Sporting Life
Gary Anderson (Picture: PDC)
Gary Anderson (Picture: PDC)

Today's PDC World Darts Championship predictions: Betting tips, acca, order of play and TV time for Sunday December 22

By Chris Hammer
Darts
Sun December 22, 2024 · 2w ago

The 2025 Paddy Power World Darts Championship continues on Sunday so check out Chris Hammer's match-by-match predictions, best bets and an acca.

World Championship: Day eight preview

SL Acca: 1pt Van Duijvenbode, Nijman (-1.5), Edhouse & Anderson (-1.5) all to win at 3/1 with Paddy Power

Scroll down for match-by-match tips, stats and scoreline predictions

Afternoon Session (1200 GMT)

  • TV Coverage: Sky Sports
  • Format: Round two, best of five sets

Ryan Searle (2/7) v Matt Campbell (5/2)

  • Three-dart average (2024): 95.74 - 89.72
  • 180s per leg (2024): 0.26 - 0.16
  • Checkout % (2024): 39.92% - 37.89%

I tipped Matt Campbell to spring a minor surprise against Mensur Suljovic and I was extremely impressed by the manner of that victory and the composure he showed to run out a 3-0 in the deciding set.

The Canadian did look extremely frustrated when he missed set darts for a 2-0 lead as Suljovic made him pay and in those situations you worry that a player who's had quite a tough season will get that sinking feeling for the rest of the match.

Occasionally Campbell would give himself a sarcastic thumbs up after a poor visit which is never a good sign but credit to him for keeping his nose in front throughout and keeping his cool to complete the 3-2 triumph with a healthy 93.31 average.

It was the kind of display that got him noticed here against James Wade 12 months ago and now he'll need a similarly all-round display to end the hopes of dangerous dark horse Ryan Searle.

Heavy Metal seems to have this habit of peaking at the end of a season and the start of a new one - as demonstrated by reaching the fourth round at the Ally Pally three times and then reaching finals of seven Pro Tour events held in February since 2020. Three of those happened in February 2024 and including a title against Gary Anderson!

His only major final came in the Players Championship Finals back in 2021 - and event always held at the end of November.

If you are gonna pick a smallish window to produce your best stuff, then it does pay off to include December!

Campbell should bring a good standard out of Searle and it will be an entertaining start to Sunday's action.

Scoreline Verdict: 3-1

Dirk van Duijvenbode (4/11) v Madars Razma (5/2)

  • Three-dart average (2024): 94.83 - 91.20
  • 180s per leg (2024): 0.38 - 0.13
  • Checkout % (2024): 35.51% - 40.47%

On paper, the only prediction remotely close to a 'guarantee' in this match would be Dirk van Duijvenbode hitting more 180s than Madars Razma.

Their maximum per leg ratios couldn't be much more different at 0.38 vs 0.13 but even that 1/8 shot would have a little bit of concern attached when you consider that Razma actually managed five against nine-dart hero Christian Kist earlier in the week.

More impressive was Razma's 50% checkout percentage from his 22 attempts at doubles and you'd think he'll need to be very clinical once again if he's to live with van Duijvenbode's scoring power.

It wasn't long ago that the darting world was concerned about the Dutchman's worrying injury problems but he's looking much more like his old self these days, especially in the latter few months of the season.

He's been averages in the high 90s and 100+ range much more regularly and even reached the last four of the Players Championship Finals, where he narrowly lost to eventual winner Luke Humphries.

Van Duijvenbode was hitting 180s at 0.38 per leg in Minehead which is similar to what he's been like all season and if we get a good 15 legs in this one then I'd expect to see at least six maximums from him in victory.

Scoreline Verdict: 3-1

SELECTION: 1pt Dirk van Duijvenbode to win and hit 6+ 180s at 11/10 (Paddy Power)

Joe Cullen (7/4) v Wessel Nijman (2/5)

  • Three-dart average (2024): 90.83 - 95.46
  • 180s per leg (2024): 0.26 - 0.33
  • Checkout % (2024): 37.77% - 43.20%

Wessel Nijman was widely regarded as a real 'dark horse' ahead of this year's World Championship and I just wonder how many of those who backed him to go far will be put off by the scare he was given by rank outsider Cameron Carolissen - especially from 2-0 up.

As someone who tipped him to reach at least the quarter-finals, I'm not put off at all.

