Luke Littler and Luke Humphries

World Matchplay 2024: Darts predictions, betting tips and preview for the Sky Sports-televised major at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool

By Chris Hammer

21:08 · SAT July 13, 2024

The Sky Sports-televised World Matchplay gets under way this weekend and our Chris Hammer brings you his quarter-by-quarter preview and tips.

Darts betting tips: World Matchplay

3pts Luke Humphries to win the World Matchplay at 3/1 (General)

1pt e.w. Chris Dobey to win the World Matchplay at 50/1 (Sky Bet, 1/2, 1,2)

1pt Ross Smith to win quarter two at 13/2 (Paddy Power, Betfair, Betfred)

1pt Dave Chisnall to win quarter three at 6/1 (Ladbrokes)

1pt Luke Littler to hit a nine-darter in the tournament at 10/1 (Sky Bet)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook

A glorious summer of sport is cranked up another notch at Blackpool's Winter Gardens for the 31st staging of the World Matchplay, and for the first time ever there's an unseeded player vying for favourtism.

Luke Littler will make more history by becoming the youngest player ever to feature in this iconic event having qualified with absolute ease after just six months on the PDC Tour and he'd probably head the betting were it not for the fact he faces second seed and three-time champion Michael van Gerwen in the first round.

He's in the opposite half of the draw to Luke Humphries so no doubt there'll be plenty of darts fans expecting a repeat of the World Championship final when the showpiece reaches its climax on July 21 - but there are plenty of other viable contenders bidding to upset the odds.

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World Matchplay: Quarter One

(1) Luke Humphries v Ricardo Pietreczko
(16) Stephen Bunting v Ryan Joyce
(8) Jonny Clayton v Raymond van Barneveld
(9) Dimitri Van den Bergh v Martin Schindler

Sky Bet odds to win quarter: Humphries 4/5, Clayton 6/1, Van den Bergh 7/1, Schindler 7/1, Bunting 7/1, Joyce 16/1, van Barneveld 22/1, Pietreczko 50/1

It's somewhat surprising that LUKE HUMPHRIES has only picked up one title since beating Luke Littler to become world champion but he has reached four other finals - including the UK Open and Premier League - and his seasonal average in all competitions of 99.28 is second only to Gary Anderson.

Cool Hand perhaps isn't producing 100+ averages at quite the same prolific rate he was during his truly dominant spell but apart from an extremely rare stinker in February when he averaged 81 in one match, he never seems to sink lower than his 'B' game and this relentless consistency will be key for another crack at a 'proper', long-format major.

Of course he's won the last three of those - the World Championship, Grand Slam of Darts and World Grand Prix - which is testament to his ever growing mental strength and 'darts fitness' which was certainly superior to anyone else during that period, and I'd still fancy him to maintain his highest levels longer than anyone else.

Masters champion Stephen Bunting, who averaged an astonishing 117.12 on the European Tour last month, clearly has the confidence and ability to cause him problems if they meet in round two while form horse Jonny Clayton, UK Open winner Dimitri Van den Bergh and the steady improver Martin Schindler are potential quarter-final problems but I wouldn't anticipate any of them living with him at that stage of the event.

Not only do I expect Humphries to come through this quarter but I fancy him to remind everyone why he's the world champion during the latter stages and add yet another major crown to his already glittering CV.

Verdict: Luke Humphries to win

CLICK HERE to back Luke Humphries to win the title with Sky Bet

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World Matchplay: Quarter Two

(4) Gerwyn Price v Daryl Gurney
(13) Ross Smith v Josh Rock
(5) Nathan Aspinall v Luke Woodhouse
(12) Danny Noppert v James Wade

Sky Bet odds to win quarter: Price 15/8, Aspinall 7/2, Rock 11/2, Noppert 6/1, Smith 17/2, Gurney 12/1, Wade 14/1, Woodhouse 28/1

Gerwyn Price is favourite to come through this quarter but there are question marks hovering over the Iceman following a disappointing first half of the season, while he also missed the recent World Cup of Darts due to health issues.

Price returned to action at the two Players Championship events last week without setting the world alight and he's actually only managed one 100+ average in his last 12 matches since winning on the World Series Tour at the start of June.

There have been a smattering of A* displays from Price this year including five averages of 110 or more but the consistency of previous seasons isn't quite there and that explains why he's only reached one ranked final, which he lost to Martin Schindler on the European Tour.

The player I think could be his greatest threat in this quarter is ROSS SMITH, who has really found some winning momentum over the past few weeks having reached two tournament finals, winning the most recent of them.

The Englishman has now won 11 of his last 14 matches, including a stunning Players Championship final performance against Wesley Plaisier which he won 8-7 with a 107.6 average, while he also beat Josh Rock, who he plays first in Blackpool, en route to a European Tour final at the end of June with a 106 average.

Rock is enjoying a decent season too so it won't be an easy opening assignment but if he gets through that I feel his 180 firepower will get the Winter Gardens volume up against Price, should the latter get past the in-form Daryl Gurney, and pile on the pressure.

