European Tour 13- Flanders Darts Trophy Day 3 Picks 2026 (Sunday 13th September)

As with most of the European Tour events played on the PDC Tour, we move into Day 3 at the Flanders Darts Trophy when the Third Round is completed during the Day Session and the trophy is decided in the Evening Session from the Quarter Final through to the Championship dart.

A good looking lineup has come together and that should mean another solid day of viewing for fans of the sport.

Ryan Searle v Chris Dobey: You know that Chris Dobey is going to bring some heavy artillery into this Third Round match, but his inconsistent results have come down to some poor finishing.

6/26 of the Doubles were hit in the Second Round win, but Dobey will know he needs to be a lot better to win a match like this one.

Ryan Searle produced another solid display, although he has also been lacking some consistency in his results of late.

However, Heavy Metal will feel he can at least match the scoring capabilities of Chris Dobey for long enough to earn chances in this Third Round contest and Ryan Searle may be a worthy underdog to back.

Gerwyn Price-Ross Smith over 5.5 180s & 1+ 100 checkout: The winner of this Third Round match could take plenty of confidence into the Evening Session and become very difficult to beat.

Gerwyn Price looked really strong on Saturday night, while Ross Smith has been enjoying his time on the European Tour for several months.

Both are very capable of piling up the maximums and this is another match where a big finish could be crucial in earning the momentum to push through to the Quarter Final.

It is not easy to pick a winner, but you would like to think this is a match that will last at least nine Legs and that should provide the time needed to give this match double an opportunity to be return to the winner's enclosure.

Luke Woodhouse v Damon Heta: The Australian has had two very good wins at this tournament, but Damon Heta has not needed his best form to beat Beau Greaves and Michael van Gerwen.

He is unlikely to get away with a low 90s average in this Third Round match.

Luke Woodhouse secured a very good win over William O'Connor on Saturday and has won a European title this season as he continues pushing up towards the top of the World Rankings.

The Heat can be very good, but Woodhouse should be the player with the most chances to win Legs and he can battle through to the Quarter Final.

Stephen Bunting-Nathan Aspinall over 5.5 180s & 1+ 100+ checkout: Big scoring and big checkouts were seen in both Second Round matches that were won by Stephen Bunting and Nathan Aspinall on Saturday.

They can round out the Day Session with a bit more of the same in what could be a match that needs at least nine Legs to find a winner.

If it goes as long as expected, the two players should comfortably get up to six maximums between them, while it could be a match swung by a big finish.

Both are very good combination finishers and so this match double looks a decent selection at odds against.

MY PICKS: Ryan Searle @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Gerwyn Price-Ross Smith Over 5.5 180s & 1+ 100+ Checkout @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Woodhouse @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Stephen Bunting-Nathan Aspinall Over 5.5 180s & 1+ 100+ Checkout @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Quarter Final Picks: Ross Smith & Most 180s @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Nathan Aspinall & Most 180s @ 2.50 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Flanders Darts Trophy: 2-4, - 2.34 Units (6 Units Staked, - 39% Yield)

European Tour 13- Flanders Darts Trophy Day 2 Picks 2026 (Saturday 12th September)

The Second Round of the Flanders Darts Trophy sees some of the top names enter the tournament, although there will be a number of competitors who will believe they can pick up the thirteenth European Tour title of the season.

Most will be playing with spots in the European Championship Finals close to be secured, if not guaranteed, but there is still plenty to motivate those involved in this tournament, including the healthy prize money.

Rob Cross - 1.5 legs v Martin Schindler: The former World Champion has been putting a lot of quality results on the board over the last three months and his form looks too hot for Martin Schindler to handle.

While Rob Cross is improving, Martin Schindler is sliding down the Rankings and he is going to be in danger of losing his Seeding position at these European Tour events.

European 12 was a decent showing for The Wall, which will help his confidence, but Rob Cross looks full of belief and his consistency may be enough to secure passage into the Third Round.

Chris Dobey to win & both players over 1.5 180s v Niels Zonneveld: At the start of the season, Niels Zonneveld looked to be the next Dutchman who was going to be surging towards the top of the Darting world, but that momentum has slowed.

