Luke Littler (Picture: Kieran Cleeves/PDC)

PDC World Darts Championship 2024: Day six predictions, betting tips, acca, order of play and TV time

By Chris Hammer

Darts

Wed December 20, 2023 · 11M ago

The 2024 Paddy Power World Darts Championship continues at the Alexandra Palace with two sessions on Wednesday so check out Chris Hammer's match-by-match predictions, best bets and a suggested acca.

Darts betting tips: World Championship day six

2pts Ross Smith to beat Niels Zonneveld and hit most 180s at 5/6 (Sky Bet)

1pt Richard Veenstra to have 2+ 100+ checkouts at 13/8 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power)

1pt Eight or more 180s and 2+ 100+ checkouts in Wright v Williams at 13/8 (Sky Bet)

SL Acca: Smith to win and hit most 180s, Joyce, Veenstra and Wright all to win at 5/1 with Sky Bet

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)

TV Coverage: Sky Sports
Format: First round/second round, best of five sets

Radek Szaganski (1/4) v Marko Kantele (11/4) (R1)

Three-Dart Average (2023): 90.96 - 86.45
180s per leg (2023): 0.11 - 0.15
Checkout % (PDC Stage Events 2023): 22.22% - N/A
100+ checkout per leg won (2023): 13.48% - Unavailable
Match Treble % (Win, most 180s & high checkout): 6.59% - Unavailable

Radek Szaganski is something of a darting late bloomer having earned his first Tour Card in his early 40s at Q School in January 2022 and after a progressive season, he still needs a couple of wins at his debut World Championship to climb into the world's top 64.

The Pole even won his maiden PDC title in October when clinching Players Championship 27 and in terms of average form, he's only dipped below 90 in three of his last 22 matches so he'll feel confident ahead of a clash with Marko Kantele, who struggles to venture north of 90.

The Finnish veteran, who is often seen battling away in the Modus Super Series, has never gone beyond the first round here in four previous attempts from 2009 to 2021 and he'll need to raise the bar on his seasonal average on the Nordic Baltic Tour to trouble Szaganski.

Score Prediction: 3-1

Steve Lennon (8/11) v Owen Bates (1/1) (R1)

Three-Dart Average (2023): 92.60 - 90.09
180s per leg (2023): 0.19 - 0.29
Checkout % (PDC Stage Events 2023): 25.19% - N/A
100+ checkout per leg won (2023): 10.20% - 6.76%
Match Treble % (Win, most 180s & high checkout): 14.14% - Unavailable

Owen Bates - formerly known as 'The Master' - earned his debut World Championship spot by virtue of finishing runner-up on the Challenge Tour and many will fancy him to spring a minor surprise this afternoon.

Bates averaged around 90 for the season and if he plays to that level then he'll give steady Pro Tour operator Steve Lennon some real problems.

The Carlow ace is appearing in his sixth World Championship but after a difficult couple of years in which he's slipped down the rankings and struggled to qualify for many majors - including the Ally Pally 12 month ago - he's now in real danger of losing his Tour Card so he'll be feeling more pressure than his opponent.

Lennon scraped into the Grand Slam of Darts via the qualifying event but lost all three matches, averaging in the 80s twice, so Bates won't fear him at all.

Score Prediction: 2-3

William O'Connor (1/250) v Bhav Patel (25/1) (R1)

Three-Dart Average (2023): 92.17 - 71.50
180s per leg (2023): 0.23 - Unavailable
Checkout % (PDC Stage Events 2023): 35.17% - Unavailable
100+ checkout per leg won (2023): 9.35% - Unavailable
Match Treble % (Win, most 180s & high checkout): 21.57% - Unavailable

William O'Connor hasn't been ripping up trees this year so he'll be pretty relieved to get one of the easiest first-round draws possible against Bhav Patel, who came through the Indian qualifier to be here.

A superb performance for Patel is in the mid-80s but he's often throwing in the 70s on the Challenge Tour so it'll take something special - or something disastrous from O'Connor - to see anything other than the favourite cruising to victory.

