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Luke Littler is all smiles on the way a stunning win

Grand Slam of Darts 2024: Final day predictions, betting tips, acca, order of play and TV time, starting with the semi-finals

By Chris Hammer

Darts

Sun November 17, 2024 · 2M ago

The 2024 Grand Slam of Darts concludes on Sunday so check out Chris Hammer's match-by-match predictions, best bets and a suggested acca.

Darts betting tips: Grand Slam of Darts final

1pt nine-dart finish in Lukeman v Littler at 10/1 (General)

1pt 17+ 180s and 5+ 100+ checkouts at 9/4 (Sky Bet)

1pt both players to have a 120+ checkout at 6/4 (Sky Bet)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook

Martin Lukeman (9/2) v Luke Littler (1/8)

Tournament Ave: 97.00 - 104.73
Tournament 180s per leg: 0.31 - 0.55
Tournament Checkout %: 45.6% - 48.31%
100+ checkouts (per leg won): 5 (8.7%) - 8 (14%)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports, 1945 GMT
Format: Best of 31 legs

Pretty much everyone is preparing for Luke Littler's coronation as Grand Slam of Darts champion tonight after he produced a stunning comeback to defeat Gary Anderson 16-15 in one of the greatest matches in the tournament's 18-year history.

Littler hadn't even had his first birthday when the inaugural edition was staged in Wolverhampton but now he's bidding to lift the Eric Bristow Trophy as his remarkable debut season as a professional continues in headline-making fashion.

The 17-year-old will have had just three and a half hours to recover from his 31-leg showdown with the Flying Scotsman but at least when it comes to mental fatigue, it did only take them around an hour to play.

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Martin Lukeman's clash with Mickey Mansell was only three legs shorter but it took almost 90 minutes, so I'd say from a 'freshness' perspective, neither really has an advantage.

However Littler's combination of youth and his experience of playing these high pressure matches on the biggest stages - even in just a short career so far - obviously weighs heavily in his favour.

Not to mention his outrageous talent and performances levels, which are clearly superior to the 150/1 pre-tournament outsider.

Littler has averaged well over 102 in all six of his matches so far, including 103.8 against Anderson, while he's hammering in the 180s for fun, adding a further 16 onto his phenomenal total of 48.

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Lukeman has been consistently averaging in the mid-90s throughout the tournament but raised the bar to a very impressive 99.66 against Mansell, which featured 12 maximums, while his clinical finishing of 45% was around the same that he's managed all week.

There is also absolutely zero pressure on him. He's gone further than he could have imagined and with the odds staked so heavily against him, I'm sure his team will be telling him to go out there and play with freedom.

If he's to get close to Littler then he'll need to make a fast start, finish well and hope Littler gets bogged down into one of his rare frustrated spells which don't tend to last very long.

Although I'm struggling to see any other outcome than a Littler victory, I do think we could see around 24 or 25 legs which would hopefully be enough to achieve 17+ maximums and 5+ 100+ checkouts that I've gone for.

CLICK HERE to back 17+ 180s and 5+ 100+ checkouts with Sky Bet

I've also gone for both players to get a checkout of 120+, which has been achieved by Lukeman on all five occasions he's landed a three-figure finish while Littler has done it five out of eight times.

CLICK HERE to back both players to hit a 120+ checkout with Sky Bet

Finally, on three occasions during this tournament, I've recommended a small stakes play on the nine-darter. On two of those occasions Littler agonisingly missed double 12 and on the third - which was earlier today - he failed on dart seven after back-to-back 180s.

It's 10/1 for either of them do it although you can get 12/1 in places for Littler and around 66/1 for Lukeman.

Verdict: Lukeman 9-16 Littler

CLICK HERE to back the nine-dart finish with Sky Bet

Click here to bet on Lukeman v Littler with Sky Bet

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Afternoon Session (1300 GMT)

TV Coverage: Sky Sports
Format: Semi-Finals, best of 31 legs

Semi-Final Tips

1pt any player to hit a nine-dart finish in the semi-finals at 8/1 (Sky Bet)

1pt Martin Lukeman to win and hit most 180s at 9/4 (Sky Bet)

1pt Gary Anderson to hit most 180s v Littler at 3/1 (SpreadEx)

1pt Anderson & Littler to hit 10+ 180s and one+ 100+ checkout each at 1/1 (Sky Bet)

1pt Lukeman to win and hit most 180s & Anderson (+2.5) to hit most 180s at 5/1 (Sky Bet)

Mickey Mansell (6/4) v Martin Lukeman (1/2)

Tournament Ave: 94.98 - 95.84
Tournament 180s per leg: 0.27 - 0.25
Tournament Checkout %: 43.53% - 45.56%

In the latest of many underdog stories in darts this season, 150/1 pre-tournament outsider Martin Lukeman will face 350/1 'no hoper' Mickey Mansell for a place in the final of one of the PDC's biggest events.

Any other year we'd be completely baffled by both of their runs to the last four but when you consider Mike de Decker and Ritchie Edhouse won the World Grand Prix and European Championship respectively last month at massive prices in excess of 200/1, then it seems part and parcel of this mad sport these days!

Whereas the secret to Martin Lukeman's success seems to lie with the relatively recent construction of a new darts cabin where he's locked himself away and transformed from a journeyman pro into a potential major winner, I'm not quite sure how we can explain Mansell's random rise from nowhere.

For years and years he's been a steady operator lower down the rankings but over the past 10 years he's never done well enough to qualify for majors such as this one, the World Matchplay, the World Grand Prix or the European Championship.