Instead it is Wessel Nijman and Kevin Doets earning the headlines and recent results have been iffy as far as Zonneveld is concerned.

In saying that, Chris Dobey has not exactly been having consistent deep runs into tournaments.

An early loss at the European Tour 12 event may have just refocused Chris Dobey as he looks to move back amongst the elite and he can win a match in which both players contribute at least two maximums.

Ross Smith - 1.5 legs v Jeffrey de Graaf: Winning important titles will continue the development of any player and Ross Smith has taking a real liking to playing on the European Tour.

He can continue on his way with a battling win over a quality opponent in the Second Round.

Jeffrey de Graaf is more than capable of producing an upset, but Ross Smith is playing some really confident darts and bounced back from a poor showing in the World Series of Darts events Down Under. He won the European Tour tournament played at the end of August and produced another couple of wins last week and Smith has shown he is now backing up his scoring with composed finishing.

His opponent played well on the floor at the end of August, but consistency at this level can be difficult to find and Jeffrey de Graaf may come up short.

Josh Rock to win & most 180s v Ryan Joyce: These two met last week and it was Josh Rock who came through against Relentless and there is every reason to believe he can back up that form.

Ryan Joyce won on Friday, but made harder work of Stephen Burton than it should have been and will have to lift his level considerably.

Nothing much was wrong with the finishing, which makes Joyce dangerous, but Josh Rock should be able to get into a position to have more opportunities in Legs and that can see him frank the result from last week.

You have to respect Ryan Joyce's ability to get into the treble 20 bed, but it is Rocky who should edge the maximum count as well.

MY PICKS: Rob Cross - 1.5 Legs @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Chris Dobey to Win & Both Players Over 1.5 180s @ 2.05 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Ross Smith - 1.5 Legs @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Josh Rock to Win & Most 180s @ 2.05 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Flanders Darts Trophy: 0-2, - 2 Units (2 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

European Tour 13- Flanders Darts Trophy Day 1 Picks 2026 (Friday 11th September)

Another European Tour event begins on the PDC Tour and that means Qualification for the European Championship Finals is beginning to be on the forefront of the player's minds.

Despite that, a number of top names have withdrawn from the Flanders Darts Trophy as they prepare for the World Series of Darts Finals to be played at the end of next week.

Of course this means a big opportunity for those who have travelled for this event.

Andrew Gilding - 1.5 legs v Chris Landman: Goldfinger won a couple of matches last week at the European Tour 12 event and he is almost certainly going to be playing at the European Championship Finals.

Andrew Gilding should have enough consistency to move past Chris Landman at this latest European Tour event.

He has been playing at a level that suggests that will be the case and Chris Landman has been beaten in five of the last six matches played. The World Number 115 has won the most recent meeting between the players, but Andrew Gilding will be confident he can turn that result around.

The real concern for Chris Landman is that he has not been competitive in recent matches and Andrew Gilding can exploit any doubts that the underdog may have.

Ryan Joyce - 1.5 legs v Stephen Burton: A win in the opening Round of the European Tour 12 event will have given Stephen Burton a boost in confidence, but he was beaten in the next Round and that has prevented any momentum being built up.

Stephen Burton has been struggling with his form for weeks and that makes it very tough to expect him to put a strong run together.

The First Round match at the Flanders Darts Trophy against Ryan Joyce looks really difficult for Stephen Burton.

Relentless is one of those players that will just tick along and do what he is supposed to and that consistency should be enough to see Ryan Joyce edge through to the Second Round.

MY PICKS: Andrew Gilding - 1.5 Legs @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Ryan Joyce - 1.5 Legs @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

European Tour 12- Czech Darts Open Day 3 Picks 2026 (Sunday 6th September)

The European Tour 12 event being played in Czechia will be concluded across two Sessions on Sunday with the Third Round all set to be completed during the day.

Big names have moved into the last day and the likes of Luke Littler and Luke Humphries will always be the players to beat.

