World Grand Prix Darts Day 6 Picks 2026 (Saturday 3rd October)

Fans who have bought tickets for the World Grand Prix Semi Final session will certainly be happy with the final four lineup, even without Luke Littler being involved after his early exit.

Nathan Aspinall and James Wade impressed more than Gerwyn Price and Luke Humphries in the Quarter Final matches played on Friday, but Saturday is a new day and the format moves from a best of five to a best of nine Set one.

This does give players more time to recover, but we have seen how quickly matches can get away if the Doubling is not right and Price and Humphries will need to improve if they are going to get through the matches to come.

All four of the players will be confident enough as they remain active in this Ranking tournament, but the importance of matches increases the pressure and both Semi Finals look like they could be very closely contested.

Nathan Aspinall v Gerwyn Price: You never want to rule out someone with the qualities of Gerwyn Price and the layers obviously feel the same with the Welshman down as the favourite.

However, no one has been performing at the level of Nathan Aspinall this past few days and he will be massively motivated by being set as the underdog in this Semi Final.

The Quarter Final performance is about as good as anything anyone has produced in the World Grand Prix and it is almost impossible to think Nathan Aspinall can reproduce that again and especially not in the longer format of this Semi Final. Regardless, he will feel he can put together enough bursts to keep on top of Gerwyn Price and especially if the favourite is as slow getting out of the starting gate as he was in the win over Jonny Clayton.

Unlike The Ferret, Nathan Aspinall has been peppering the treble 20 all week and that power scoring coupled with his own Doubling gives him the edge.

At the prices on offer, Nathan Aspinall has to be the selection even if we all know what Gerwyn Price is capable of doing once he gets into a roll.

Luke Humphries to win & most 180s v James Wade: It has been a really strong year from James Wade and he has clearly been motivated by what he felt was a snub when it came to the Premier League Darts selection.

Winning a World Ranking event while holding a top six Ranking mark will make it very difficult to ignore him next year, but James Wade has a tough test in front of him in the Semi Final.

He has not been completely happy with his form over the past week, but Wade is playing well enough to win this match if Luke Humphries cannot find some consistency.

You do have to wonder if Humphries is holding something in reserve.

The World Number 2 has done what is needed to beat Dave Chisnall and Niels Zonneveld and perhaps felt comfortable enough, but Luke Humphries was much better in the win over Jermaine Wattimena. It can be argued that the last of those names was the most dangerous, or at least as far as Humphries may have been concerned, and that may have influenced the kind of performances he has produced in his run to the Semi Final.

Maximum hitting has not been as frequent as may have been expected, but Luke Humphries is very capable of finding his groove in the treble 20 bed and he can complete the Match Double on the way through to the Final.

MY PICKS: Nathan Aspinall @ 2.50 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Humphries to Win & Most 180s @ 2.40 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Grand Prix Update: 8-4, + 3.78 Units (12 Units Staked, + 31.50% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2026- Ben Whittaker vs Conor Wallace (Saturday 3rd October)

The first Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua presser lacked a bit of life, but that fight is still over a couple of months away from taking place in Cardiff and there may be something of an early lull before peaking in intensity as we get closer and closer to the first bell.

Things will be put on the back-burner for a while and instead the focus in the weeks ahead is on a number of very good looking nights that have been arranged.

That includes seeing the rematch between Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley, while we also see the return of Canelo and another good looking rematch when Joshua Buatsi faces Willy Hutchinson.

All of these cards are set for the next month of action, and there are other main events not mentioned that look like they could determine the top of respective Divisions. More announcements could be made for beyond the middle of November, but Boxing fans are in for a good run on both sides of the Atlantic.

Ben Whittaker vs Conor Wallace

Take away the two full Champions and throw in Artur Beterbiev and Callum Smith and the rest of the Light Heavyweight Division looks pretty wide open.

It is perhaps the real reason that Ben Whittaker and Conor Wallace are in a position to be fighting for the Number 1 contender spot in the IBF World Rankings on Saturday evening.

