The stars of the PDC make their yearly pilgrimage this weekend to where many people deem to be the home of darts.
The Winter Gardens in Blackpool has hosted the World Matchplay since its inception in 1994 and the tournament is now rightly considered one of the jewels in the crown of the darting calendar.
Nathan Aspinall is the reining champion from last season, but a hungry duo of Lukes (Humphries and Littler) are well positioned to fight for what would be their maiden lift of the Phil Taylor Trophy.
Played over nine days, the World Matchplay is simply unmissable in the world of darts and 32 players will head to Blackpool hungry to write their names into the history books.
- Tournament Name: 2024 World Matchplay Darts
- When: Saturday, 13 July – Sunday, 21 July
- Where: Winter Gardens, Blackpool, England
- Live Streaming: Sky Sports Darts
- 2023 Winner: Nathan Aspinall
2024 World Matchplay – Competition Format
The World Matchplay is played over five rounds, with 32 players entering at the first round stage.
There are 16 seeded players that all avoid each other in the opening round, determined by the PDC’s Order of Merit.
One of the highlights of the first round draw this year is Luke Littler vs Michael van Gerwen, made possible due to Littler’s non-seed at this event.
Rounds
- 1st Round: Best of 19 legs
- 2nd Round: Best of 21 legs
- Quarter-finals: Best of 31 legs
- Semi-finals: Best of 33 legs
- Final: Best of 35 legs
2024 World Matchplay – The Favourites
Luke Humphries is 3/1 with bet365 to win the World Matchplay
“Cool Hand” Luke is world number one and on a winning streak on the PDC Tour.
The 29-year-old has won the World Championship, World Cup of Darts, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts and the Players Championship Finals over the last 18 months, and will be eyeing the World Matchplay to fill a hole in his trophy cabinet.
Humphries’ consistency is to be commended, and he’s landed himself in the safer half of the draw courtesy of being the top seed and a slice of luck in avoiding Littler until the final...
uke Littler - 4/1
17-year-old Luke Littler is still the name on everyone’s lips in world darts.
The Premier League winner has also had success in Bahrain, Poland, Belgium and Austria this season and is getting used to that winning feeling on the oche.
He’s up against Michael van Gerwen in the first round of the World Matchplay but will take confidence in winning three of their last five meetings.
This is Littler’s first appearance inside the historic Winter Gardens, but nothing has phased him so far in his career, so why should this?
Gerwyn Price - 7/1
Gerwyn Price has a mixed past at the World Matchplay.
The Welshman has never bagged the Phil Taylor Trophy, reaching the semi-finals just once in nine attempts.
7/1 feels short for that record, but he is enjoying a healthy 2024 on the oche despite disappointing in the Premier League.
It’s unlikely that the “Iceman” will run into too many problems in his quarter of the draw.
Michael van Gerwen - 9/1
You name it, MVG has won it.
But the Dutchman isn’t exactly flying of late and has failed to scoop a ranking title since 2022.
Van Gerwen has got three World Matchplay titles to his name, however, and it’s always been a format that has suited the “Green Machine”.
His last World Matchplay title came in 2022 and he’ll have to impress if he is to repeat this feat in 2024. MVG has been drawn against the unseeded Luke Littler in the opening round – a rare lip-licker in the last 32.
9/1 suggests that van Gerwen will have to defeat both Lukes en route to the title – something that he has struggled with in 2024.
Rob Cross - 14/1
Rob Cross has a strange record at the Matchplay – winning once in 2019 and failing to make the quarter-finals in his other six appearances.
“Voltage” is in a favourable chunk of the draw and having enjoyed his best start to a season since 2018, Cross could be a player in Blackpool.
14/1 seems a big price for a player that has reached all but one of the ranked TV titles (World Grand Prix).
2024 World Matchplay – The Outsiders
Michael Smith - 18/1
Michael Smith has gone off the boil since winning his maiden World Championship in early 2023.
It’s a familiar tale across the PDC, but perhaps last month’s World Cup of Darts win alongside Luke Humphries will give “Bully Boy” that extra push towards another finish line.
Smith hasn’t made a ranking final since landing the “Big One” and has struggled on the European Tour in 2024, underlining his big price of 18/1.
Dave Chisnall - 40/1
He couldn’t, could he?
Dave Chisnall has forever been the bridesmaid on the PDC Tour and never the bride in a ranking TV tournament.
He’s seeded 7th here and is looking to lay to rest his record of 4x final losses, 4x semi-final losses and 19x quarter-final losses in ranking events, but has been thrown into an experienced quarter occupied by Luke Littler, Michael van Gerwen, Joe Cullen and Peter Wright.
On his day, “Chizzy” can beat anyone, convincingly, but 40/1 is the price for him to do that five times over the week in Blackpool.
athan Aspinall - 33/1
“The Asp” won this crown in 2023 adding to his UK Open and final appearances at the Grand Slam of Darts and World Grand Prix.
He showed his typical grit and determination throughout a successful Premier League campaign where he just fell short of the playoffs, and will fancy another deep run at the Matchplay where he has won nine of his last 11 matches.
He is likely to come up against Gerwyn Price in the quarter-finals and Luke Humphries in the semis where he would be priced as a slight underdog.
Joe Cullen - 80/1
This monster price for Joe Cullen is illustrative of his recent form and his placing in the draw.
Cullen – Masters winner in 2022 – has struggled on the tour since, and has dropped down to number 15 in the rankings.
If he can navigate his way past Brendan Dolan in the opening round, it’s MVG or Littler next for the “RockStar”.
2024 World Matchplay Tips
Luke Humphries to reach the final at 13/10 with bet365
Humphries leads the way in 180 hitting in 2024 and holds the second best average of 99.13 across the last 12 months.
Alongside his ability to get over the line in big tournaments, Humphries to win through the top half of the draw feels like a no-brainer at 13/10.
Tournament 9-Dart Finish at 8/11 with bet365
We’ve already seen 35 official 9-Dart finishes in 2024, with players such as Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price bagging multiple across different competitions.
There is no doubt that the standard on the PDC Tour is getting better and better year-on-year so backing the perfect finish in Blackpool looks good at modest odds of 8/11.
There have only been two across the last six editions of the World Matchplay (Gerwyn Price, 2022, Gary Anderson, 2018) so we are due one.
Rob Cross to win the 4th Quarter at 5/2 with bet365
Rob Cross is playing well enough to dominate a quarter full of players that have a high ceiling but aren’t getting results at current.
Two former world champions – Michael Smith and Gary Anderson – match up in round one, possibly opening the door for “Voltage” to steam through.
You’d fancy him against Gian van Veen, Damon Heta and Ryan Searle to reach the quarter-finals, even if there is a scare or two along the way.
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