Firstly, Carolissen played out of skin to average almost 96 and throw six 180s in a performance that made a complete mockery of the pre-match odds and pretty much anyone we've seen on this stage so far would have dropped at least one set against that.

Also, nobody can say Nijman played poorly either. Sure, it wasn't his best display by any means but he averaged almost 95, hit seven maximums and was over 42% on his doubles.

He'll have felt some nerves and pressure to close out his first ever victory on this famous stage but now that's in the bag, we can probably expect a much more settled performance with higher numbers.

Nijman was keen to point out in his post-match interview how dangerous he felt Joe Cullen will be on this stage despite his bitterly disappointing season and, of course, we can't forget how agonisingly close he came to dumping out Luke Humphries here 12 months ago.

That's actually a great mindset for Nijman to be in, and I feel he'll come out with no hint of complacency and entertain us with something special.

As much as I'd love to see Cullen back on top form - like all darts fans would - there's just not been enough evidence in recent months to suggest the Rockstar can live with Nijman and I think it would be more of a leap of faith to side with him.

Scoreline Verdict: 0-3

Ritchie Edhouse (2/5) v Ian White (7/4)

  • Three-dart average (2024): 92.66 - 91.16
  • 180s per leg (2024): 0.27 - 0.20
  • Checkout % (2024): 39.30% - 38.51%

It goes without saying that Ian White won't be feeling any sense of satisfaction to be here due to Sandro Eric Sosing's sudden illness earlier this week we all hope the Philippines star makes a full and swift recovery.

Ahead of that game I wrote: "I remember a time when Phil Taylor once told Sporting Life that Ian White would win the World Championship. That's how highly everyone always thought of Diamond throughout the 2010s but major televised success never happened for him and hasn't reached the quarter-finals on the biggest stage of all since 2014. The last few years in particular have been a real struggle for him and has come perilously close to falling out of the world's top 64 for the first time in his PDC career. There's just no real consistency anymore; he can still throw in a 100+ average fairly regularly but then drops into the 80s more than he used to. In the Players Championship Finals last month, he thrashed MVG 6-1 with an average of 102.69 then lost 6-0 to Mike de Decker with an average of 76.13."

Ritchie Edhouse, by contrast, is enjoying a breakthrough period in his career at the age of 41 having won the European Championship and followed it up with a 100% record in the Grand Slam of Darts group stage with a pair of 100+ averages.

Rob Cross knocked him out in the group stage and then Luke Littler swotted him aside in the early rounds of the Players Championship Finals, but overall he'll come here with plenty of confidence of reaching the third round for the first time in his career - a task made easier by the fact this is his maiden appearance as a seed.

Edhouse comes through this one but expect a little run from White somewhere that should see him pick up a set.

Scoreline Verdict: 3-1

Evening Session (1900 GMT)

  • TV Coverage: Sky Sports
  • Format: best of five sets

Martin Schindler (4/6) v Callan Rydz (11/10)

  • Three-dart average (2024): 94.66 - 92.68
  • 180s per leg (2024): 0.29 - 0.28
  • Checkout % (2024): 41.13% - 37.47%

It's amazing to think you can average 107 in your first match and still find yourself underdog to beat a player ranked 22 in the world.

That's the situation Callan Rydz finds himself in after producing a performance nobody really saw coming against Romeo Grbavac in round one.

Although Rydz has demonstrated plenty of potential and flashes of brilliance in previous seasons, he's rarely been above three figures in recent months and has hardly challenged for any titles in the entire year.

Can we expect another barnstorming display or should we dismiss it as an exception to his seasonal form?

Martin Schindler, by contrast, has enjoyed a fantastic season having picked up two European Tour titles in hard-fought finals against Ryan Searle and Gerwyn Price, so now it's about time he impresses a bigger audience on TV.

There's been the odd decent run here and there with a couple of quarter-final runs in the 2023 UK Open and World Grand Prix but a player with his talent and experience of winning multiple times on stage environments should really be more consistent on TV.

All that said, I wouldn't particularly want to rely on Schindler's nerves holding up as far as the result is concerned, but I do expect plenty of 180s if we see at least four sets because they both have healthy maximum per leg ratios of around 0.30.