Both are pretty highly Ranked across the four main Boxing organisations, although you could argue that neither Ben Whittaker nor Conor Wallace has a resume worthy of that kind of spot.

Ben Whittaker's almost year with Matchroom has been a bit of a disappointment, although he will let everyone know that the quality of opponent has looked poorer than it is thanks to his own improvements. None of the three opponents have heard the bell for the Third Round, and the records they brought to the ring looked better on paper than with any scrutiny made of how those records had been put together.

This should be a tougher test against an Australian who was born in Northern Ireland, but Conor Wallace is not only stepping out of his comfort zone by travelling for the fight, but also moving up a number of levels.

You can expect some durability from the B side fighter, but Ben Whittaker should be far too sharp and too quick for what looks a limited Wallace and he can finish this off before halfway and can then call out the winner of Dmitry Bivol vs Callum Smith, which is rumoured to take place before the end of the year.

There should be a couple of Stoppages on the undercard as well on this night in Birmingham.

Bilal Fawaz is trying to make up for lost time and will be defending his British Light Middleweight Title for the third time before moving onto the world stage.

He is responsible for slowing the momentum of Junaid Bostan and then earned a tough Decision against Ishmael Davis before being given an 'easier' opponent for his second defence of this British Title. This is a step up from last time, but Fawaz has the skills to put it on Eithan James and eventually wear down an opponent whose both previous defeats have been before the final bell has been heard.

Sean Bruce will be defending his British Flyweight Title for the first time, but all of the momentum is with Hamza Uddin and the unbeaten 23 year old can continue marching forward.

Fans want to see excitement from fighters and the promoters also have an easier job if someone is willing to move through the gears to end contests, which is something Hamza Uddin has clearly taken on board.

The last three wins have all been inside the distance and Hamza Uddin can secure another against a Champion who has been down multiple times in his career.

MY PICKS: Ben Whittaker to Win Between 1-6 @ 2.50 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Bilal Fawaz to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.72 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Hamza Uddin to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.66 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2026: 28-44, - 8.89 Units (112 Units Staked, - 7.94% Yield)

College Football Week 5 Picks 2026 (Saturday 3rd October)

The next month is going to be featuring some very big games or that is at least the way it looks after the first third of the season is in the books.

Teams cannot afford to overlook those they are facing before the pivotal games are played and that means a number of unbeaten teams will be putting their record on the line in Week 5 of the College Football season.

Conference games that will begin to separate the contenders and the pretenders are on the schedule for this week and there are six selections from the games to be played.

Alabama Crimson Tide @ Mississippi State Bulldogs Pick: Any team that has a 4-0 record through the opening weeks of the season has to be respected, but the Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-0) will have picked up further confidence from having won two SEC games already this season. One of those was on the road, although beating both the South Carolina Gamecocks and Missouri Tigers will be considered victories over teams that are expected to finish in the bottom half of the Conference.

That is not the case in Week 5 when the Bulldogs host the Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0) who have also produced a 2-0 record in SEC play and who have to be careful about overlooking this opponent to the big game with the Georgia Bulldogs in Week 6.

The Crimson Tide have looked pretty good on both sides of the ball, although the win over South Carolina last week feels like the most complete performance after Alabama started very quickly. Other wins this season have been behind strong second half performances and the Crimson Tide will recognise the importance of beginning this game in the right manner to try and dampen a confident home team and what is expected to be an enthusiastic crowd.

Keelon Russell is very much growing into his role as the starting Quarter Back for Alabama, but Russell is also going to appreciate the strong balance that has been provided for him on this side of the ball.

It is important for the Crimson Tide's Offensive Line to try and establish the run and make sure the Quarter Back is in third and manageable spots on the field.

They will have noted how well the Bulldogs Defensive Line has played early this season and that was clear to see in the way Mississippi State were able to slow down the Gamecocks in that win on the road. It was more of the same when the Bulldogs showed their strength at the Line of Scrimmage in the win over Missouri, although Mississippi State fans will be well aware that the Alabama Offensive Line is the toughest they would have faced so far this season.

