World Matchplay Darts 2017: Draw, schedule, results, betting odds and TV coverage details

The biggest darts event of the summer has reached its conclusion at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, with Phil Taylor marking his final appearence on his favourite stage with a 16th World Matchplay title.

Taylor ensured his retirement year would bring him at least one more major televised crown as he thrashed Peter Wright 18-8 with a performance as ruthless as the one which helped him destroy two-time defending champion Michael van Gerwen 16-6 in the quarter-finals and Adrian Lewis 17-9 in the last four. Not to mention his 11-3 demolition of Raymond van Barneveld.

Wright was contesting his first World Matchplay final but he was simply blown away despite posting a near 100 average.

Here, you look back at how the tournament unfolded with all the results and reviews while we have details of the Sky Bet World Championship odds, prize fund, format, and previous winners.

Also click here to read Chris Hammer's "Taylor's age is just a number" column

World Matchplay Darts: Draw & Tournament Bracket

The 16 seeded players were paired with the 16 qualifiers from the one-year ProTour Order of Merit.

Seedings in brackets
Click here for Sky Bet odds 

Michael van Gerwen (1) v Stephen Bunting

Simon Whitlock (16) v Kyle Anderson

Phil Taylor (8) v Gerwyn Price

Raymond van Barneveld (9) v Joe Cullen

Dave Chisnall (5) v Mervyn King

Kim Huybrechts (12) v Alan Norris

Adrian Lewis (4) v Steve Beaton

Ian White (13) v Rob Cross

Gary Anderson (2) v Christian Kist

Benito van de Pas (15) v   Daryl Gurney 

Mensur Suljovic (7) v John Henderson

Jelle Klaasen (10) v Justin Pipe

James Wade (6) v Darren Webster

Michael Smith (11) v Steve West

Peter Wright (3) v  v James Wilson 

Robert Thornton (14) v Cristo Reyes

World Matchplay Darts: Daily Results (July 22-30)

Click here for Sky Bet odds  

* Each game must be won by two clear legs, with up to a maximum of five additional legs being played before the sixth additional leg is sudden-death

Saturday July 22 (1900 BST)
First Round (best of 19 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports Action
Michael Smith (11) 5-10 Steve West
James Wade (6) 11-13 Darren Webster
Gary Anderson (2) 10-7 Christian Kist
Peter Wright (3) 10-8 James Wilson
Click here for full review

Sunday July 23
Afternoon Session (1300 BST)
First Round (best of 19 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports Action
Jelle Klaasen (10) 5-10 Justin Pipe
Robert Thornton (14) 3-10 Cristo Reyes
Benito van de Pas (15) 9-11 Daryl Gurney 
Mensur Suljovic (7) 10-4 John Henderson
Click here for full review

Evening Session (1900 BST)
Dave Chisnall (5) 10-7 Mervyn King
Phil Taylor (8) 10-5 Gerwyn Price
Raymond van Barneveld (9) 10-8 Joe Cullen
Kim Huybrechts (12) 6-10 Alan Norris
Click here for full review

Monday July 24 (1900 BST)
First Round (best of 19 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
Simon Whitlock (16) 10-6 Kyle Anderson
Adrian Lewis (4) 10-7 Steve Beaton
Michael van Gerwen (1) 10-4 Stephen Bunting
Ian White (13) 7-10 Rob Cross
Click here for full review

Tuesday July 25 (1900 BST)
Second Round (best of 21 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
Mensur Suljovic (7) 11-6 Justin Pipe
Darren Webster 11-7 Steve West
Gary Anderson (2) 9-11 Daryl Gurney 
Peter Wright (3) 11-4 Cristo Reyes 
Click here for full review

Wednesday July 26 (1900 BST)
Second Round (best of 21 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
Dave Chisnall (5) 12-14 Alan Norris
Adrian Lewis (4) 11-8 Rob Cross
Phil Taylor (8) 11-3 Raymond van Barneveld (9)
Michael van Gerwen (1) 11-3 Simon Whitlock (16)
Click here for full review

Thursday July 27 (1900 BST)
Quarter-Finals (Best of 31 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
Daryl Gurney 16-13 Mensur Suljovic (7)
Darren Webster 12-16 Peter Wright (3)
Click here for full review

Friday July 28 (1900 BST)
Quarter-Finals (Best of 31 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
Alan Norris 13-16 Adrian Lewis (4)
Michael van Gerwen (1) 6-16 Phil Taylor (8)
Click here for full review

Saturday July 29 (1900 BST)
Semi-Finals (best of 33 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
Daryl Gurney 15-17 Peter Wright (3)
Phil Taylor (8) 17-9 Adrian Lewis (4)
Click here for full review

CLICK HERE FOR OUR FINAL PREDICTIONS & PREVIEW

Sunday July 30 (1900 BST)
Final (best of 35 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
(8) Phil Taylor 18-8 (3) Peter Wright
Click here for full report

Click here for Chris Hammer's column on Phil Taylor's achievement

Sky Bet's World Championship Odds

After landing his 16th World Matchplay title, Phil Taylor is now 10/1 fourth favourite to end his career in style by winning the season ending World Championship.

The Power was a 20/1 outsider in Blackpool when the event began but he rolled back the years with five vintage displays to remind everyone of his astonishing abilities.

Michael van Gerwen heads the World Championship betting at 4/6, with Gary Anderson and Matchplay runner-up Wright next in the running at 6/1. 

