Nathan Aspinall wins the World Matchplay (Picture: PDC/Taylor Lanning)

World Matchplay Darts 2023: Draw, schedule, results, betting odds and Sky TV coverage details

By Sporting Life

Darts

Mon July 24, 2023 · 1y ago

The full draw, schedule and results from the 2023 Betfred World Matchplay, which takes place at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool from July 15-23.

The 30th edition of the PDC's second-longest running major, which was first staged in 1994 darts event of the summer, is over as Nathan Aspinall became the 12th different player to lift the Phil Taylor Trophy.

Here, you can follow the event unfold with the results and daily round-ups while there's also details on stats, how the players qualified, prize money and a history section.

World Matchplay Darts 2023: Draw and tournament bracket

FINAL

(9) Nathan Aspinall 18-6 Jonny Clayton (7)

CLICK HERE FOR FINAL REPORT

SEMI-FINALS

(9) Nathan Aspinall 17-9 Joe Cullen (13)
(7) Jonny Clayton 17-15 Luke Humphries (6)

QUARTER-FINALS

Chris Dobey 12-16 Nathan Aspinall (9)
(13) Joe Cullen 16-11 Daryl Gurney
(15) Ryan Searle 12-16 Jonny Clayton (7)
(14) Damon Heta 13-16 Luke Humphries (6)

ROUND TWO

(1) Michael Smith 7-11 Chris Dobey
(8) Danny Noppert 9-11 Nathan Aspinall (9)
(4) Gerwyn Price 11-13 Joe Cullen (13)
Daryl Gurney 11-4 Gary Anderson
(2) Peter Wright 8-11 Ryan Searle (15)
(7) Jonny Clayton 11-6 Dimitri Van den Bergh (10)
Brendan Dolan 1-11 Damon Heta (14)
(6) Luke Humphries 14-12 Dirk van Duijvenbode (11)

ROUND ONE

(1) Michael Smith 10-2 Steve Beaton
(16) James Wade 8-10 Chris Dobey
(8) Danny Noppert 10-8 Martin Schindler
(9) Nathan Aspinall 10-7 Krzysztof Ratajski
(4) Gerwyn Price 10-3 Stephen Bunting
(13) Joe Cullen 10-7 Mike De Decker
(5) Rob Cross 10-12 Daryl Gurney
(12) Dave Chisnall 6-10 Gary Anderson
(2) Peter Wright 10-4 Andrew Gilding
(15) Ryan Searle 10-4 Raymond van Barneveld
(7) Jonny Clayton 10-8 Gabriel Clemens
(10) Dimitri Van den Bergh 10-8 Ross Smith
(3) Michael van Gerwen 7-10 Brendan Dolan
(14) Damon Heta 10-5 Josh Rock
(6) Luke Humphries 10-2 Jose de Sousa
(11) Dirk van Duijvenbode 12-10 Kim Huybrechts

WHO'S HIT MOST NINE-DART FINISHES?

World Matchplay Darts: Daily Schedule

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 15 (1900 BST)
First Round (best of 19 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports

Joe Cullen 10-7 Mike De Decker
Rob Cross 10-12 Daryl Gurney
Gerwyn Price 10-3 Stephen Bunting
Dave Chisnall 6-10 Gary Anderson

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Sunday July 16
Afternoon Session (1300 BST)
First Round (best of 19 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports

Danny Noppert 10-8 Martin Schindler
Dirk van Duijvenbode 12-10 Kim Huybrechts
Damon Heta 10-5 Josh Rock
James Wade 8-10 Chris Dobey

Evening Session (1930 BST)
First Round (best of 19 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports

Nathan Aspinall 10-7 Krzysztof Ratajski
Luke Humphries 10-2 Jose de Sousa
Michael van Gerwen 7-10 Brendan Dolan
Michael Smith 10-2 Steve Beaton

CLICK HERE FOR FULL REPORT

Monday July 17 (1900 BST)
First Round (best of 19 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports

Dimitri Van den Bergh 10-8 Ross Smith
Ryan Searle 10-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Peter Wright 10-4 Andrew Gilding
Jonny Clayton 10-8 Gabriel Clemens

CLICK HERE FOR FULL REPORT

Tuesday July 18 (1900 BST)
Second Round (best of 21 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports

Daryl Gurney 11-4 Gary Anderson
Danny Noppert 8-11 Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price 11-13 Joe Cullen
Michael Smith 7-11 Chris Dobey