However, there is definitely reason to believe the Bulldogs can at least limit the Crimson Tide ability on the ground and that will shift some pressure on Keelon Russell, even if the young Quarter Back has been playing with confidence of late.

Being placed in third and long spots will mean Keelon Russell is going to be feel the heat from the Bulldogs pass rush, although there are holes in this Secondary that can be exploited. Keelon Russell has been efficient when he has dropped back to pass and that will be important in his bid to avoid mistakes that may hand the momentum and impetus to the unbeaten hosts.

Mississippi State will be encouraged by the success South Carolina had when running the ball against Alabama last week, but the Line of Scrimmage on this side of the ball is going to be another battle.

Despite allowing 5.4 yards per carry in the win over South Carolina, Alabama have been pretty stout on the Defensive Line and they will be looking to find a way to slow down what has been a productive Bulldogs rushing attack in 2026. This could also come down to how much Alabama respect Kamario Taylor at Quarter Back for the Bulldogs, although they should respect a player that continues to grow very quickly in the position.

Kamario Taylor will feel he can make some plays against this Crimson Tide Secondary, but playing out of third and manageable is the key with the Alabama Defensive Backs making big plays to turn the ball over.

Turnovers feel like they could be the big factor in the outcome of this SEC game, while the Mississippi State Bulldogs are still in 'prove it' mode, despite the 4-0 start to the season.

Head Coach Jeff Lebby is already on course to help the Bulldogs finish with the first winning season since 2022, while an improvement has been shown in each year under his guidance. However, the Alabama Crimson Tide have shown they have a Defensive unit capable of backing up an improving Offense and ultimately that may see them prevail and cover in a difficult environment on the road.

Michigan Wolverines @ Minnesota Golden Gophers Pick: A loss as time expired will have really hurt, but the Michigan Wolverines (3-1) know there is a lot of Football to be played between now and the College Football Playoff. The walk off loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes has dropped the Wolverines to 0-1 within the Big Ten, but the schedule will offer them plenty of opportunity to earn redemption and that has to begin in Week 5.

As heartbreaking as the defeat will have been for the Wolverines to absorb, the Minnesota Golden Gophers (3-1) were edging to a win over the Washington Huskies on the road to improve to 1-0 in the Big Ten on the same day.

This will have given the Golden Gophers a boost to take into this big home game, but they are still a significant underdog and that is largely down to having an inconsistent Offensive unit going up against a very tough Michigan Defense.

Earlier this season, the Golden Gophers were blown out by the Mississippi State Bulldogs and they are going to have a tough day in the office when it comes to moving the ball with any consistency in this one. The problems begin at the Line of Scrimmage with Minnesota's Offensive Line only helping the team pick up 4 yards per carry on the season and they are not expected to have a lot of room against the Wolverines Defensive Line that has allowed an average of 87 yards per game.

Everything good for the Wolverines begins with the ability to shut down the run and that allows them to unleash what has been a productive pass rush, which in turn has helped the Secondary. No team has managed to score more than 20 points against the Wolverines, but that number has only been reached by the Iowa Hawkeyes with a late play pushing them past the 17 points Michigan had allowed as a season-high in the previous week.

Drake Lindsey has begun the season with positive numbers for the Golden Gophers at Quarter Back, but he will be the first to admit that this is a big challenge coming up and the Wolverines may give themselves a big advantage by continuing to play at their current level on this side of the ball.

Doing so will help an improving Bryce Underwood and Michigan Offensive unit and that may see the road team do enough to win and cover this spread set.

Like the Golden Gophers, the Michigan Wolverines may not be that convinced that they are going to get a lot of joy when it comes to pounding the rock against the opponent's Defensive Line. And like the home team, that will mean there is more pressure on the Quarter Back to make the plays needed to keep the chains moving, although performances in the last two games suggest Bryce Underwood is getting comfortable with what is being asked of him.

The key will be the Offensive Line giving Underwood enough time to make his reads down the field, while the Quarter Back has been a bit more composed in the last couple of games that may give the Michigan Wolverines the confidence to get the job done and by at least a Touchdown lead.