However, the shorter formats of the European Tour means they can be vulnerable and that is what the other players will be hoping to exploit, at least before the Semi Final and Final. Even the best of thirteen and best of fifteen formats are short enough for an upset to occur, but it is all about peaking at the right time on a long day.

Luke Humphries to win & most 180s v Andrew Gilding: All credit has to be given to Andrew Gilding for the performance he put together to beat Nathan Aspinall, but another level may be needed if he is going to get through the Third Round.

Not only is he is facing one of the top players on the Tour, but Luke Humphries put in a strong performance to beat Beau Greaves in the last Round.

Five maximums were thrown in that win and Humphries may do enough to edge the Match Double.

Respect has to be given to Andrew Gilding having thrown four maximums of his own to get the better of Nathan Aspinall, but Luke Humphries won a Players Championship title recently and is producing the kind of form that should see him move through to the Quarter Final behind more maximum hitting.

Jonny Clayton to win & most 180s v Keane Barry: Some of the recent meetings between Jonny Clayton and Keane Barry have been competitive, although it is the Welshman who has held himself together at key moments.

It has been two years since the last of those matches, but Jonny Clayton is playing at a very good level throughout 2026 and will be looking to make a big impact at upcoming Ranking events.

Keane Barry overcame the five maximums Chris Dobey hit against him in the Second Round, but Jonny Clayton is playing with more consistency than the man from the North East of England.

He is likely going to be outscored in that category, but Jonny Clayton's finishing should also be key in getting him through in a competitive outing.

MY PICKS: Luke Humphries to Win & Most 180s @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Jonny Clayton to Win & Most 180s @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Czech Darts Open: 3-3, - 0.09 Units (6 Units Staked, - 1.50% Yield)

European Tour 12- Czech Darts Open Day 1 Picks (Friday 4th September)

Another European Tour success for Ross Smith will have made up for a disappointing couple of efforts in the World Series events played in Australia and New Zealand and this is a player who has big ambitions to join the elite players of the PDC Tour much more regularly next season.

Earning a spot in the Premier League will not be easy, but there are some opportunities coming up in which the players can impress as the Majors round out the calendar year.

Before we get to that, there is another European Tour event to be played this week at the Czech Darts Open and this is a big event that has both Luke Littler and Luke Humphries involved.

Those two are amongst sixteen Seeds that will join the event on Day 2, but the First Round has to be completed before that can happen.

Two Sessions are to be played on Friday and there are some very good names in action as they bid to join the Seeded players in the Second Round.

Last week proved to be a decent tournament for the Darts Picks, but the key is to build momentum between now and the World Championships and try and get the 2026 season turned around.

Joe Cullen - 1.5 legs v Stephen Burton: The disappointment of exiting the last European Tour event in a whitewash defeat should have subsided and Joe Cullen can begin another tournament with a victory in the First Round.

He got the better of Adam Leek last week and Cullen is playing an opponent who has been struggling for any consistency on the floor.

Of course you have to credit Stephen Burton for Qualifying for the Czech Darts Open, but he has lost six of his last seven matches played in the Players Championship events. That will have dented some of the confidence and this is a First Round match that feels all about Joe Cullen and the attitude he brings to the stage.

If that is right, Joe Cullen should have enough to earn his place amongst the Seeds, much like he did last week.

Luke Woodhouse - 1.5 legs v Connor Scutt: No one needs to be reminded of how good Connor Scutt can be on his day, but he had a miserable time on the European Tour last week.

That makes it six losses in the last eight matches played and Connor Scutt was not able to get anything going on the stage in Budapest.

Moving to the Czech Darts Open may give Scutt the change of scenery he needs, but he will also know he will have to be a lot better to compete with Luke Woodhouse.

A European Tour title has been won by Luke Woodhouse this season and he lost a very high quality match last week to Rob Cross. He will be well aware that similar levels will lead to a lot more wins than losses going forward and he may have too much for Connor Scutt who is battling to move through his slump in form.

Beau Greaves to win & most 180s v Daryl Gurney: The winner of this First Round match is going to be facing Luke Humphries in the Second Round on Saturday.