It's hard to pick which one of Nathan Aspinall, Luke Woodhouse, Danny Noppert or James Wade will make it through to the quarters but the top mini-section is stronger.

Verdict: Ross Smith to win the quarter

CLICK HERE to back Ross Smith to win the quarter with Sky Bet

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World Matchplay: Quarter Three

(2) Michael van Gerwen v Luke Littler
(15) Joe Cullen v Brendan Dolan
(7) Dave Chisnall v Krzysztof Ratajski
(10) Peter Wright v Andrew Gilding

Sky Bet odds to win quarter: Littler 5/4, MVG 5/2, Chisnall 11/2, Cullen 9/1, Wright 10/1, Ratajski 12/1, Dolan 22/1, Gilding 33/1

Luke Littler turns up for his debut World Matchplay after just six months on tour having already achieved more than many darts players manage in their entire careers.

If you'd made this story up, it would be deemed too far fetched. Not only has he won a title in every month this season, but he's also hit nine-darters in all of his various tournament debuts en route to lifting the trophy: the World Series, the Players Championship, the European Tour and the Premier League.

Surely he can't keep doing it? Littler is 10/1 to hit a nine-darter at some point in the tournament and although it could feasibly happen in a 10-1 defeat to Michael van Gerwen in round one, there is the potential of him winning a minimum of 72 legs if he goes all the way - and he's certainly proved he's well capable of that.

He continually produces special moments - especially on the biggest stages - and the rate at which he hits 180s will always make you feel there's a chance of more Littler lunacy.

It's been about a month since we last saw him in televised competition as he followed up his Premier League heroics with more sublime performances on the World Series Tour, which culminated in him winning the Poland Darts Masters, and although he looked a little rusty on his return to action at the recent Players Championship events, we can expect him to be ready and recharged for his Blackpool bow.

There's enough in the price to merit a small bet on the nine darter, which could look an absolute steal if he does make a deep run.

CLICK HERE to back Luke Littler to hit a nine-darter in the tournament with Sky Bet

Van Gerwen's form continues to be up and down - but a lot more of the down than in previous years - so even if he did manage to spoil Littler's debut, I wouldn't necessarily expect him to charge through the rest of this quarter.

DAVE CHISNALL has shown more promise and he could be dangerous in this draw having picked up his second title of the season at the end of June on the European Tour, while since the start of May he's managed eight 100+ averages in his last 22 games, including a high of 114. He's only gone below 95 five times in that run which highlights his improving consistency.

Obviously his battle scars in the big majors will put many punters off backing him to go all the way but he's comfortably stronger than anyone in his mini-section of the third quarter and should get the chance to give MVG or Littler a run for their money in the last eight.

Verdict: Luke Littler to win but Dave Chisnall offers better value

CLICK HERE to back Dave Chisnall to win the quarter with Sky Bet

World Matchplay: Quarter Four

(3) Michael Smith v Gary Anderson
(14) Chris Dobey v Ritchie Edhouse
(6) Rob Cross v Gian van Veen
(11) Damon Heta v Ryan Searle

Sky Bet odds to win quarter: Cross 11/4, Anderson 7/2, Smith 7/2, Dobey 8/1, Heta 17/2, Searle 17/2, van Veen 14/1, Edhouse 18/1

Michael Smith's first-round clash with his former mentor Gary Anderson is the standout tie in this hellish quarter of death in which you could make a strong case for most of the eight.

The Flying Scotsman has won two events this season and remains top of the averages in all competitions while Rob Cross and CHRIS DOBEY are not too far behind in the top seven and have also both picked up titles along with Smith, Damon Heta and Ryan Searle.

However, I'm really sceptical about whether Anderson can maintain his best form over longer format matches these days while Smith's mixed results and fluctuating averages in recent months mean I wouldn't be confident of him finding the consistent levels needed to progress through this bottom section.

Cross is regarded favourite and it's hard to argue with that given that four of his five finals this season have come since the start of May while his performances in June's televised World Series events were largely impressive - especially averaging 106.7 in a semi-final win over MVG in Poland and 100.2 in a semi-final victory against Luke Humphries in Copenhagen.

Dobey suffered that agonising meltdown against Cross in the World Championship quarter-finals that also unfairly cost him a place in the Premier League but away from the TV cameras he's recovered and knuckled down to become one of the highest performing players on the circuit.

Hollywood won a Players Championship title back in April and although his last two events last week ended in early exits, he was still averaging around a ton and he should generally head to Blackpool with plenty of confidence about going at least one round better than his personal best of the quarter-finals, which he managed in 2023.

In fact he'd lost all three of his previous games on this stage so that run ended any mental block that may have been developing at the venue and we'll hopefully see him play with even more freedom during his latest pursuit of winning a maiden major title.

Dobey is becoming a more complete player as every season passes and considering how well he's played this year with no hangover from that Ally Pally heartache, I feel the 50/1 to win the title is too big too ignore.

Verdict: Chris Dobey to win the quarter and an each-way contender for the title