Darts Tips

We’re heading Down Under this weekend for the inaugural Australian Darts Masters. Eight of the PDC’s best players head up the draw bracket in Wollongong and are joined by eight Oceanic qualifiers from across Australia and New Zealand for a chance of getting their hands on this new prize in darts. This event is part of the World Series of Darts, where Luke Littler, Michael van Gerwen, Rob Cross and Gerwyn Price have already had tournament wins this season in Bahrain, Poland, Netherlands, New York and Denmark. Tournament Name: 2024 Australian Darts Masters When: Friday, 9 August – Saturday, 10 August Where: WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong, Australia Live Streaming: Delayed coverage on ITV4 2023 Winner: N/A The Australian Darts Masters is played over four rounds, with 16 players entering at the first round stage. There are eight seeded players that all avoid each other in the opening round, determined by the PDC’s World Series Order of Merit. Luke Littler is the top seed coming to Wollongong and the other seven seeded players are joined by eight players from the PDC’s Oceanic Qualifiers. There’s a modest prize fund of £60,000 with the winner bagging £20,000. Rounds 1st Round: Best of 11 legs Quarter-finals: Best of 11 legs Semi-finals: Best of 13 legs Final: Best of 15 legs We highlight three players that hold an excellent chance of landing the 2024 Australian Darts Masters. “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 Matchplay, 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 a fresh title of the Australian Darts Masters to add to his growing collection. Humphries simply isn’t losing darts matches at this stage in his career, but is on a collision course with his rival, Luke Littler, in the semi-finals in Wollongong – meaning that we are looking likely to find a winner from the top half of the draw Down Under. 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. Littler fell to Michael van Gerwen in the opening round of the World Matchplay last month, so it’ll be interesting to see how the youngster bounces back from the first low of what has been a spectacular high since reaching the World Championship final in January. He’s opening up against Rob Modra in Wollongong and enters the tournament as the number one seed. Price knows he won’t have to play either Lukes until the final this weekend, so the Welshman can breathe a little easier than he has done in previous tournaments so far in 2024. Price also fell early at the World Matchplay in round two so will be looking to right those wrongs in the bottom half of the draw. He’s been drawn against Brenton Lloyd in the opening round and could well face all-Aussie/Kiwi opponents until the final if the draw plays out in that fashion. 6/1 is a solid price for the FAV from the bottom half of the draw to reach the final. We highlight three outsiders that will be eying up a big performance in Wollongong. 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 15/2; combined with the fact that he is in the same quarter as Luke Littler and the same half as Luke Humphries... Heta is the home favourite this weekend and the most likely to penetrate the dominance of the European contingent heading Down Under. “The Heat” has bagged himself a seeding in Wollongong and will be expected to get past John Hurring without too many issues in the opener. He’s in the favourable bottom half of the draw and with a semi-final run at this year’s UK Open will take confidence from the fact he is starting to reach the latter stages of majors with more regularity. 12/1 says an Australian is the first to be crowned Australian Darts Masters champion. If it isn’t Damon Heta, then why not Simon Whitlock? The “Wizard” is a veteran on tour and despite being outside the top 50 in the world, will still fancy a run for the ages in front of home support. He’s rolled a lucky double six in the draw by partnering up with Peter Wright in the opening round – an out of form seed that Whitlock will fancy toppling. 80/1 is a massive price and probably fair enough considering the 55-year-olds recent few seasons on tour. - Luke Littler to beat Rob Modra 6-0 at 7/4 with bet365 Littler will be out to prove a point after his performance at the World Matchplay and Modra could quite easily be on the end of a whitewash here. - Luke Humphries to win the 2024 Australian Darts Masters at 2/1 Humphries is a cut above the rest at the moment. Even if he has to navigate a route past Luke Littler in the semi-final, we’re backing “Cool Hand’s” ruthless streak to continue.