Nothing is ever easy against a PJ Fleck Coached team, but the Wolverines may be able to largely close down what the Minnesota Golden Gophers want to do Offensively and that may open the door for Bryce Underwood and Michigan to bounce back in the best way possible after the Week 4 defeat.

Florida Gators @ Missouri Tigers Pick: Five SEC teams have opened the season with a 4-0 record and it will be something of a surprise that the Florida Gators (4-0) are one of those teams.

One winning season in the last five played has seen the Gators drop away from the top of the SEC, but they have a new Head Coach in place now and Jon Sumrall arrives having put four winning seasons together at the Troy Trojans and Tulane Green Wave. Stepping up into the SEC was expected to be another challenge for the Head Coach, but Florida have won both Conference games played, including blowing out the Mississippi Rebels last time out.

They have also scored 44 points in a row win at the Auburn Tigers and so Florida will be travelling with real confidence.

Next up is a trip to the Missouri Tigers (3-1) who were beaten by the Mississippi State Bulldogs to end the unbeaten start to the season and also drop them to 0-1 in the SEC.

Both of these teams were expected to be bottom half finishers in the SEC in the preseason expectations, but there is a feeling growing around the Florida Gators that they have been underestimated.

It is very important for the Tigers Defensive Line to show much more composure in the tackles when they are facing the Gators having struggled to slow the Bulldogs last week. This time they are facing a Florida Offensive Line that have opened up big holes for Running Back Jadan Baugh and failure to win at the Line of Scrimmage or preventing yards after contact to be racked up is going to put Missouri in a very tough spot in this game.

There is power in the Florida Offensive Line, but the balance on this side of the ball has been a key part of the 4-0 start to the season.

Quarter Back Aaron Philo may not be putting up gaudy numbers, but he knows relying on the Offensive Line and then producing efficiently will put the Gators in a very good position to win games and that is what he has been doing. In the two SEC games played, Aaron Philo has 400 yards with 2 Touchdowns and an Interception, while completing over 68% of his passes to help keep the chains moving when needed.

The Secondary he will be facing in Week 5 is one that can be exploited if the Gators are running the ball as they have been and it could make for another tough day for Missouri and one in which they need their own Offensive playmakers to step up.

Austin Simmons is the Missouri Quarter Back and has experience playing with the Mississippi Rebels before being beaten out for the starting role there and transferring to Missouri. There has been nothing wrong with his performances for the Tigers having thrown 11 Touchdown passes without an Interception, but Simmons will be well aware that this Florida team may be the toughest he has faced in 2026 and he may have to perform without a consistent rushing attack.

It is one thing operating in front of the chains, but Austin Simmons may have to allow some passing routes to develop a little longer than usual and that may see him put under pressure by what has been a strong Florida pass rush.

In saying that, Simmons will note that the Gators Secondary is still a work in progress and he should give the Tigers opportunities to score points, although avoiding becoming one-dimensional with the play-calling is going to be key when the Tigers have the ball. This is going to be a big game for the Quarter Back who struggled in a performance against the Kentucky Wildcats last year and the Gators will believe they are stronger than the Mississippi State Bulldogs against whom Austin Simmons played pretty well last week.

The Florida Secondary have shown they can step in front of throws and turn the ball over and that may end up being the key to the outcome of this Week 5 SEC game.

Missouri will make this tough, but a turnover may be enough to give the Gators an extra possession or two and that may end up being a key reason that Florida are not only able to improve to 5-0, but to do that behind a cover as the road favourite.

