GARY ANDERSON is rated at 9/1 to retain his title at the Betfred World Matchplay in Blackpool, where Michael van Gerwen will be the 11/10 favourite later this month.
Anderson enjoyed a brilliant week at the Winter Gardens 12 months ago as he landed a nine-dart finish in the quarter-finals being seeing off Mensur Suljovic in the final.
The Scot is the third favourite going into this year's event, with odds of 9/1 available from tournament sponsors Betfred for Anderson to retain the Phil Taylor Trophy.
Two-time World Matchplay winner Michael van Gerwen is the 11/10 favourite, ahead of Rob Cross (7/1) and Anderson.
2007 champion and five-time runner-up James Wade is 16/1 as he bids to win back the title, with Gerwyn Price and Michael Smith priced at 20/1 and Peter Wright 22/1 to improve on his run to the final in 2017.
New US Darts Masters champion Nathan Aspinall has seen his odds of claiming a third TV title cut to 25/1 following his Las Vegas triumph.
Daryl Gurney is also rated at 25/1 ahead of 2018 runner-up Mensur Suljovic (33/1), while debutant Glen Durrant joins Ian White and Dave Chisnall as 40/1 hopes.
New tournament sponsors Betfred will have a range of markets available throughout the event - click here to visit the Betfred website.
The draw for the 2019 Betfred World Matchplay will be made at approximately 1530 BST on Tuesday July 9, and broadcast live on Sky Sports News.
Betfred Pre-Tournament Odds
11/10 Michael van Gerwen
7/1 Rob Cross
9/1 Gary Anderson
16/1 James Wade
20/1 Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith
22/1 Peter Wright
25/1 Nathan Aspinall, Daryl Gurney
33/1 Mensur Suljovic
40/1 Ian White, Glen Durrant, Dave Chisnall
50/1 Adrian Lewis, Jamie Hughes
66/1 Jeffrey de Zwaan
100/1 Krzysztof Ratajski
125/1 Chris Dobey, Stephen Bunting, Simon Whitlock, Jonny Clayton
150/1 Joe Cullen, Danny Noppert, Max Hopp
200/1 Keegan Brown, Ricky Evans, Steve Beaton, Darren Webster, Mervyn King, John Henderson, Jermaine Wattimena
250/1 Vincent van der Voort
Each-Way Odds 1/2 1, 2
Odds correct at time of writing and courtesy www.betfred.com. Subject to fluctuation.