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Luke Humphries (Picture: PDC/Simon O'Connor)

Today's PDC World Darts Championship predictions: Betting tips, acca, order of play and TV time for Sunday December 29

By Chris Hammer

Darts

Mon December 30, 2024 · 2d ago

The 2025 Paddy Power World Darts Championship continues on Sunday so check out Chris Hammer's match-by-match predictions, best bets and an acca.

World Championship: Day 12 preview

SL Acca: 1pt Doets (+1.5), Rydz (+1.5), Owen (+1.5) and Price all to win at 11/2 with Paddy Power

Scroll down for match-by-match tips, stats and scoreline predictions

Afternoon Session (1200 GMT)

TV Coverage: Sky Sports
Format: Round three, best of seven sets

Jeffrey de Graaf (1/3) v Paolo Nebrida (9/4)

Three-dart average (2024): 89.34 - 86.16
180s per leg (2024): 0.24 - 0.16
Checkout % (2024): 39.79% - 35.88%

Jeffrey de Graaf would have been pretty disappointed with his draw before a dart was thrown at the World Championship, but remarkably he finds himself as a hot favourite to earn a spot in the fourth round.

Although his opener against Rashad Sweeting was pretty much as soft as he could have got, hardly anyone gave the Dutch-born Swede a chance against Gary Anderson, who was widely tipped to embark on a serious title challenge. With numerous good reasons, too.

However, an apparent accident while chopping trees hampered the Flying Scotsman's preparations and performance so much, that de Graaf cruised through for the loss of just three legs.

That's not to take any credit away from de Graaf, who averaged a very respectable 95.56 and pinned nine of his 12 attempts at doubles, but he wouldn't have lived with Anderson if the latter had played to his usual scoring levels and not blown 17 out of 20 attempts at the outer ring. That was his worst performance of the campaign at the worst possible time.

To make victory even sweeter for the 34-year-old on his second Ally Pally appearance, Ross Smith had also suffered a huge shock at the hands of Paolo Nebrida in the previous match.

The Philippines star, who'd lost in the first round of his two previous appearances, showed tremendous battling spirit to edge out Jim Williams 3-2 in a deciding set before pinching all three sets against Smith 3-2.

You can't underestimate a player who does that on this stage - especially with an average over 90 - and I can't expect de Graaf to be 75% on his doubles again.

I expect this to be a bit of a scrap and wouldn't put anyone off going for the upset.

Predicted scoreline: 4-3

CLICK HERE to bet on de Graaf v Nebrida with Sky Bet

Kevin Doets (6/5) v Krzysztof Ratajski (8/13)

Three-dart average (2024): 90.24 - 94.10
180s per leg (2024): 0.29 - 0.19
Checkout % (2024): 36.26% - 37.20%

There's been so many "games of the tournament" since we last saw Kevin Doets in action well over a week ago that a lot of fans have probably forgotten just how incredible the Dutchman's victory over Michael Smith was.

If you need reminding, Doets pinched it 6-4 at the end of a rollarcoaster deciding set in which he'd found himself in big trouble at 4-3 down having earlier been 2-0 up against the 2023 world champion.

Doets averaged almost 97 and threw nine of the 13 180s in a performance that underlined just why he's previously talked up as a potential star of the future. So can he now use that victory as a launchpad for the rest of the tournament and beyond?

Krzysztof Ratajski may not be regarded as a 'dark horse' in quite the same way he was a few years ago but nevertheless he's still a worthy favourite based on his seasonal stats and his wealth of major stage experience.

However, he has been sliding down the rankings to the extent that he didn't qualify for three of the majors (World Grand Prix, European Championship & Grand Slam) and he's not missed out on that many since the 2018 season when he didn't even have a PDC Tour Card.

Whereas Doets will probably have the feeling that he's on the ascent in his career, the Polish Eagle may well feel that those struggling wings are struggling to keep him up.

I'm going to side with the Dutch youngster to win and also fire in more 180s given his superior maximum per leg rate this season.

Predicted scoreline: 4-2

SELECTION: 1pt Doets to win and hit most 180s at 9/5 (Boylesports)

Dimitri Van den Bergh (8/11) v Callan Rydz (1/1)

Three-dart average (2024): 92.52 - 92.68
180s per leg (2024): 0.29 - 0.28
Checkout % (2024): 35.27% - 37.47%

Neither player will admit it yet, but Dimitri Van den Bergh and Callan Rydz may secretly be thinking about the potential of a World Championship quarter-final given how their section of the draw has opened up.

The winner of this tie will be favourite to beat either Ricky Evans or Robert Owen in the last 16 although those latter two names will also fancy their chances in this tournament of shocks.

Van den Bergh certainly came into this tournament with a lot of question marks over his winter form but an average of 96 in a 3-0 victory over Dylan Slevin will have given Belgian supporters renewed optimism about his chances.

However, all three of those sets did go the distance so it wasn't as comfortable as the scoreline suggests and you'd expect Rydz to make his life a lot more difficult if he plays to the impressive levels we've seen from him so far.

The Geordie came out all guns blazing against Romeo Grbavac in his opening match with a 107.06 average before taking advantage of Martin Schindler's double troubles to run out a 3-0 winner with a much lower 91.05.

I can't get away from the fact that Van den Bergh has averaged under 90 in almost half of his last 50 matches and I'll need to see more of his best again on the big stage before I want to entrust him in my selections.

Predicted scoreline: 2-4

CLICK HERE to bet on VDB v Rydz with Sky Bet

Evening Session (1900 GMT)

TV Coverage: Sky Sports
Format: Round three/four, best of seven sets

Ricky Evans (4/6) v Robert Owen (11/10) (R3)

Three-dart average (2024): 92.98 - 90.50
180s per leg (2024): 0.22 - 0.21
Checkout % (2024): 39.08% - 36.21%

This is a huge opportunity to both players to venture further than they ever have before at the World Championship but it would arguably mean more to Ricky Evans considering this is his 10th appearance here since 2014.