So many will be hoping that Beau Greaves is the player who is facing the World Number 2, but the layers are also anticipating her getting the better of Daryl Gurney on current form.

Beau Greaves is a very good maximum hitter and produced a strong average in losing to Rob Cross last week, and that is the kind of level that can be too much for Daryl Gurney to handle.

The Northern Irishman is going to be highly motivated knowing he is the underdog and he handled the occasion just well enough to edge past Greaves at the World Championship. That was won over a longer format, while Daryl Gurney has not been in the kind of form to believe he will be able to recover from a slow start in this First Round match.

An early defeat last week in Hungary will have hurt and Beau Greaves is capable of completing the Match Double on her path through to the Second Round.

MY PICKS: Joe Cullen - 1.5 Legs @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Woodhouse - 1.5 Legs @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Beau Greaves to Win & Most 180s @ 2.50 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 122-152, - 17.20 Units (271 Units Staked, - 6.35% Yield)

European Tour 11- Hungarian Darts Trophy Day 2 Picks 2026 (Saturday 29th August)

The Seeded players will move into the Hungarian Darts Trophy draw after the First Round was completed in Budapest on Friday and this is a European Tour event that has been able to bring together some of the best players on the Tour.

James Wade was the latest to withdraw, albeit after the draw was made, but that may harden Luke Humphries into favouritism for the title, although the European stages do throw up plenty of opportunities for any player that can find a way into Finals day.

Big names means big matches and those attending the Sessions on Day 2 of this tournament should be viewing some top darts being thrown.

Sixteen matches need to be completed with eight in each Session on Saturday and the positive returns on Day 1 give us something to build upon when those Second Round matches get underway.

Wessel Nijman - 2.5 games v Dave Chisnall: You can never dismiss Dave Chisnall when he is throwing his best darts, but we have not seen a lot of consistency from him all year.

Backing that up is the fact he threw four maximums in the First Round win, but also struggled with his doubling and ultimately that led to an average of below 90.

Dave Chisnall will not need to be told that he will need to be a lot better if he is going to upset the odds against Wessel Nijman, who has beaten Chizzy twice this season.

The most recent came at the World Matchplay and Wessel Nijman proved to be too consistent for Dave Chisnall in a 10-5 win.

Another strong run at Players Championship 27 backs up what has continued to be a strong year for the Dutchman and he can produce enough quality to cover this spread in a winning effort.

Chris Dobey-Tom Sykes over 5.5 180s: When these players met on the floor back in May, Chris Dobey and Tom Sykes needed to play all eleven Legs in what was a high quality affair.

On that day, Chris Dobey had eight maximums on his own, but Tom Sykes stayed competitive by producing four of his own and both players averaged over 100.

Tom Sykes has crushed Cameron Menzies in the First Round at this European Tour event and was able to produce three maximums in the seven Legs played.

The expectation for this Second Round match is seeing at least nine Legs played out and both Dobey and Sykes can pummel the treble 20 bed and help combine to rack up the maximum scoring in what could be a cracking end to the Afternoon Session.

Nathan Aspinall to win & most 180s v Ryan Joyce: The underdog may be getting better and better at putting the maximums on the board, but Nathan Aspinall will always feel he can outperform most players on the Tour when it comes to that market.

He has admitted that he has not been focusing on his darts as much as he perhaps should have been, but Nathan Aspinall is now married and that may mean refocusing.

Ryan Joyce will have to be a lot better than he was in the First Round if he is going to beat Nathan Aspinall- Joyce may have beaten Cristo Reyes, but can be thankful for a wasteful doubling day from the latter.

It should be said that Nathan Aspinall can sometimes may Legs tougher than they should be when he is slightly off the doubling and giving Ryan Joyce opportunities would be a mistake.

However, the scoring power should mean Aspinall gets to the double first and he can complete the match double.

