Dave Chisnall and Cameron Menzies: Two crowd favourites bidding for a first TV title in the PDC

World Series of Darts Finals 2024: Darts predictions, betting tips and preview for the ITV4-televised event in Amsterdam

By Chris Hammer

Darts

Sat September 14, 2024 · 2M ago

The ITV4-televised World Series of Darts Finals takes place this weekend and our Chris Hammer brings you his quarter-by-quarter preview and tips.

Darts betting tips: World Series of Darts Finals

1pt Chris Dobey to win quarter one at 6/1 (Sky Bet)

1pt Cameron Menzies to win quarter three at 10/1 (Sky Bet)

1pt Wessel Nijman to win quarter four at 5/1 (General)

0.5pt e.w. Chris Dobey to win the title at 33/1 (Sky Bet 1/2 1,2)

0.5pt e.w. Dave Chisnall to win the title at 25/1 (General 1/2 1,2)

0.5pt e.w. Cameron Menzies to win the title at 50/1 (General 1/2 1,2)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook

The summer may be over but that's great news for darts fans who are now gearing up for 'major season' over the next four months.

I'm not going to anger the purists by branding the World Series of Darts Finals a major, but it's still a stellar field that should produce enough fireworks to kick this autumn period off with a bang.

Among the 32 players involved at AFAS Live from September 13-15, we have a mixture of 'invited' star names headed by Luke Humphries and those who qualified via the World Series Order of Merit, the PDC Order of Merit and a Tour Card holder qualification event.

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World Series: Quarter One

(1) Luke Littler v Ross Smith
Johan Engstrom v Raymond van Barneveld
(8) Dimitri Van den Bergh v Chris Dobey
Boris Krcmar v Stephen Bunting

Sky Bet odds to win the quarter: Littler Evs, Bunting 5/1, Dobey 6/1, Smith 13/2, VDB 8/1, Barney 10/1, Krcmar 28/1, Engstrom 80/1

It would be easy to think Luke Littler is running out of steam – and understandably so given the hectic year he's had on and off the oche – purely based on the fact he hasn't won a title since the last day of July.

However, since the start of August he's averaged over 100 in eight of his 14 matches in all competitions and his overall figure of 99.02 in this period is better than anyone else.

He lost a European Tour final to Peter Wright with an average of almost 107 while he blew a big lead against Luke Humphries in a World Series semi-final, so it's not as if he's gone off the boil performance wise at all.

He's the fair favourite to come through this quarter but on value grounds, there's a strong case to make for CHRIS DOBEY.

CLICK HERE to back Chris Dobey to win the quarter with Sky Bet

Firstly, Littler has been given a very tough opening draw – especially in such a short format of best of 11 legs – against the heavy-scoring Ross Smith and you probably don't need me to convince you about there being plenty of 180s in that one.

A Smith win wouldn't feel like a big shock and that would leave this quarter of the draw wide open with the likes of Dobey, Stephen Bunting and Dimitri Van den Bergh all potential semi-finalists.

You can make a case for all of those but I favour Dobey, whose average of 98.5 since the start of August is second only to Littler while he's also gone above 100 in nine of his last 19 matches in this time including a mammouth 113.16 on the European Tour.

It's obviously about more than averages and he did also pick up a Players Championship title towards the end of August as well as reaching the semi-finals of the weekend's European Tour event.

He's a big price to win this quarter and is also be worth a small each-way bet for the title.

CLICK HERE to back Chris Dobey to win the title with Sky Bet

World Series: Quarter Two

(4) Luke Humphries v Haupai Puha
Gabriel Clemens v Damon Heta
(5) Michael van Gerwen v Jonny Clayton
Danny Noppert v Gian van Veen

Sky Bet odds to win the quarter: Humphries 10/11, MVG 9/4, Heta 8/1, Clayton 9/1, Noppert 9/1, Van Veen 14/1, Clemens 28/1, Puha 150/1

This quarter is likely to be a two-horse race and I can't find enough reasons to throw my weight behind any kind of upset.

Luke Humphries looked in good shape on the European Tour at the weekend despite a semi-final defeat to Ricardo Pietreczko and despite enjoying a very good season overall – which includes becoming World Matchplay champion – we know this is the time of year where he'll start to move through the gears again.

Michael van Gerwen only returned to action towards the end of August for the first time since the World Matchplay after undergoing dental surgery and it's fair to say his pain-free performances were extremely encouraging.

He's averaged 98.14 in this time (third behind Littler and Dobey) while he's gone over 100 in six of his 12 matches so we could be seeing him return to the winner's enclosure some time soon.

