This Saturday sees the start of the PDC World Matchplay, the second biggest tournament in professional darts.
With a smaller field of just 32 players, it is an event which is incredibly hard to win. Well, unless you are Phil Taylor, who triumphed 16 times in his career.
The trophy is now named after the darting legend, a trophy which World No1 Luke Humphries is looking to defend following his maiden success at Winter Gardens last summer.
Read on for a full PDC World Matchplay preview from NetBet, complete with some betting tips featuring the latest darts odds.
And if you are new around here, check out our exclusive Welcome Offer before the start of the tournament, with Free Bets and Free Spins up for grabs!
PDC World Matchplay Preview
As per usual, all eyes will be on Humphries and Luke Littler heading into this one, with the pair’s rivalry now the main storyline within the PDC.
Humphries beat Littler in the 2025 Premier League final on May 29, before the duo’s ill-fated World Cup of Darts campaign last month, which saw them eliminated by Germany in their first-ever match together.
So there is perhaps slightly more pressure to perform, particularly for Littler after his First Round exit to Michael van Gerwen at last year’s Matchplay.
But if the 18-year-old is able to deliver in Blackpool, as he has done pretty much everywhere else, he would join the exclusive ‘Triple Crown’ club after his previous Premier League and World Championship wins.
Of course, it is not all about Humphries and Littler. Gerwyn Price and Josh Rock look like very strong contenders after top-quality performances in 2025 thus far, while three-time winner Van Gerwen can never be ruled out.
Other former champions in Gary Anderson, Peter Wright, Rob Cross, Nathan Aspinall and James Wade are part of this year’s field too, and experience counts for a heck of a lot on the Blackpool stage!
We cannot wait for the action to get started on Saturday evening, with the tournament concluding on Sunday, July 27.
PDC World Matchplay First Round Matches
James Wade vs Joe Cullen
Danny Noppert vs Cameron Menzies
Luke Humphries vs Gian van Veen
Nathan Aspinall vs Wessel Nijman
Damon Heta vs Andrew Gilding
Rob Cross vs Dirk van Duijvenbode
Peter Wright vs Jermaine Wattimena
Dave Chisnall vs Mike de Decker
Gary Anderson vs Luke Woodhouse
Jonny Clayton vs Martin Schindler
Luke Littler vs Ryan Searle
Stephen Bunting vs Ryan Joyce
Chris Dobey vs Ricardo Pietreczko
Gerwyn Price vs Daryl Gurney
Michael van Gerwen vs Raymond van Barneveld
Ross Smith vs Chris Rock
PDC World Matchplay Outright Odds
*All odds are subject to change
Luke Littler – 2.88
Luke Humphries – 5.00
Gerwyn Price – 9.00
Josh Rock – 15.00
Gary Anderson – 17.00
Michael van Gerwen – 17.00
Stephen Bunting – 21.00
Nathan Aspinall – 23.00
Chris Dobey – 29.00
Jonny Clayton – 29.00
Gian van Veen – 34.00
Rob Cross – 41.00
Ross Smith – 51.00
Dirk van Duijvenbode – 51.00
Damon Heta – 51.00
James Wade – 61.00
Mike de Decker – 61.00
Wessel Nijman – 67.00
Dave Chisnall – 81.00
Martin Schindler – 81.00
Ryan Searle – 81.00
Danny Noppert – 101.00
Cameron Menzies – 101.00
Jermaine Wattimena – 101.00
Peter Wright – 101.00
Daryl Gurney – 126.00
Joe Cullen – 126.00
Ryan Joyce – 126.00
Raymond van Barneveld – 151.00
Ricardo Pietreczko – 201.00
Andrew Gilding – 201.00
Luke Woodhouse – 201.00
PDC World Matchplay Betting Tips
To reach the final – Josh Rock @ 7.50
It finally looks as if Rock is beginning to fulfil his enormous potential. A semi-final appearance at the UK Open was followed by a virtuoso display at the World Cup of Darts, as Northern Ireland won the tournament for the very first time. A 180-hitting machine, this could be the year Rock bridges the gap to Humphries and Littler.
Forecast the finalists – Luke Humphries vs Josh Rock @ 26.00
Of course, Rock is on the same side of the draw as Littler, so he will probably have to beat the world champion to reach the final. As we are backing him to do so if the draw pans out that way, this selection looks quite appealing. A Humphries vs Rock final over the best of 35 legs would be some spectacle!
Tournament 9 Dart Finish – Yes @ 1.80
With so many world-class players on show, a 9 Dart Finish in Blackpool just feels inevitable. In the 2025 edition of the Premier League, five 9 Dart Finishes were hit. And lest we forget, former Matchplay champion Dimitri van den Bergh – who is unfortunately not part of this year’s tournament – hit one last year during his First Round match vs Schindler.
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