I've heard his name so many times before. But I've also said everybody don't forget he's only 13, he's still so young. But I've also said after when I've met Lex and his parents that he's in a good place. He's got an older brother so the parents already know that there's a lot of things coming unto his path. They've got a very wise head on their shoulders, I'm very proud of the young kid. Semi-finals Lakeside, WDF World Masters, JDC World Champion, second in the WDF Order of Merit."

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100/1 not a bone of contention, Premier League thoughts

Also he doesn't see why he should be ranked higher by the bookies in comparison to others. He said he doesn't get odds as a concept and that he is merely looking to reach his dreams.

"Of course not. Why should I. Am I winning multiple majors in a year, no I'm not. I've won two in the space of four years but before 2020, I didn't win any of them. So why should I be all of a sudden high. I keep my feet on the ground, work my ass off. I've got a lot of dreams. I want to earn the money I need to build my dream house, get my dream car, have holidays whenever I want. I can only say thank you to the PDC you guys give all of us professional players this opportunity. All of the players probably don't recognise this as much as I do."

One of those is not the Premier League right now. Van den Bergh continued that he is not focused on that and instead wants one goal.

"I'm not focused on Premier League. I've got one goal. I want to be in the top 16 of the two year Order of Merit. At the minute I'm not and I don't like it. Today was my first round, first game and that was one of the first steps I needed."