MY PICKS: Alabama Crimson Tide - 5.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Michigan Wolverines - 5.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Florida Gators - 5.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Iowa State Cyclones - 3.5 Points @ 2.00 William Hill (1 Unit)

Nebraska Cornhuskers - 14.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Illinois Fighting Illini - 9.5 Points @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Week 4: 4-3, + 0.49 Units (7 Units Staked, + 7% Yield)

Week 3: 1-4, - 3.17 Units (5 Units Staked, - 63.40% Yield)

Week 2: 2-3, - 1.28 Units (5 Units Staked, - 25.60% Yield)

Week 0: 0-3, - 3 Units (3 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

World Grand Prix Darts Day 5 Picks 2026 (Friday 2nd October)

The last eight remain at the World Grand Prix and there are some top matches to look forward to as we move into the Quarter Final Round of this last World Ranking event.

Picking up big titles is a surefire way of bringing some momentum into the World Championships, which begin in a little over two months from now.

Of course that means having to get through a number of testing weeks, but the relatively early losses for Luke Littler at the last two Ranking events can only give the rest of the field real hope of becoming the first World Champion of the 2027 calendar year.

The tournament does conclude in early January, but the World Championship has always felt like the end of the season rather than opening up a new one and focus will soon turn to that event.

For now, the players remaining in this tournament can only be thinking about picking up a big title on Sunday and that means needing to play some top darts over this weekend.

The averages produced by some of those remaining will have impressed, but this format is all about making sure you hut the Doubles at the right time and it is those Checkout numbers that will mean most.

Nathan Aspinall to win & over 3.5 180s v Ryan Joyce: Two years ago, Ryan Joyce came through a tough match at the World Grand Prix against Nathan Aspinall and he is arguably more dangerous now.

There can be nothing but respect for Relentless, especially in this format, and Nathan Aspinall will know that he can ill afford a poor day at the Doubles.

However, The Asp can take a lot of confidence from the way he has been performing through the opening two matches at the 2026 World Grand Prix and the removal of Luke Littler from his section of the draw is something that Aspinall will want to exploit.

Big scoring saw him overwhelm Luke Woodhouse in the Second Round and that is going to be key for Nathan Aspinall again, although Ryan Joyce is not going to make anything easy.

You have to expect Joyce to get away almost immediately in every Leg, which builds pressure, while his finishing is as good as almost anyone on the Tour. The format does prevent players from overwhelming him with their scoring power, at least right out of the gate, and that makes Ryan Joyce tough to beat, but Nathan Aspinall has shown enough this week to believe he can turn the tables on that 2024 defeat and perhaps come through a decider himself.

Gerwyn Price-Jonny Clayton over 7.5 180s & 1+ 100+ checkout: These two good friends will put that to one side as they bid to make it through to the Semi Final at the World Grand Prix.

Both have come through a difficult moment or two, but also continue to play at a high level and that makes it tough to separate Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton.

You have to expect a few maximums will be shared out in a match that is unlikely to be won easily by either, although Price deserves to be favourite having won the 'bigger' matches through the course of 2026.

Jonny Clayton had been on a really poor run against his compatriot and so any wins he is producing over Gerwyn Price will have given him a boost, but the latter has just edged the consistency.

A Leg or two could be turned by a big Checkout, which may turn the momentum of the match and this Match Double looks the way to go in this last eight clash.

Luke Humphries to win & over 2.5 180s & 1+ 100+ checkout v Niels Zonneveld: A strong run at Players Championship 30 has carried over into the World Grand Prix and the two wins produced by Niels Zonneveld will have given him a lot of cofidence.

It may be an unfamiliar format, but Zonneveld has played with a lot of belief and two solid victories means he will need to be respected.

However, Luke Humphries looked a different player in the Second Round compared with the one that came through the First and he has thrived at the World Grand Prix over the last three years.

Luke Humphries is capable of finding a big Checkout or two to keep the pressure on the Dutchman and he did throw three maximums in the fourteen Legs played in the Second Round. This is not quite to the usual standard, but Humphries is capable of at least reaching that mark again in a win and he can add another 100+ Checkout to the two already produced at the 2026 World Grand Prix.