I'd be very surprised if it isn't 3-0.

Score Prediction: 3-0

Ross Smith (2/7) v Niels Zonneveld (5/2) (R2)

Three-Dart Average (2023): 96.14 - 91.58
180s per leg (2023): 0.37 - 0.28
Checkout % (PDC Stage Events 2023): 37.93% - 47.06%
100+ checkout per leg won (2023): 9.07% - 8.70%
Match Treble % (Win, most 180s & high checkout): 28.28% - 18.95 %

Ross Smith is one of my outright tips to win the first quarter of the draw so obviously I'm siding with him in this contest which could see plenty of 180s even if it's a one-sided scoreline.

The Englishman is the most prolific maximum hitter on the circuit along with Dirk van Duijvenbode while Niels Zonneveld isn't too shabby either despite only managing three in 18 legs against Darren Webster last time out.

Smith is flying a little under the radar having not been a prominant figure on TV in November - but that's because he didn't qualify for the Grand Slam of Darts and then crashed out early of the Players Championship when MVG averaged 118 against him.

But over the past two months he's been averaging close to 100 on tour so I expect a comfortable win coupled with hitting most maximums.

Score Prediction: 3-1

CLICK HERE to back Smith to win and hit most 180s with Sky Bet

Evening Session (1900 GMT)

TV Coverage: Sky Sports
Format: First round/second round, best of five sets

Ryan Joyce (2/5) v Alex Spellman (7/4) (R1)

Three-Dart Average (2023): 93.25 - 91.79
180s per leg (2023): 0.21 - 0.17
Checkout % (PDC Stage Events 2023): 38.92% - N/A
100+ checkout per leg won (2023): 13.09% - 10.27%
Match Treble % (Win, most 180s & high checkout): 22.03% - Unavailable

Ryan Joyce will still have a season-changing chat with his close pal Chris Dobey ringing in his ears as he bids to continue his recent resurgence at the Ally Pally.

The Geordie moved back inside the world's top 40 when defeating Gerwyn Price in the final of Players Championship 26 back in October and afterwards attributed to his winter change in fortunes down to a "five-minute lesson with Chris" as well as a lifestyle change which has seen him lose significant weight.

Joyce consistently averaged well above 90 since then and even reached the last four of the Players Championship Finals, where he eventually ran out of steam against Luke Humphries.

However, he could have got an easier draw than against dangerous American Alex Spellman, who booked his place in his debut World Championship via the CDC ProTour.

He finished top of the Order of Merit thanks to some impressive displays - most notably averaging 100 in a 7-3 final victory over Leonard Gates back in September.

He can regularly average over 90 - as his seasonal mark of 91.79 clearly suggests - and although he couldn't produce that level against Luke Humphries at this year's US Darts Masters, you can expect him to give Joyce a tricky little opener.

Score Prediction: 3-1

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Richard Veenstra (1/2) v Ben Robb (6/4) (R1)

Three-Dart Average (2023): 93.77 - 85.65
180s per leg (2023): 0.22 - 0.24
Checkout % (PDC Stage Events 2023): 44.78% - N/A
100+ checkout per leg won (2023): 14.26% - 10.16%
Match Treble % (Win, most 180s & high checkout): 15.09% - Unavailable

Richard Veenstra has enjoyed an encouraging start to his PDC career this year and arrives at the Ally Pally for the first time in his career with confidence having knocked Michael Smith out of the most recent major.

The Dutchman's 6-3 victory over Bully Boy at the Players Championship Finals - achieved with a 97 average - was his highlight of a season which has seen him climb up to 73 in the rankings but he has ambitions to fly much higher in the months and years to come.

A former Lakeside semi-finalist, Veenstra is well capable of reaching three figures while he's very prolific when it comes to 100+ checkouts, winning 14% of his legs that way this season which is very high.

There should be a gulf in class on display against the very likeable New Zealander Ben Robb, who tends to be more of a mid to high 80s man.