MY PICKS: Wessel Nijman - 2.5 Legs @ 2.05 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Chris Dobey-Tom Sykes Over 5.5 180s @ 1.66 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Nathan Aspinall to Win & Most 180s @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Hungarian Darts Trophy: 3-0, + 3.21 Units (3 Units Staked, + 107% Yield)

European Tour 11- Hungarian Darts Trophy Day 1 Picks 2026 (Friday 29th August)

Four months remain of the calendar year and the Darts Tour is now fast approaching the World Championship that begins in December, but finishes in January, and is now considered a part and parcel of the Christmas period.

Before we get to the World Championships, there are some important events to be played and the European Tour will take centre stage across the next three weekends.

The floor events are now coming to a close with just six of those remaining before the field for the Players Championship is confirmed and that will mean there is some pressure on Luke Littler- he has dominated all of the big events played this year, but Littler needs to have a couple of very strong runs in the two Players Championship events left in Leicester if he is going to earn a spot at the Players Championship Finals after competing just twice on the floor all year.

Luke Littler is missing in Hungary this weekend, as is Gerwyn Price, but a solid field has come together for the eleventh European Tour event of the season.

As is the norm for these European Tour events, the First Round will be played in two Sessions on Friday before the Seeded players join and complete the Second Round across two Sessions on Saturday.

A busy Sunday will then be played out to determine the Champion of the Hungarian Darts Trophy as players look to pick up their form ahead of a very busy, competitive, and hugely important final four months of the season.

William O'Connor to win & most 180s v Samuel Price: Any player who has Qualified to take part in any European Tour event has to be respected, but Samuel Price has shown little recent form on the floor.

Earning his Tour Card earlier this season shows the kind of level Samuel Price can reach, but his first appearance on the European Tour ended in a one sided loss. The World Number 135 has also struggled for consistency in his time on the Tour, but this is all a learning curve for Samuel Price who can use that to build a much twelve months.

Early defeats in the Players Championship events played earlier this week can only have dented any confidence Samuel Price may have had ahead of this trip to Hungary.

William O'Connor showed a bit more consistency, and had been producing the stronger numbers and he can edge this First Round contest.

The Irishman is regularly a big maximum hitter and can complete the match double in this match, while that will also help William O'Connor make amends for an early loss in his last European Tour appearance.

Krzysztof Ratajski v Callan Rydz: These two players met a few days ago on the floor and it ended in a win for Krzysztof Ratajski, although Callan Rydz will feel he played well enough to have produced a more competitive scoreline than the 6-2 defeat may have felt.

It is the third time Ratajski has gotten the better of this opponent in 2026 and all of those wins have been in Players Championship settings.

Callan Rydz only earned his place in this tournament after Gerwyn Price made a decision to withdraw, but his recent form has to be a little concerning.

Motivation of playing in front of a big crowd in the Evening Session should inspire a player who has a huge amount of potential to fulfil, but Callan Rydz will have to find a way to ruffle the feathers of a steady opponent.

This has not happened so far this season and Krzysztof Ratajski regularly enjoys his time on the European Tour and can move into the Second Round.

Joe Cullen - 1.5 legs v Adam Leek: He has dropped down to World Number 31 after more inconsistent results, but Joe Cullen should have enough to beat Adam Leek who has been struggling.

The latter did earn an upset over Ross Smith in the World Series events played Down Under, but Adam Leek failed to back that up and he returned to Europe to lose his opening match at both Players Championship events played this week.

It means Adam Leek has lost eight of the last nine matches played and confidence will be dented.

Joe Cullen is not always in the most confident mood when he steps onto stage and can quickly lose faith in his darts, but he is also a heavy scorer when at his best. The two performances at the Players Championship tournaments played earlier in the week were underwhelming, but Cullen can do just enough to edge this First Round match.

MY PICKS: William O'Connor to Win & Most 180s @ 2.75 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Krzysztof Ratajski @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Joe Cullen - 1.5 Legs @ 1.66 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 117-151, - 20.87 Units (265 Units Staked, - 7.88% Yield)

European Tour 10- European Darts Open Day 3 Picks 2026 (Sunday 12th July)

We move into Finals day at the European Darts Open and there are a number of players that are still competing who will be looking to put down a marker ahead of the World Matchplay that begins next weekend.

