Jonny Clayton vs Stephen Bunting Betting Preview | PL Night 16 | Thursday, 21 May 2026

Jonny Clayton and Stephen Bunting meet on Night 16 of the 2026 Premier League Darts, with the business end of the league phase fast approaching. The Play-Offs at the O2 are just a week away, which means every point on the table tonight carries serious weight for anyone still scrapping for position.

Jonny Clayton

The Ferret sits fifth in the PDC world rankings and brings 15 titles to the oche, including a Premier League crown. That pedigree matters in a format where big-stage temperament separates the contenders from the also-rans. His recent form reads W W W L L across his last five, which sounds patchy until you zoom out and see he has won 19 from his last 28. That is a solid floor of consistency, and the three-match winning run before that stumble suggests a player who is capable of putting stretches together when he is locked in. Clayton can be brilliant or beatable depending on which version turns up, but the talent is undeniably there.

Stephen Bunting

Bunting is ranked ninth in the world and has eight PDC titles to his name, with a BDO World Championship on his CV that reminds you this is a player with genuine quality. The problem right now is the numbers. Five consecutive defeats, just six wins from his last 18. That is not a minor wobble, that is a player who is genuinely struggling for rhythm and results. Bunting at his best is a smooth, clinical scorer who can put pressure on anyone. Bunting in this kind of form is unpredictable for all the wrong reasons.

Betting Verdict

Clayton at 1.67 is the obvious lean here, and the case for backing him is straightforward. He is the higher-ranked player, the more decorated one on the Premier League stage specifically, and he is coming in with a considerably healthier recent record than his opponent. Bunting’s form over the last 18 matches is genuinely alarming, and against a player of Clayton’s calibre, you cannot afford to turn up with that kind of momentum behind you. The price is short but fair given the circumstances. The main risk is Clayton’s own inconsistency at times, but the gulf in current form is wide enough to back the favourite with reasonable confidence.