2025 World Matchplay Darts Format, Draw, Preview & Odds
2025 World Matchplay Darts preview ahead of the tournament start on Saturday
Lewis Watson 
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 a punting highlight of the darting calendar by darts fans and betting sites.
To guide you through the action, Free Bets darts expert Lewis Watson takes a closer look at what to expect in Blackpool.
Luke Humphries is the reigning champion from last season after besting Michael van Gerwen 18-15 in a memorable final, but the Phil Taylor trophy is one that world champion Luke Littler doesn’t yet have in his trophy cabinet, so all eyes will be on the raw of the youngster.
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: 2025 World Matchplay Darts
- When: Saturday, 19 July – Sunday, 27 July
- Where: Winter Gardens, Blackpool, England
- Live Streaming: Sky Sports Darts
- 2024 Winner: Luke Humphries
2025 Darts World Matchplay 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 an all-Dutch affair between their two greatest ever players — Michael van Gerwen vs Raymond van Barneveld.
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
Darts World Matchplay 1st Round Draw
The draw has been completed for the first round and later this week, betting tips for these games will come from Lewis, who will give his best bets from the opening weekend.
- Luke Humphries (1) vs Gian van Veen
- Danny Noppert (16) vs Cameron Menzies
- Nathan Aspinall (8) vs Wessel Nijman
- James Wade (9) vs Joe Cullen
- Stephen Bunting (4) vs Ryan Joyce
- Gary Anderson (13) vs Luke Woodhouse
- Jonny Clayton (5) vs Martin Schindler
- Dave Chisnall (12) vs Mike De Decker
- Luke Littler (2) vs Ryan Searle
- Peter Wright (15) vs Jermaine Wattimena
- Damon Heta (7) vs Andrew Gilding
- Rob Cross (10) vs Dirk van Duijvenbode
- Michael van Gerwen (3) vs Raymond van Barneveld
- Ross Smith (14) vs Josh Rock
- Chris Dobey (6) vs Ricardo Pietreczko
- Gerwyn Price (11) vs Daryl Gurney
Darts World Matchplay Odds
Outright tournament odds are now available from Darts betting providers ahead of Saturday's kick off in the World Matchplay.
Luke Littler
Luke Littler’s Matchplay debut in 2024 ended in a first round defeat to the three-time winner of this event, Michael van Gerwen, so the 18-year-old will be breathing a sigh of relief that he’s seeded second this time around.
This seeding has handed him Ryan Searle in the opening round in Blackpool, a dangerous player on his day, but one that Littler should be able to sweep aside in what is quite a lengthy race to 10 legs.
Littler is slowly ticking off all the recognised titles in the world of darts still six months away from turning 19, and with the field fairly open, this week offers an excellent chance for him to get his hands on the Phil Taylor Trophy.
Luke Humphries
World number one and reigning Matchplay champion, Luke Humphries, will take some beating in Blackpool.
“Cool Hand” is only missing the European Championship and UK Open before he can sweep the televised PDC rankings titles, and in his fifth appearance at the Winter Gardens will be confident in landing a second crown.
Humphries landed the recent US Darts Masters so is comfortable in the winner’s circle, but a tough segment involving two banana-skin Dutchman in Gian van Veen and Danny Noppert could ask a few early questions of Humphries.
Gerwyn Price
Nobody is going to want to be paired with the “Iceman” in Blackpool.
Price won in style at last weekend’s Polish Darts Masters following up from another victory at the Baltic Sea Darts Open, and without a Matchplay title in his cabinet, will be eager to run deep in Blackpool.
He’s up against Daryl Gurney in the opener — a man he enjoys a 5-2 head-to-head record over — and could well be on a collision course to meet Luke Littler in a mouth-watering semi-final.
Price’s form and three-dart average is the best it has looked for some time, making him an excellent option inside the Winter Gardens.
Josh Rock
It might be a surprise to see Josh Rock so short in the betting, but a semi-final run at the UK Open and a win at the World Cup of Darts for Northern Ireland has seen his stock sky-rocket.
Rock has always been a diamond in the rough on the tour, but has often disappointed when expectations are at their highest — he has lost both opening round matches in two previous outings at the World Matchplay.
Rock opens up against Ross Smith this weekend and the winner of MVG and Raymond van Barneveld awaits in the next round.
Michael van Gerwen
MVG doesn’t have to be playing anywhere close to his imperious 2015-16 form to be a threat in these type of majors.
The three-time winner in Blackpool won the German Darts Grand Prix back in April, but other than that hasn’t had too much to shout about in 2025.
Emotions will be high when he takes on his mate, Barney, in the opening round, but the ruthless nature of the “Green Machine” should see him advance if he can find enough purple patches in legs.
He’s in the bottom-half of the draw with Gerwyn Price and Luke Littler for company, lengthening his chances of making it four titles inside the Winter Gardens.
More Darts on Freebets
Check back later this week to get the latest darts betting tips from Lewis, as he looks at the Darts World Matchplay round one matches for us.
We'll also be on the look out for enhanced odds offers, and any other promotions from brands that are targeted at the World Matchplay.