Luke Littler and Luke Humphries are both going to be waiting in Blackpool, but fans will be hoping that others can step up in the next Ranking event to bring some more excitement to the sport.

Wessel Nijman is one that stands out, but there are some dangerous players scattered throughout the World Matchplay draw.

Before that, the European Darts Open has to be completed with a title on the line at the end of Sunday.

The Third Round is played in the Day Session before the Quarter Finals, Semi Finals and Final are completed in the Evening Session and there are a number of players involved who will believe they can go all the way.

Any selections from the Evening Session will be added to this thread once the Quarter Final lineup has been confirmed.

Wessel Nijman to win & both players over 1.5 180s v Dirk van Duijvenbode: This should be another high quality battle between these two compatriots after Wessel Nijman edged past Dirk van Duijvenbode on the European Tour at the end of May.

That match ended 6-5 in favour of the in-form Wessel Nijman and another close contest is expcted.

It is largely down to the heavy scoring that Dirk van Duijvenbode can produce and he had four maximums in that loss, a number Nijman had to match.

You would expect at least two maximums each in this one and once against Wessel Nijman to find a way to edge into the Evening Session at another European Tour event.

Michael van Gerwen to win & most 180s v Damon Heta: There have been signs that the latter is getting back into the kind of form he was producing in the last couple of years after a pretty underwhelming first six months in 2026.

Damon Heta is a confidence player and can match the best when at his best, but Michael van Gerwen is certainly looking a bit more like his old self.

He came through a tough Second Round match with some big checkouts and strong scoring and that is a combination that could be difficult to deal with in Leverkusen.

The Australian can be a big maximum hitter, but van Gerwen can edge past him in that statistical column and also win this Third Round match.

Kevin Doets to win & over 2.5 180s v Sebastian Bialecki: It will have disappointed Sebastian Bialecki to have missed out on the World Matchplay, but his form over the last twelve months is improving all of the time.

You would think he would be pushing for a top 32 spot next time around, while this weekend he can be free of thought and not concern himself about the tournament beginning in Blackpool next weekend.

Kevin Doets will be there and he has just maintained a strong run of form that has him pushing towards being Seeded for these European Tour events going forward.

Beating an out of sorts Martin Schindler will still have given Doets another push forward in momentum and he was scoring well enough to complete this double and progress to the Quarter Final later in the day.

Nathan Aspinall-Ross Smith both over 2.5 180s: My only real concern about this Third Round match is that both Nathan Aspinall and Ross Smith will likely have been up late watching the England World Cup Quarter Final that concluded around 2am local time.

With the assumption that neither would have been rushing to go to sleep after the manner in which England progressed, there could be some tired minds on the stage.

It is a concern about the level of performance that may be produced, but the two are scheduled to go out pretty late and that will certainly help.

At their best, both Aspinall and Smith are big maximum hitters and they will know that they will need to score well to get the better of the other. That could help with the focus, as long as there is no significant hangover to deal with, and both are capable of peppering the treble 20 bed in a match that should go at least nine Legs.

Gian van Veen - 1.5 legs v Krzysztof Ratajski: In the last Third Round match in the Day Session, Gian van Veen and Krzysztof Ratajski will be looking to lay down a marker to the other.

A place in the Quarter Final is motivation enough, but these two players also meet in the First Round of the World Matchplay next week.

Gian van Veen is beginning to look stronger after a mid-season slump and he has the scoring and the finishing to make things difficult for any opponent. He should have a little too much for The Polish Eagle in this Third Round contest and the likelihood is that the Dutchman can progress without the need for a final Leg decider as he becomes the last player into the Quarter Final.

MY PICKS: Wessel Nijman to Win & Both Players Over 1.5 180s @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Michael van Gerwen to Win & Most 180s @ 2.60 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Kevin Doets to Win & Over 2.5 180s @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Nathan Aspinall-Ross Smith Both Over 2.5 180s @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Gian van Veen - 1.5 Legs @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

QF PICKS: Luke Woodhouse to Win & Over 1.5 180s @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

James Wade to Win & Over 8.5 Total Legs @ 2.25 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Nathan Aspinall to Win & Over 2.5 180s @ 2.25 Bet365 (1 Unit)

European Darts Open: 5-5, - 0.66 Units (10 Units Staked, - 6.60% Yield)

European Tour 10- European Darts Open Day 2 Picks 2026 (Saturday 11th July)

It is another very busy day on the European Tour circuit with the Second Round of this latest tournament to be played across two Sessions as the big names who are in Leverkusen this weekend enter the draw.