MY PICKS: Nathan Aspinall to Win & Over 3.5 180s @ 2.05 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Gerwyn Price-Jonny Clayton Over 7.5 180s & 1+ 100+ Checkout @ 2.05 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Humphries to Win & Over 2.5 180s & 1+ 100+ Checkout @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Grand Prix Update: 6-3, + 2.68 Units (9 Units Staked, + 29.78% Yield)

World Grand Prix Darts Day 4 Picks 2026 (Thursday 1st October)

The World Grand Prix Darts continue with the conclusion of the Second Round matches on Thursday and that does mean there are some good looking matches to be played.

Picks from two of the four Second Round matches can be read below.

Luke Humphries - 1.5 sets v Jermaine Wattimena: An admittance that the exit of Luke Littler has heaped more pressure on his shoulders is a concern for Luke Humphries fans.

However, getting through the First Round will have helped and Luke Humphries has enjoyed playing at the World Grand Prix in recent years.

He will have to be a lot better than the First Round if he is going to move through the Rounds to another Final, but Luke Humphries should have settled down by the time Thursday rolls around.

Jermaine Wattimena was not really pushed by Chris Dobey, but a lack of experience of the format has to be an issue.

Two solid runs at the Players Championship 29 and 30 events will have given Jermaine Wattimena a lot of confidence, but Luke Humphries showed he can handle what the Dutchman can throw at him at the World Series of Darts Finals. His Doubling will need to be better than in the First Round, but Humphries is capable and may lift his level against a dangerous opponent, which can lead to a win without getting into a deciding Set.

Gian van Veen - 1.5 sets v Ryan Searle: The Doubling power of Gian van Veen makes him a real threat at the World Grand Prix and that may be enough to see off Heavy Metal in a good looking Second Round match.

Gian van Veen backs up his finishing, and perhaps starting, with some heavy scoring as well and he has produced some very good looking numbers at the World Grand Prix in previous tournaments.

He did not need to be as impressive in the First Round here after Dirk van Duijvenbode began far too slowly, but Gian van Veen was solid enough and it may be enough to edge out Ryan Searle in this Set format.

Ryan Searle is perhaps fortunate to have gotten through the opening Round and so will need to be a lot better, but his recent record in the World Grand Prix has been pretty disappointing.

It is tough to see that change for Ryan Searle against a quality operator like Gian van Veen and that may end up showing up on the final scoreboard.

MY PICKS: Luke Humphries - 1.5 Sets @ 1.66 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Gian van Veen - 1.5 Sets @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Grand Prix Update: 5-2, + 3.02 Units (7 Units Staked, + 43.14% Yield)

World Grand Prix Darts Day 3 Picks 2026 (Wednesday 30th September)

The World Grand Prix moves into the Second Round and that means the format moves into a best of five Sets situation compared with the best of three opening Round matches.

It should give players a bit more time to warm into a match, but the Double In, Double Out format continues to throw up a number of surprises and that could be the case over the next few days.

Four matches are scheduled for Day 3 and the remaining Second Round matches will be completed on Thursday as all of the players left will be looking to take advantage of the exit of Luke Littler, even if some like Luke Humphries have been speaking about the extra pressure that can be placed on their shoulders.

Despite that, players have to recognise the opportunity that has come up for them with Littler being dumped out and winning a big Ranking event a couple of months before the World Championships begin can only be a positive.

Danny Noppert to win & over 1.5 180s v Ryan Joyce: All respect has to be given to Ryan Joyce and his level of performances on the Tour over the course of the season, while he is also someone who should be very familiar with the format.

The ability to hit Doubles always makes Ryan Joyce tough to beat and so the Double In, Double Out format should suit him.

It really helps that he comes from a part of England where the format is used much more than in other places and Ryan Joyce upset Michael van Gerwen in the First Round to underline how dangerous he can be.

The format should mean he is not overpowered on the scoring as can sometimes be the case, but Danny Noppert reached the Semi Final at the World Grand Prix last year and has a solid win under his belt.

If he had blown the second Set in the manner he did a month ago, Danny Noppert may no thave been able to rally as he did in the decider. He had looked on course to breeze past Niko Springer when winning the opening five Legs, but dropped that second Set before recovering mentally and Danny Noppert can use that to help him through with a couple more maximums added to his total at the tournament.