CLICK HERE FOR FULL REPORT

Wednesday July 19 (1900 BST)
Second Round (best of 21 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports

Brendan Dolan 1-11 Damon Heta
Jonny Clayton 11-6 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Peter Wright 8-11 Ryan Searle
Luke Humphries 14-12 Dirk Van Duijvenbode

CLICK HERE FOR FULL REPORT

TOP FIVE MAJOR DARTS CHAMPIONS

Thursday July 20 (1900 BST)
Quarter-Finals (Best of 31 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports

Joe Cullen 16-11 Daryl Gurney
Chris Dobey 12-16 Nathan Aspinall

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Friday July 21 (1900 BST)
Quarter-Finals (Best of 31 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports

Jonny Clayton 16-12 Ryan Searle
Damon Heta 13-16 Luke Humphries
CLICK HERE FOR FULL REPORT

Saturday July 22 (1900 BST)
Semi-Finals (best of 33 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports

Nathan Aspinall 17-9 Joe Cullen
Jonny Clayton 17-15 Luke Humphries
CLICK HERE FOR SEMI-FINAL REPORT

Sunday July 23 (2030 BST)
Final (best of 35 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports

Nathan Aspinall 18-6 Jonny Clayton

CLICK HERE FOR FINAL REPORT

Sky Bet's World Matchplay Pre-Tournament Odds

4/1 Michael Smith
9/2 Gerwyn Price, Michael van Gerwen
14/1 Luke Humphries
16/1 Peter Wright
20/1 Josh Rock, Jonny Clayton
25/1 Dirk van Duijvenbode, Nathan Aspinall, Dave Chisnall, Gary Anderson, Rob Cross
28/1 Dimitri van den Bergh
40/1 Danny Noppert
50/1 Damon Heta, Joe Cullen, James Wade, Ross Smith, Chris Dobey
66/1 Ryan Searle, Krzysztof Ratajski
80/1 Martin Schindler
100/1 Raymond van Barneveld, Gabriel Clemens
125/1 Daryl Gurney, Stephen Bunting, Andrew Gilding, Mike de Decker
150/1 Jose de Sousa
250/1 Brendan Dolan, Kim Huybrechts, Steve Beaton

Click here for a full list of Sky Bet's odds

Where can I watch the World Matchplay on television?

The tournament will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK, through the PDC's worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV (excluding UK, Germany, Austria & Switzerland based subscribers).

Can I still buy tickets for the World Matchplay?

Standard tickets for the 2023 Betfred World Matchplay are now sold out. If you'd like to be at this year's event, please only book through our official Hospitality and Travel partners (below).

Click here to purchase tickets

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 - £150,000
Runner-Up - £70,000
Semi-Finalists - £50,000
Quarter-Finalists - £25,000
Second Round Losers - £15,000
First Round Losers - £10,000
Total - £700,000

How the players qualified

SEEDS

Michael Smith
Peter Wright
Michael van Gerwen
Gerwyn Price
Rob Cross
Luke Humphries
Jonny Clayton
Danny Noppert
Nathan Aspinall
10 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Dirk van Duijvenbode
Dave Chisnall
Joe Cullen
Damon Heta
Ryan Searle
James Wade

UNSEEDED PLAYERS

The unseeded players are the top 16 on the one-year ProTour Order of Merit who hadn't already qualified via the above list.

Josh Rock
Martin Schindler
Ross Smith
Krzysztof Ratajski
Jose de Sousa
Andrew Gilding
Gary Anderson
Stephen Bunting
Gabriel Clemens
Chris Dobey
Raymond van Barneveld
Daryl Gurney
Mike De Decker
Steve Beaton
Brendan Dolan
Kim Huybrechts

World Matchplay History

Since the World Matchplay was first held back in 1994, when Larry Butler beat Dennis Priestley, there has only been 11 different winners of this PDC major.

Unsurprisingly the most dominant player in its 28-year history is Phil Taylor with 16 titles - the last of which coming on his farewell appearance in 2017 - 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 was favourite to defend his crown for a third time but Taylor had other ideas as he knocked him out en route to winning an emotional 16th title before his retirement.

The final of 2018 ended up being one of the most dramatic in the tournament's history, with Gary Anderson clinching the title for the first time thanks to a 21-18 victory over Mensur Suljovic having earlier hit a nine-dart finish against Joe Cullen.

Rob Cross, Dimitri Van den Bergh and Peter Wright are the other recent players to get their names on the trophy.

Past Finals

Final scores in legs