At 51-years-old, his time on the tour looked as though it could be running out as he slipped further down the rankings towards the dangerous 64th spot after a dreadful campaign in which he lost 16 first-round matches out of 30 Players Championship - and never reaching the quarter-finals of any of them.

But as if by magic, he stuns Gerwyn Price to qualify for his maiden Grand Slam of Darts before coming through a group that included Luke Humphries and James Wade.

Although he was soundly beaten by the already-eliminated defending champion in his final group game, it mattered little as he upset the odds once more to overcome Danny Noppert with an average just shy of 99 before battling past Cameron Menzies 16-15 in a real nervy affair where both players averaged around 90.

I don't want to sound like I'm taking anything away from him whatsoever, but there have been tougher routes to major semi-finals before whereas Lukeman had to take out former European champion Ross Smith and multiple-major winner Rob Cross to be here.

Mansell admitted he'd never felt nerves like it against Menzies, while Lukeman has come across more confident, saying: "I fear no one; I've beaten all the big players before so why not here? I've been practicing a lot over the last few months and it's showing on the big stage."

Although Lukeman's 180 per leg rate is slightly less than Mansell's during the tournament, if he finds his rhythm quicker and Mansell struggles with nerves, then I fancy him to edge the maximum battle too.

Verdict: 12-16

CLICK HERE to back Lukeman to win and hit most 180s with Sky Bet

Click here to bet on Mansell v Lukeman with Sky Bet

Luke Littler (4/11) v Gary Anderson (2/1)

Tournament Ave: 105.23 - 101.06
Tournament 180s per leg: 0.57 - 0.35
Tournament Checkout %: 51.9% - 50.62%

It was the match we so desperately wanted to see at last year's World Championship only for Brendan Dolan to get in the way - but great things come to those who wait.

During Gary Anderson's Ally Pally campaign, he warned the media about the dangers of putting too much pressure on Luke Littler but since then the 17-year-old has taken to the spotlight like a duck to water and hasn't looked the least bit fazed during this ridiculous maiden season in the pro ranks.

In fact, if the Premier League champion lifts his first ranking major title tonight then he'll remarkably move up to fifth in the world rankings! When you think all four of his televised titles this season have been unranked, and he's suffered first-round exits at the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and European Championship, well, it's unfathomable!

And that shows how little some mainstream media known about darts outside of the major scene, such as the Daily Mail, who recently reported Littler's early exit to 'former butcher' Andrew Gilding like he was going through some kind of rapid fall from grace.

Absolutely outrageous from Luke Littler. Hits 12 180s in a 16-2 win, averages over 105, misses D12 for a nine darter and hits four 100+ checkouts. Virtually unplayable.

Of all the highlights, this 167 was special...pic.twitter.com/VtsmCaAflT
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) November 16, 2024

He's chasing a 10th PDC title of any kind and has already enjoyed the kind of success that many professionals would dream about achieving in their entire career.

Standing in his way of more history-making exploits is one of the greatest players in darting history, who is running out of time to win the Grand Slam for the first time.

The Flying Scotsman has made no secret down the years of how much he wants to add the Wolverhampton major to his glittering CV and this is the closest he's got since losing the highly controversial 2018 final to Gerwyn Price.

Can't wait for the first ever meeting between Luke Littler and Gary Anderson.

36 years between them in age but hardly anything in the seasonal stats. They are the top two players for averages in all comps this season AND the two most prolific at 180 hitting. 🍿 pic.twitter.com/F3o2ICw1kt
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) November 16, 2024

Anderson has been involved in 17 of the 18 stagings of the Grand Slam, including the inaugural edition in 2007, and has twice been runner-up, a semi-finalist on four other occasions and has always got through the lottery of the short-format group stages. It's a staggering record that deserves the trophy.

He's just two steps away from that, but Littler's presence makes the first of those look like a giant leap.

Straight after THAT performance from Luke Littler, Gary Anderson treats us to this! pic.twitter.com/8EeAwakhrp
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) November 16, 2024

The Nuke's breathtaking route to the last four has seen him average over 102 in all five games - including a best of 112.16 - giving him a tournament average is 105.23 while he's hit a staggering 32 180s in just 56 legs which works out at 0.57 per leg. That makes his seasonal ratio of 0.39 look sluggish!

That is second only to Anderson's mark of 0.41 although he's fairly priced up as favourite to hit most against the Scotsman given what we've seen from him this week.

However, 3/1 seems very big for the two-time world champion to edge the maximum battle because we know he can often hit them at insane rates too.

CLICK HERE to back Anderson to hit most 180s with Sky Bet

He may have ended up with only 11 from 30 legs against Gian van Veen but the first of those didn't come until the seventh leg due to a slow, scrappy start from both players. Littler's fast style will probably suit Anderson more and we could see a match from the ages.

Their 100+ checkout conversion has also been devastating so I'd expect them to weigh in with at least one apiece to go along with 10+ 180s, especially if we're treated to at least 26 legs or so.

CLICK HERE to back both players to hit 10+ 180s and one+ 100+ checkouts each with Sky Bet

As far as the winner is concerned, I'll give the slight edge to Littler but it's hopefully a close one.

I'm also suggesting a small stake on a nine-dart finish this afternoon. It's tempting to just focus on this match given that Littler has twice missed double 12 for the perfect leg on both nights I've decided to tip it this tournament - including last night - while Anderson kicked off five legs with 180s against van Veen.

But, magic moments can happen anywhere and I feel the stage is set for one this afternoon.

Verdict: 16-14