Is It Time To Bet On Rob Cross To Win The 2018 Masters?

He’s only been playing professionally for a little over a year and yet bookies like BetVictor give him the second highest odds on winning The Masters darts tournament, and whilst his defeat of Phil Taylor was a dominant performance can he really go on to beat the biggest names in the sport to take the coveted title in Milton Keynes? We take a look at this emerging force in world Darts and see if a bet on Rob Cross is worth it if you fancy a bet on sports in the UK this January.

They billed it as a fairytale finale, the fifty seven year old Phil Taylor, a legend in the sport of darts who has won more titles than you’ve had hot dinners (including eight consecutive world titles), facing off against twenty seven year old Rob Cross who’d only turned professional in the early stages of 2017. Taylor making his final appearance before retirement looked capable of going out on one final victory but alas, it wasn’t to be. The loss was decisive and now even Taylor would bet on Rob Cross winning.

“It was like an old man against a young man, it was a mismatch.”  Admitted Taylor, “That’s it for me because I haven’t got the energy or interest to beat Michael Van Gerwen or him.”  The retiring giant then heaped praise on his opponent. “You’ve got someone who wants to win, you’ve got a little animal on your hands. He was like me 25 years ago, he was relentless and didn’t stop putting me under pressure.” So then perhaps a bet on Rob Cross to win The Masters later this month is no bad idea after all.

UK Gambling Laws Permit Wagers On Darts

“It’s like I have to pinch myself or something.”  Agreed Cross, “Couldn’t have written my year any better really.”  But his response to winning the World title was muted both on the stage that night and with the media afterwards, and I think you can bet on Rob Cross continuing to show respect for someone he obviously admires greatly. “I think he’s the greatest sportsman of all time. The way he’s dominated, you’re never going to see another Phil Taylor. Not in any sport I don’t think.” He said.

“I wanted to be respectful,”  said Cross of his almost apologetic victory celebrations, “I didn’t want to large that and jump around. I wanted to be respectful. Yeah, it’s probably the coming of me but at the same time we were saying farewell to a legend, and to shout in his face at the end and all that? I wasn’t willing to do that.”  Although I suspect you can bet on Rob Cross being just a bit more energetic in victory should he win The Masters against the likes of Gary Anderson and Michael Van Gerwen.

Bet On Rob Cross At BetVictor

(source: Mensursuljovic.com)

The sport might be minus one legend going into 2018 but Darts has a habit of throwing up big personalities with great skills just when it needs them to retain the momentum of growing public interest. Anyone in the UK gambling news of Taylor’s departure will damage the sport could well be right in the short term, legends are hard to replace, but you can bet on Rob Cross to attempt a quick step into those shoes, and a win at The Masters would seal the deal on that sporting inheritance.

Bookies like BetVictor are giving any bet on Rob Cross around 4/1 right now, which is well ahead of the 6/1 shot they’re giving Gary Anderson and the 13/2 on Peter Wright, although not really as short as this year’s favorite, Michael Van Gerwen who is himself another legend in the world of Darts and gets just 4/5 odds on winning The Masters. Does this sell Rob short? I think it probably does and if 2017 was a fairytale year who is to say 2018 won’t be even better for this former electrician turned world champion?