Scoreline Verdict: 3-1

Ross Smith (1/12) v Paolo Nebrida (6/1)

  • Three-dart average (2024): 95.78 - 86.16
  • 180s per leg (2024): 0.37 - 0.16
  • Checkout % (2024): 38.74% - 35.88%

It's been a season of two halves for Ross Smith but his fortunes seem to be picking up after a difficult few months.

The Englishman won a Players Championship title, reached two European Tour finals and the last eight of the World Matchplay during the first half of the campaign only for all that momentum to grind to a halt during the second.

He even lost his usual potency on the 180s front - which was obviously such an important part of his arsenal - and this ultimately led to a slump in averages and results.

Thankfully, his range started to return during the Players Championship Finals with a couple of big 100+ averages and he even gave Luke Littler a run for his money during the semi-finals before bowing out 11-9.

Paolo Nebrida will be happy just to be here after an emotional first ever victory on this stage against Jim Williams, which he achieved with a gutsy 86.6 average that defied the Welshman's 94.

If Smith plays like we know he can, then he should come through this comfortably but Nebrida proved he's got plenty of fight in him and capable of snatching at least a set.

Smith's 180 per leg rate hasn't been as high as the staggering 0.47 he managed during last year's World Championship but if we see around 14 legs in this one, then he's got a good chance of reaching six or more.

Scoreline Verdict: 3-1

SELECTION: 1pt Ross Smith to hit over 5.5 180s at 6/5 (bet365)

Gary Anderson (1/7) v Jeffrey de Graaf (4/1)

  • Three-dart average (2024): 99.43 - 89.34
  • 180s per leg (2024): 0.40 - 0.24
  • Checkout % (2024): 41.20% - 39.79%

Gary Anderson has enjoyed a renaissance this year as he makes a concerted effort to become a major champion again for the first time since 2018.

Father Time is not on his side but nevertheless, he boasts the highest average of all this season - including Littler (99.06) - with 99.6 and has posted over 100 in just over half of his matches (52/99). For context, not even Littler (88/186) and Humphries (75/173) are as prolific as that.

Anderson may not have major silverware among his tally of three titles this season but his run to the semi-finals of the Grand Slam of Darts certainly gave his huge fanbase reliable evidence that he still has what it takes to go toe-to-toe with anyone on the major stage.

Having topped his group comfortably with an average of around 105, he was too strong for Stephen Bunting and Gian van Veen before coming agonisingly close to overcoming Littler in an absolute classic. In the end he lost 16-15 with an average over 100 and didn't look like he was running out of steam. It was just a case of a world-class talent having that tiny bit more at the death.

I'd expect the Flying Scotsman will be on an absolute mission to put Jeffrey de Graaf to the sword as quickly as possible and it could be a rout.

De Graaf is a decent operator but he laboured to a 3-1 victory over the Ally Pally's new cult hero Rashad Sweeting and he'll one again find the crowd once again pulling for his opponent. Only this time, it's one of the best players ever to pick up a dart.

Scoreline Verdict: 3-0

SELECTION: Anderson to win, hit most 180s and highest checkout at 6/5 (BetVictor)

Dimitri Van den Bergh (2/5) v Dylan Slevin (7/4)

  • Three-dart average (2024): 92.52 - 89.05
  • 180s per leg (2024): 0.29 - 0.17
  • Checkout % (2024): 35.27% - 35.97%

Dimitri Van den Bergh has to go down as the most precarious favourite of the night as he heads to the Ally Pally off the back of a highly troubled second half of the season.

The Belgian, who won the UK Open back in March, does tend to save his best darts for when he knows he can get on the mic after a victory on the big stage and he couldn't wait to tell everyone about the 'lucky penny' that helped him beat Keane Barry with an average of 105 at the Grand Slam of Darts.

The fortune deserted him in the knockout stages as he lost 10-9 to Jermaine Wattimena and then he crashed out of the Players Championship Finals at the first hurdle when he averaged 87 in a 6-1 defeat against Ross Smith.

That bolt from the blue against Barry in Wolverhampton was just his sixth 100+ average in his last 50 games in all competitions while he dropped below 90 in almost half of those.

If he has another tough day at the office then a buoyant Slevin is more than capable of causing him problems, especially with the confidence gained from overcoming fellow Irishman William O'Connor to pick up his first Ally Pally victory at the second attempt.

Slevin averaged 86 and fired four 180s but he'll probably need to improve on that if he's to stand the best possible chance of adding to Van den Bergh's misery.

Scoreline Verdict: 2-3

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