Rapid has always been one of the Ally Pally's great entertainers with his Festive walk-ons and occasional moments of high speed brilliance so now he'll be eager to stamp his mark on this tournament for different reasons.

This is the fourth time he's gone beyond Christmas whereas this is already a PB for Robert Owen, who is competing here for just the second time in his journeyman career at the age of 40.

It's far too early to say if the Welshman, whose only other previous PDC major experience comes from a smattering of UK Opens and a singular appearance at a Players Championship Finals back in 2017, is suddenly going to become a 'one to watch' from absolutely nowhere, but he did play brilliantly to dispose of Niels Zonneveld and Gabriel Clemens by 3-1 scorelines as the underdog.

He's averaging around 95 for the tournament and won't be at all fazed by Evans despite the latter coming through a thrilling tie with Dave Chisnall with a 94 average.

I do wonder if Evans might want this 'too much' whereas Owen may just feel a little more relaxed up on that stage knowing that this is more of an unexpected bonus to him.

As there's so little between them, that could be a decisive factor.

Predicted scoreline: 2-4

CLICK HERE to bet on Evans v Owen with Sky Bet

Jonny Clayton (11/8) v Gerwyn Price (8/15) (R4)

Three-dart average (2024): 93.76 - 96.98
180s per leg (2024): 0.22 - 0.30
Checkout % (2024): 39.75% - 40.35%

Earlier this winter there was growing speculation that Gerwyn Price would soon be retiring from the sport following a tough period in his career that really seemed to be taking its toll on him.

His poor form not only sucked the confidence out of him but also meant he failed to qualify for the Grand Slam of Darts for the first time since 2015.

That empty week in his usually packed schedule made him realise how much he needed darts and from what we've seen so far at the Ally Pally, he's clearly worked extremely hard on the practice board since then to try and rediscover his magic touch that has treated us to so many blockbusting performances down the years.

While he crashed out in round one of the Players Championship Finals at the end of November, he looked fired up during a 3-0 victory over Keane Barry before Christmas and then summoned every ounce of that battling character he possesses to overcome Joe Cullen in an unforgettable clash on Friday night.

As much as Cullen blew everyone's minds with a 170 checkout to force a sudden death leg after Price missed a match dart, the shellshocked Iceman deserves so much praise for holding his nerve just sends later to snatch victory.

That could prove to be the spark that signals the start of a second wind in Price's career as he prepares to face his close friend and World Cup-winning partner Jonny Clayton, who admitted that his own time at the top of the sport is on borrowed time.

The 50-year-old said: "I don’t think I have much left in darts. These youngsters have a long time. I am trying to do as good as I can now because my time is running out. It’s a joke between all the boys, I am 50 and all my friends are younger and pick on me. If you can relax up there and throw your best darts, you have a chance, no matter your age. If you don’t produce your best darts, it is difficult. My best darts are not there at the moment.”

The Ferret battled past Daryl Gurney 4-3 with a 90 average and as exciting as it was to watch, I don't feel the overall performance bodes particularly well for his title chances.

I fancy a recharging Price to power his way into the quarter-finals and hit the most 180s as well.

Predicted scoreline: 2-4

SELECTION: 1pt Gerwyn Price to win and hit most 180s at 6/5 (Sky Bet)

Luke Humphries (1/9) v Peter Wright (5/1) (R4)

Three-dart average (2024): 98.53 - 92.16
180s per leg (2024): 0.34 - 0.22
Checkout % (2024): 41.26% - 37.45%

Luke Humphries ruthlessly dismissed Peter Wright's apparent attempts at mind games ahead of this eagerly-anticipated clash with a brilliantly executed put down that you probably wouldn't have expected from the defending world champion.

Not only did Cool Hand subtly suggest Wright was exaggerating an illness he was suffering from during one of his finest recent performances on the big stage against Jermaine Wattimena, but he then turned his attention to comments made by the 54-year-old before the tournament.

The two-time world champion, who has a long track record for making bullish comments and stirring up fighting talk with his rivals when in 'Snakebite' mode, said: "What spurs me on? Luke Humphries and Luke Littler is what drives me on because I know that I can still compete with them.

"What I’m doing in practice, I can compete with these guys and actually be better than them."

If he genuinely believes these comments then it smacks a little of delusion because the gulf between Wright and the two biggest stars in darts right now couldn't have been much bigger this year, and considering he's coming towards the end of his career, it's highly unlikely we'll see a time when he's above them in the rankings.

But as Humphries suggested, it won't have been any more than mind games to try and make him feel like a genuine challenger. And if he gets in anyone else's head, well that's a bonus.

The current world champion retorted: "I think Peter loves to play the mind games but it doesn’t work with me. I’m one world title away from almost matching his career and I’m about 25 years younger. One world title would sort of match everything he’s ever achieved in the game so I don’t look into it too much. I think he’s trying to play the mind games but unfortunately for him, it doesn’t work for me.

"And it probably doesn’t work for Luke [Littler]. He said he doesn’t fear us but if I don’t fear someone then I don’t keep mentioning them all the time."

Wright may well have a wry smile on his face at the moment because he's clearly sparked some kind of emotion out of Humphries.

However, that in itself could be an awful plan.

The world number one has only dropped four legs so far despite not getting out of second gear yet and this could be the ideal opportunity to send out a real warning and leave Wright with egg on his face.

I expect a demolition job.

Predicted scoreline: 4-0

SELECTION: 1pt Luke Humphries to beat Peter Wright 4-0 at 5/2 (Unibet, BetMGM)