Chris Dobey (Picture: Taylor Lanning/PDC)

UK Open 2024: Free darts betting tips, predictions and preview for the ITV4-televised major in Minehead

By Chris Hammer

Darts

Sat March 02, 2024 · 9M ago

The Ladbrokes UK Open takes place this weekend, live on ITV4, and our Chris Hammer brings you his tournament tips.

Darts betting tips: UK Open

1pt each-way Ryan Searle to win the UK Open at 25/1 (Betfred, Boylesports, 1/4 1,2,3,4)

1pt each-way Chris Dobey to win the UK Open at 25/1 (General, 1/4 1,2,3,4)

1pt each-way Dave Chisnall to win the UK Open at 50/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair, 1/4 1,2,3,4)

0.5pts each-way Callan Rydz to win the UK Open at 100/1 (General, 1/4 1,2,3,4)

0.5pts each-way Ryan Joyce to win the UK Open at 150/1 (General, 1/4 1,2,3,4)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook

The 'FA Cup of Darts' is always regarded as one of the hardest of the majors to predict due to the random draw format and the amount of games players have to win in such a short space of time.

Andrew Gilding's shock triumph here 12 months ago as a 100/1 outsider further underlined this belief while Nathan Aspinall was also a three-figure priced champion back in 2019. Danny Noppert may well inside the top 10 in the world now but he wasn't exactly a name on everyone's lips in 2022 when he won his last two matches of the tournament with averages under 90.

Each-way terms for this event pays four places so if you bare in mind that Adam Gawlas, Keane Barry and William O'Connor have all reached the semi-finals across the last two years, it's clear to see there's potentially some profitable fun to be had with the so called rank outsiders.

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However, although some years you think you'd have been better off just picking names at random out of a hat, I am going to use sound logic to back up my five selections and just hope that at least couple of them get the luck of the draw on their side.

None of them come from the 'big five' of Michael van Gerwen, Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, Gerwyn Price and Gary Anderson, who dominate the betting and certainly have the form and big-stage presence to go all the way. Obviously if any of them got their hands on this trophy I wouldn't be surprised at all - but I'm avoiding them all for value grounds.

RYAN SEARLE

When you start to delve into the 'outsider' territory, Ryan Searle is a name that should leap off the page.

Heavy Metal made an incredible start to the season by reaching the first three Players Championship finals and having been narrowly denied by both Luke Littler and Gary Anderson in the opening two, he bounced back to get revenge on his practice partner 8-7 in a fantastic third with an average of 107.63.

The following day he averaged 100+ in three of his four games, including a 109.45 in a 6-5 defeat to Brendan Dolan. So overall he's won 24 of his last 27 matches and his seasonal average of 97.20 puts him seventh out of everyone.

Interestingly this has all come after a manufacturer change which usually coincides with a spell of transition but he's obviously practiced hard and taken to his new equipment like a duck to water.

Another factor to throw into the mix is that this is his 'home' major and will always have a lot of crowd support, especially when he gets an appearance on the Main Stage. He got to the climax of the Players Championship Finals in Minehead back in 2021 when he narrowly lost to Peter Wright and maybe this is the time he becomes a major champion.

CLICK HERE to back Ryan Searle with Sky Bet

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CHRIS DOBEY

Anyone who thought Chris Dobey was going to start the season with a hangover from his crushing capitulation against Rob Cross at the World Championship were right...initially.

Hollywood subsequently suffered a heavy second-round defeat against Michael van Gerwen in the Masters with a sub-90s average but he's been restoring his confidence on the Pro Tour, where he's won 13 of his last 17 matches and reached the most recent Players Championship final.

Dobey, who was unfortunate to miss out on a Premier League spot, lost that title decider to Damon Heta with a 106 average - the sixth time he's surpassed 100 in 2024 - so it's little surprise his season average of 96.66 puts him 10th overall.

The Northumberland ace put together several lengthy major runs in 2023 - including victory in the Masters - before producing plenty of fireworks on the Ally Pally stage prior to that memorable Cross comeback so if he can conjure up that kind of performance level then a second major title is definitely not beyond him.

CLICK HERE to back Chris Dobey with Sky Bet

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DAVE CHISNALL

I must have said "I'm never backing Dave Chisnall again" many times in recent years but my eyes are drawn to him at such a big price, especially when he doesn't even have to make the final to generate a profitable payout.

Although only one of his 14 major semi-final appearances have come at the UK Open, I still feel this major is one of the most ripe for him to win at this stage of his career when most people have stopped talking about him as a genuine contender.

Despite his popularity down the years, the rise of other talents in the game mean he'll probably avoid much Main Stage action until the latter stages and that will give him the opportunity to quietly go about his business on the outer boards and build up some winning momentum.

Not that he can't deliver in front of the cameras any more - after all he reached the World Championship quarter-finals before running into a savage Luke Humphries - but he suffered early exits in the eight other majors in 2023 having come into many of them with high hopes thanks to his brilliant form and title-winning exploits on the European Tour and Pro Tour.

Expectations are much lower, especially after a quiet start to the campaign, and maybe that will play into Chizzy's hands in a tournament that much lesser players than him have thrived in.

CLICK HERE to back Dave Chisnall with Sky Bet

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CALLAN RYDZ

It's been a long time since everyone was waxing lyrical about Callan Rydz following his run to the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Championship and he seemingly fell off the radar completely in 2023 when suffering early exits in all six majors that he contended.

Rydz, who did at least pick up a Players Championship crown back in September to prove he hadn't vanished, has started the season very well and should arrive in Minehead with plenty of confidence of putting himself back on the darting map.

Not only has he enjoyed a couple of quarter-final runs in the opening four events on the Pro Tour but he also came through two European Tour qualifying events last week which means he's now won 16 of his 22 matches this season, while he's averaged over 100 in seven of his last 14.

Although his opposition in the qualifiers were on the weaker side, winning breeds belief and he could well be a force to be reckoned with this weekend.

He starts the competition in round three due to his ranking outside the world's top 32 but the draw has been relatively kind and if he wins his first match then he'll be nicely warmed up for the evening session.

CLICK HERE to back Callan Rydz with Sky Bet

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RYAN JOYCE

Ryan Joyce returns to Minehead just a few months after reaching the semi-finals of the Players Championship Finals back in November.

Relentless ran out of steam as eventual winner Luke Humphries obliterated him 11-3 with an average of 106 but before that he took out the likes of Joe Cullen and Damon Heta with some very accomplished displays.

Joyce will also be entering the competition in round three due to his ranking outside the world's top 32 and will spend most of the tournament off the Main Stage unless he was to draw a massive name - and that will suit him.

Statistically he's been pretty sound this season - if not spectacular - but if he can play to his potential and negotiate his way through to Sunday's quarter-finals then he'll be a dangerous customer for anyone left standing.