Who are the in-form darts players of 2023

This season’s calendar of darts is set for another year of drama and iconic matchups. In January in the World Championships, Michael Smith stunned audiences with a win over Michael van Gerwen 7- 4 and took home his very first Cazoo World Darts Championship trophy from the final at the Alexandra Palace.

While in the Premier League, the competition is currently in full swing with the final set to take place at the O2 Arena in London in May. Now is the time to look at the odds on sports betting sites and make your predictions for the upcoming matches.

Last year's winner and defending champion Michael van Gerwen, remains a top four champion alongside. Peter Wright, Gerwyn Price and Michael Smith. But how have these players performed so far and what are their chances of winning the tournament in 2023?

On the opening night of the Premier League in Belfast in February, Michael picked up three league points after a win over rival Michael Smith. He then defeated Dimitri Van den Bergh 6 - 4 in the semi final but was put in his place by Chris Dobey in the final round with a 6 - 5 result.

Van Gerwen made another appearance in a final on night four in Dublin, winning against Gerwyn Price and moving into top spot with 10 points and ahead of Smith.

Nights five and six saw repeated victories for the player. In this tense match, Van Gerwen nailed a double ten, his third in a row, winning and putting him eight points ahead of Smith in the league table.

Night eights final spelled disappointment for the player, losing 1 - 6 against Gerwyn Price. However he will have a chance to seek revenge in the Night Quarter Finals in Manchester before going head-to-head with Smith in Sheffield the following Night.

Van Gerwen remains a dominating player in the world of darts with a current world three ranking. He took the top prize last year and there is little to suggest that he cannot repeat this success in 2023.

Scottish darts pro Peter Wright, aka Snakebite, is known for his striking mohawk hair and elaborate dress sense. He has shown incredible talent in the last two calendar years, winning the World Darts Championship in 2022 and the Players Championship Finals the year before that.

However, he is yet to have the same luck in the Premier League. His performance so far has cast doubt on his chances of a title. Chris Dobey defeated him 6 - 3 on the opening night, with Nathan Aspinall doing the same in Night two.

Night six saw him enter the semi final game, where he was beaten by Van Gerwen. On Night 15 he is scheduled to play Chris Dobey one more time, while the score is uncertain we can be sure he will put on an entertaining performance as always.

Welshman Gerwyn Price hasn’t alway been a dartsman, nicknamed The Iceman, Price is actually a former professional rugby star. In darts he became the first ever Welsh person to win the PDC World Championship in 2021.

He again showed his talents again in 2022, winning the World Series of Darts Finals by defeating Netherlands’ Dirk van Duijvenbode. In the 2023 World Championship he made it all the way through to the Quarter Finals but resorted to wearing ear defenders when the noise of the crowd became too much and lost 5 - 1 against Gabriel Clemens.

In the Premier League, Gerwyn set the bar high in Night two winning the final 6 - 3. Night seven in Nottingham was another grand success, winning 6 - 4 against Chris Dobey.

Englishman Michael Smith, aka Bully Boy, is one to watch in 2023. He is the winner of the 2023 World Championship and the 2022 Grand Slam.

Smith began playing professionally in tournaments shortly after leaving school and his career has progressed in a steady upward trajectory. He may have beat Michael van Gerwen 7 - 4, however he will face him once again at Night Fiftteen of the Premier League Quarter Finals.

Who else is on target to win titles in 2023 darts?

Other in-form darts players in 2023 include Dimitri van den Bergh, Jonny Clayton and Rob Cross. Van den Bergh made it to the Semi Finals of the UK open this season, while Clayton defeated Josh Rock to reach the WC Quarter Finals for the first time and Cross was a runner up in this year’s Masters.