Nathan Aspinall to win & over 2.5 180s v Luke Woodhouse: Neither Luke Littler nor Luke Woodhouse were at their best in the First Round, but that means the latter deserves so much more credit for digging in and getting the job done.

He may have expected a lot more from Littler, which dragged his own level down, but Luke Woodhouse still had to find some big darts at key times and did come from a Set down in the race to two in order to beat the World Number 1.

Backing it up is the next challenge for Luke Woodhouse, who has enjoyed a strong year on the Tour, but he will need to be better than he was on Monday if he is going to beat Nathan Aspinall.

It looked for all of the world that Aspinall was going out in the First Round after dropping the opening Set and falling 0-2 behind in Legs in the second. Not only did he rally to force a decider, but Nathan Aspinall needed to break throw to stay in the tournament in the final Leg and this will have given him confidence considering the level that was being produced by Kevin Doets.

Everything is point to a keenly contested Second Round match, but the emotions invested by Luke Woodhouse to beat Luke Littler could have drained some of the energy.

Nathan Aspinall has not hit the heights as consistently as Luke Woodhouse this season, but the big match experience is with the former and he continues to nail plenty of maximums and those will be needed in a winning effort in this Second Round contest.

MY PICKS: Danny Noppert to Win & Over 1.5 180s @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Nathan Aspinall to Win & Over 2.5 180s @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Grand Prix Update: 4-1, + 3.07 Units (5 Units Staked, + 61.40% Yield)

World Grand Prix Darts Day 2 Picks 2026 (Tuesday 29th September)

The upset suffered by Luke Littler may just have given the rest of the field the confidence to believe that the big Ranking tournaments may not be dominated by the World Number 1 as so many have come to expect.

Luke Littler will go into most tournaments as the strong favourite even after losing to Luke Woodhouse in the First Round at this event, but breaking the aura is important for the players who take on the World Number 1.

It has certainly been an upset that has opened up this event and everyone remaining in the draw is going to be heading to the stage with that much more confidence. The top player is out, but Michael van Gerwen is another who has fallen at the first hurdle and that may put more pressure on those heading out on Day 2 knowing the kind of opportunity that may have come up.

One of those is the World Number 2 Luke Humphries, who finished Runner Up here last year, but the key for the players is to remain focused on the task at hand and that is simply moving through to the Second Round.

James Wade to win & over 1.5 180s v Joe Cullen: Losing at the World Grand Prix against Joe Cullen twelve months ago could play on the James Wade mind, but the higher Ranked player has been in the much stronger form of the two players.

The format is one that can see matches run away from any player if they are not hitting the Doubles, but James Wade should have the superior confidence on the oche.

Joe Cullen has not played since losing another opening match on the European Tour earlier this month, but Rockstar is dangerous when at his best.

He does tend to be inspired when facing the stronger players on the Tour, but Cullen's form coupled with that shown by James Wade suggests revenge is more likely than repeat when these two meet in the First Round in 2026.

Gian van Veen to win & over 3.5 match 180s v Dirk van Duijvenbode: These two compatriots had a very good match at the World Series of Darts Finals last weekend and both are in the kind of form to believe this could be another high quality contest.

The edge here has to be Gian van Veen with his Doubling ability, even if there has been a suggestion from players that Doubling In is much different to Doubling Out.

Gian van Veen has lost in the opening Round in each of the last two seasons at the World Grand Prix, but it has taken huge performances from Ross Smith and Luke Littler to get the better of him.

Another is likely to be needed and Dirk van Duijvenbode has the power scoring to be a threat against anyone.

However, it is the superior Doubling that Gian van Veen produces which may end up being the difference when all is said and done and the higher Ranked Dutchman can move through to the Second Round for the first time.

MY PICKS: James Wade to Win & Over 1.5 180s @ 2.15 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Gian van Veen to Win & Over 3.5 Match 180s @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Grand Prix Update: 3-0, + 2.92 Units (3 Units Staked, + 97.33% Yield)