Here are what the pre-tournament Sky Bet odds were for every competitor of the World Matchplay (as of 19/07/2017):

Michael van Gerwen - 8/11
Gary Anderson - 4/1
Peter Wright - 5/1
Phil Taylor - 20/1
Dave Chisnall - 22/1
Adrian Lewis - 40/1
James Wade - 40/1
Mensur Suljovic - 40/1
Michael Smith - 50/1
Rob Cross - 50/1
Raymond van Barneveld - 50/1  
Daryl Gurney - 80/1
Jelle Klaasen - 100/1
Kim Huybrechts - 150/1
Gerwyn Price - 200/1
Simon Whitlock - 200/1
Alan Norris - 200/1
Benito van de Pas - 250/1
Ian White - 250/1
Mervyn King - 150/1
Robert Thornton - 150/1
Cristo Reyes - 250/1
Stephen Bunting - 250/1
Steve Beaton - 250/1
Kyle Anderson - 300/1
Darren Webster - 300/1
Joe Cullen - 300/1
James Wilson - 300/1
Christian Kist - 500/1
John Henderson - 500/1 
Justin Pipe - 500/1
Steve West - 750/1

World Matchplay: Seedings and competing 32 players

The top 16 players from the PDC Order of Merit qualify by right for the World Matchplay, and are joined by 16 qualifiers from the one-year ProTour Order of Merit.

The final qualifying events in Barnsley saw two Players Championship events held, as Justin Pipe leapt above emerging youngster Chris Dobey to secure his seventh successive Blackpool appearance.

Rob Cross' amazing debut year on the PDC circuit sees him qualify for his first World Matchplay after accumulating over £60,000 in ProTour events already in 2017, including two Players Championship wins.

Spain's Cristo Reyes, Huddersfield's James Wilson, Essex-based Steve West and Dutchman Christian Kist will also make their World Matchplay debuts after being amongst the 16 ProTour Qualifiers.

PDC Order of Merit Qualifiers

1 Michael van Gerwen
2 Gary Anderson
3 Peter Wright
4 Adrian Lewis
5 Dave Chisnall
6 James Wade
7 Mensur Suljovic
8 Phil Taylor
9 Raymond van Barneveld
10 Jelle Klaasen
11 Michael Smith
12 Kim Huybrechts
13 Ian White
14 Robert Thornton
15 Benito van de Pas
16 Simon Whitlock

ProTour Order of Merit Qualifiers

Daryl Gurney
Alan Norris
Rob Cross
Joe Cullen
Mervyn King
Gerwyn Price
Cristo Reyes
Stephen Bunting
Darren Webster
James Wilson
Steve West
Steve Beaton
Kyle Anderson
John Henderson
Christian Kist
Justin Pipe

World Matchplay Format

First Round - Best of 19 legs
Second Round - Best of 21 legs
Quarter-Finals - Best of 31 legs
Semi-Finals - Best of 33 legs
Final - Best of 35 legs

The World Matchplay is played in a legs format. Each game must be won by two clear legs, with up to a maximum of five additional legs being played before the sixth additional leg is sudden-death. For example, should a First Round game (best of 19 legs) reach 12-12, then the 25th leg would be the final and deciding leg. 

Prize Fund

Winner - £115,000
Runner-Up - £55,000
Semi-Finalists - £30,000
Quarter-Finalists - £17,500
Second Round Losers - £11,000
First Round Losers - £7,000
Total - £500,000

World Matchplay History

Since the World Matchplay was first held back in 1994, when Larry Butler beat Dennis Priestley, there has only been seven different winners of this PDC major.

Unsurprisingly the most dominant player in its 21-year history is Phil Taylor with 15 titles while Michael van Gerwen and Rod Harrington are the only other players to have lifted the trophy more than once.

The Power hit the first ever nine-dart finish to be broadcast live on UK television during the 2002 World Matchplay while he repeated the feat during the 2014 edition on his way to a seventh-straight Blackpool title. 

The previous year he'd managed an astonishing three-dart average of 111.23 during his final victory over Adrian Lewis.

Taylor's seven-year winning streak from 2008 to 2014 was ended in 2015 when Michael van Gerwen emerged triumphed with a 18-12 victory over James Wade before winning it again 12 months later.

The Dutchman will be favourite to defend his crown for a third time.

Past Finals

Final scores in legs

1994 - Larry Butler 16-12 Dennis Priestley
1995 - Phil Taylor 16-11 Dennis Priestley
1996 - Peter Evison 16-14 Dennis Priestley
1997 - Phil Taylor 16-11 Alan Warriner
1998 - Rod Harrington 19-17 Ronnie Baxter
1999 - Rod Harrington 19-17 Peter Manley
2000 - Phil Taylor 18-12 Alan Warriner
2001 - Phil Taylor 18-10 Richie Burnett
2002 - Phil Taylor 18-16 John Part
2003 - Phil Taylor 18-12 Wayne Mardle
2004 - Phil Taylor 18-8 Mark Dudbridge
2005 - Colin Lloyd 18-12 John Part
2006 - Phil Taylor 18-9 James Wade
2007 - James Wade 18-7 Terry Jenkins
2008 - Phil Taylor 18-11 James Wade
2009 - Phil Taylor 18-4 Terry Jenkins
2010 - Phil Taylor 18-12 Raymond van Barneveld
2011 - Phil Taylor 18-8 James Wade
2012 - Phil Taylor 18-15 James Wade
2013 - Phil Taylor 18-13 Adrian Lewis
2014 - Phil Taylor 18-9 Michael van Gerwen
2015 - Michael van Gerwen 18-12 James Wade
2016 - Michael van Gerwen 18-10 Phil Taylor

World Matchplay Most Titles

Phil Taylor - 15
Michael van Gerwen - 2
Rod Harrington - 2
Larry Butler - 1
Peter Evison - 1
Colin Lloyd - 1
James Wade - 1

Related Darts Content

Player-by-player guide including predictions
In-depth World Matchplay betting preview
2017 PDC event calendar and season results