Robb did actually manage 98 during a defeat to Danny Noppert at the New Zealand Darts Masters but I think he's heading for a fourth first-round exit in four attempts.

Score Prediction: 3-1

CLICK HERE to back Veenstra to hit two or more 100+ checkouts with Sky Bet

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Christian Kist (11/4) v Luke Littler (1/3) (R1)

Three-Dart Average (2023): 94.45 - 92.17
180s per leg (2023): 0.20 - 0.30
Checkout % (PDC Stage Events 2023): N/A - N/A
100+ checkout per leg won (2023): 13.78% - 9.82
Match Treble % (Win, most 180s & high checkout): N/A - Unavailable

Here's a pub quiz question to test your darting pals with. Who is the youngest player to compete in a PDC World Darts Championship? They'll probably say Luke Littler at 16 years and 11 months. That's wrong. If they fancy themselves as a bit of a darts nerd they might say with an annoying hint of arrogance: "Fabian Schmutzler, 16 years and two months in 2021."

That's also wrong. It's actually Australia's Mitchell Clegg, who was 15 when he booked his place at the Circus Tavern in 2007 and 16 years and one month when he lost 3-0 to Raymond van Barneveld in round one with an average of 77.

If you're wondering what happened to Clegg, who is still only 33, I can tell you he later lost 6-0 to Anthony Fleet (you know, the man who lost that infamously awful leg to Martin Adams at the Lakeside) in a tournament final and is now ranked around 164 in the WDF system.

Anyway, Littler can at least become the youngest player ever to win a match on this grandest of stages and it's definitely on the cards.

The way he despatched Gian van Veen in the World Youth Championship final with an average of 102, seven 180s and a 46% checkout success belied his age as he became the youngest champion of the event. He doesn't show any sign of nerves and looks like he's been doing this for years.

He's regularly reached three figures in the Modus Super Series, JDC and WDF tournaments this year and hardly ever touches the low 80s and 70s anymore now that he's getting more and more experienced against tougher opposition.

However, Christian Kist, who was unable to win a Tour Card at Q School, shouldn't be underestimated because he has averaged 94.45 across a number of Players Championship events this season as a reserve player - and also hit a nine-darter at one of them back in July - while he's also produced good numbers on the Challenge Tour.

The former Lakeside champion, whose slide off the PDC Tour a few years ago was down to a collection of injuries, suffered from tendonitis in his throwing hand ahead of November's Players Championship Finals, where he averaged in the high 60s during a first-round defeat but recently he said he expects to be pain free.

That's put me off going for the 'upset' but if I knew for sure he was fully fit, then I'd be inclined to side with Kist at such big odds.

Score Prediction: 2-3

CLICK HERE to bet on Kist v Littler with Sky Bet

ALSO WATCH: HOW TO BECOME A DARTS PROFESSIONAL

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How to Become a Darts Professional!

Peter Wright (1/2) v Jim Williams (6/4) (R2)

Three-Dart Average (2023): 93.51 - 95.28
180s per leg (2023): 0.24 - 0.24
Checkout % (PDC Stage Events 2023): 38.65% - 37.00%
100+ checkout per leg won (2023): 13.41% - 10.60%
Match Treble % (Win, most 180s & high checkout): 14.91% - 19.35%

Peter Wright was widely talked up as a big name most in danger of second-round shock before the tournament began and few will be surprised if he follows James Wade out of the exit door.

Snakebite has generally endured a poor season by his own high standards but he still managed to pick up a major for the fourth season in succession when landing October's European Championship against the odds thanks to a string of superb displays that bucked his statistical trend of 2023.

Jim Williams boasts a superior seasonal average and reached a Players Championship final last month while he has pulled off a big upset on this stage before when defeating Wade in the second round 12 months ago.

I do feel Wright may come alive in an entertaining battle which could well feature plenty of maximums given their respective 180 per leg ratios while Snakebite is also among the most prolific 100+ checkout merchants on the circuit.

Score Prediction: 3-2