I'm not sure it'll be this weekend but if he can overcome Humphries in the quarter-finals, then success could come sooner than many anticipate.

World Series: Quarter Three

(2) Gerwyn Price v Cameron Menzies
Daryl Gurney v Dirk van Duijvenbode
(7) Peter Wright v Dave Chisnall
Rhys Griffin v Jeff Smith

Sky Bet odds to win the quarter: Price 15/8, Chisnall 7/2, Wright 7/2, DVD 13/2, Menzies 10/1, Gurney 11/1, Smith 25/1, Griffin 50/1

I've been told – on numerous occasions by colleagues and darts fans alike – not to ever back DAVE CHISNALL again.

But frustratingly for everyone's bank balance and profit margins he regularly provides me with compelling evidence on the eve of many big tournaments.

The latest example came at this weekend's Flanders Darts Trophy in Antwerp where he picked up his second European Tour title of 2024 and his third overall this season which is a pretty impressive haul when they've largely been shared out on the occasions Littler hasn't dominated.

The fan favourite is now up to sixth in the world rankings which is an achievement that really deserves shouting about considering he's been battling away in the PDC since 2011 without a major title to his name – he's not even picked up a lesser televised event.

This whole 'Chizzy can't win on TV' chat shouldn't still be happening in 2024 and if he was given a few ranking points for every time he was asked about it, he'd be world number one by now.

However, none of this has anything to do with the 'TV' factor. I spoke at length to Paul Nicholson about this earlier in the week and he insists it's nothing to do with the supposed pressure of the cameras. Because quite frankly, it's the last thing a player thinks about, especially those with years and years of experience.

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

All the tournaments he wins are streamed and have cameras around. And he's pulled off many herculean victories on the big stage throughout his career and reached six major finals from 2013 to 2022. So it's simply not an issue.

But what is an issue seems to be the format length. He loves the shorter format, particularly in recent years, and can't seem to maintain that high-level consistency in the longer formats in tournaments that can last a week or more.

This one plays into his comfort zone and he also finds himself in the slightly easier half of the draw.

If he can get the job done this weekend then it'll stand him in good stead to win a proper major in the coming months and at a big price, I can't abandon him given both his form and the format.

Obvious threats in this quarter include resurgent duo Dirk van Duijvenbode and Peter Wright, who he plays first, Gerwyn Price and an improving Daryl Gurney.

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

But as well as Chisnall, I really want to get CAMERON MENZIES on side.

The popular Scotsman has been playing fantastic darts of late and since the start of August his average of 97.68 is fifth behind Littler, Dobey, MVG and Stephen Bunting, and his results have done those numbers justice.

Menzies has won 30 of his last 36 matches – which includes some European Tour and World Series qualifiers – and has averaged over 100 in 14 of them, including a streak of six towards the end of August.

CLICK HERE to back Cameron Menzies to win the quarter with Sky Bet

Even though his talent has never been questioned, this is world-class form like we've never seen from him on such a consistent basis so it appears he's finally unlocking the rich potential he's always had.

There's no doubt we're looking at a future major winner – and a hugely popular one. Perhaps it could be this week at 50/1 and I'll split stakes across both him and Chisnall in the outright betting.

CLICK HERE to back Cameron Menzies to win the title with Sky Bet

World Series: Quarter Four

(3) Rob Cross v Simon Whitlock
Keane Barry v Kevin Doets
(6) Michael Smith v Jose de Sousa
Wessel Nijman v Andrew Gilding

Sky Bet odds to win the quarter: Cross 7/4, Smith 15/8, Nijman 5/1, Doets 11/1, Barry 16/1, De Sousa, 16/1, Whitlock 20/1

There's not much between Rob Cross and Michael Smith in the betting to reach the semi-finals but I think they are both vulnerable despite this being, on paper, the weakest quarter.

We haven't seen Voltage since a pair of World Series quarter-final defeats Down Under in mid-August so although he'll be well rested, he may lack match sharpness compared to everyone else.

Smith's schedule has been the same as Cross and there wasn't much to shout about from him during those two World Series events, which also ended in quarter-final exits.

In fact since the World Matchplay he's only won four of his nine matches in all competitions and averaged in the 80s on four occasions, so anyone backing him this weekend will be purely going off the rest factor.

I like the look of WESSEL NIJMAN to take advantage in this section with the help of the home crowd.

The 24-year-old Dutchman has enjoyed a highly progressive debut campaign on the Pro Tour while he's also bossing the Development Tour and currently sits top of that Order of Merit.

He's among the top 10 for averages since the start of August while he also reached his maiden Players Championship final on the last day of July, when he lost to Littler. He averaged over 100 in four different matches that day and can capitalise on a good draw.