Barneveld looks beatable this year (Getty Images).

By Derek Bilton

Betting Box Tipping Guide

BETTING BOX
FIXED ODDS
	2pts on Tony West to win the BDO Lakeside World Championships at 12/1 (Coral and Ladbrokes).	Has the class and comes here in the form of his life.

It's that time of year again as the BDO Lakeside World Championships (January 3-11) gets underway at Frimley Green, and as the inimitable Sid Waddell might put it: "You couldn't get more excitement if Elvis Presley walked in eating a chip sandwich."

The usual suspects will again battle it out for a total prize fund of £263,000, with Dutch maestro Raymond Barneveld again looking the man to beat.

'Barney' has won the event thrice before (in 1998, 1999 & 2003), and has looked in good nick for much of 2003.

Barneveld has won more or less everything worth winning in the game, and is generally acknowledged as one of the best players in the sport.

However, at odds as skinny as 13/8 in places, the Dutchman hardly represents outstanding value.

Mervyn King, Tony David and Ted Hankey could also feature, but Tony West, the man with a penchant for Chinese food and Led Zeppelin, looks a standout price for me at 12/1.

And my reasoning?

Firstly, the competition this year (Barneveld aside) is not great, and the event really is wide open.

Of the favourites, while Hankey and David cannot be ruled out completely, they have perhaps seen better days on the oche.

Questions still surround the temperament of the irascible Mervyn 'Mr Maximum' King, who on his day can beat anyone but is prone to 'choke' on stage when the beds need filling.

Secondly, West is genuine world class and in the form of his life.

He won an epic Winmau World Masters final at The Spa in Bridlington against Barneveld in November (he also beat Ted Hankey in the semis), and looks a great shout to star at the Lakeside.

Known as 'Triple-T', West has won events all over Europe this season, and looks a cracking bet at 12/1 to land the 'big one'.

His `Triple-T' nickname was given to him because of his ability to hit 'three treble twenties' with amazing regularity, and if he is in the mood at Frimley Green will take all the stopping (he recently recorded 15 maximums at the Bavaria World Darts Trophy).

West ended Barneveld's's run of 20 televised matches without defeat at the Winmau, and while this will be his first time at the Lakeside as a player, he proved against Barney that he can play in front of the cameras.

The Essex thrower will look to follow in the footsteps or Welshman Richie Burnett, the last 'first-timer' to win the title in 1995.

West is seeded five, meaning he will probably have to meet Barneveld (and possibly King) before the final.

But to be the best you have to beat the best and 'Triple-T' is more than capable.

As well as the Winmau, he claimed the Belgium Open and is the IDPA Masters champion, and at 12s looks far too big to pass up here.