After a positive enough opening day, the selections continue from the Afternoon and Evening Sessions.

Luke Woodhouse - 2.5 legs v Dragutin Horvat: The Englishman crushed this opponent in a European Tour event back in March and only lost two Legs to him in another event last year.

Luke Woodhouse continues to play with real confidence and Dragutin Horvat will have to lift his level a couple of steps if he is going to make this one more competitive.

There are times when Woodhouse perhaps plays down to the opponent in front of him, but he was upset early in the last European Tour event played and should be focused enough to cover this handicap mark.

Kim Huybrechts v Jermaine Wattimena: Missing out on the World Matchplay at Blackpool will be a blow for Kim Huybrechts, but he is still playing some very good darts right now.

He has won both meetings with Jermaine Wattimena this season, albeit on the floor, and Kim Huybrechts has one match under his belt on this stage, which will give him some confidence to take into this good looking Second Round match.

There is no doubt that Jermaine Wattimena is very dangerous, but Kim Huybrechts may be able to edge past him with the scoring to match the Dutchman and the recent form that may just see him come through as the slight underdog.

Wessel Nijman - 2.5 legs v Bradley Brooks: You have to give Bradley Brooks some credit for turning around his form over the last month after a really trying period between February and April when he could not buy a win.

He has looked better and has won a match on this stage, but Brooks will be aware that he is going in against one of the top performers on the PDC circuit in 2026.

Wessel Nijman has played well enough to no longer have to begin European Tour events on Friday and he is a genuine contender to win this one. He will also be looking for. a strong weekend to take into the World Matchplay next weekend when Nijman has a chance to showcase his improvement to a wider audience and the last couple of meetings between the players has seen the Dutchman overpower Bradley Brooks 12-3 in Legs.

You have to expect Brooks to offer a bit more resistance, but that may not be enough for this handicap mark.

Stephen Bunting to win & most 180s v Ryan Joyce: This is quite a simple Second Round match and how it is going to be decided- if Stephen Bunting has his finishing at better than 45% on the checkouts, he should have too much for Ryan Joyce.

Relentless has shown he is a steady scorer, but he is a clinical finisher and will take advantage of any mistakes made by an opponent.

However, you have to believe Stephen Bunting has the far superior scoring power and that should mean having many more darts at winning Legs and the match.

Stephen Bunting played in both floor events earlier this week before a quick stop in London for an exhibition and then travelling to Leverkusen. That is something of a concern in terms of mental fatigue that could have built up, but Bunting should still have enough to complete the match double in this opening match of the Evening Session.

Jonny Clayton to win, Clayton over 1.5 180s & Karel Sedlacek over 0.5 180s: This three combination approach looks like a good one for this Second Round match.

Jonny Clayton should be able to continue his fantastic 2026 by edging past Karel Sedlacek, but both players are capable of getting into the maximum groove and thaey should at least hit one each.

However, it is Clayton who has really shown off his power scoring around the treble 20 bed which makes it easier to ask him to hit at least two in this one and putting the bet builder together offers up a a decent price from this Second Round match.

Kevin Doets to win & both over 1.5 180s v Martin Schindler: There has not been a lot wrong with the level of performances produced by Martin Schindler, but recent losses have piled up and that has to have dented the confidence.

On current trajectories of these two players, it will be Schindler who will soon be starting European Tour events in the First Round while Kevin Doets will be pushing into the Seeded positions.

Martin Schindler has had the edge in the recent head to head, but the last meeting was in April 2025 and Kevin Doets is much improved now.

Both remain very solid maximum hitters and this could be one of the matches of the night, although the edge has to be with Kevin Doets to snap the losing run against this opponent.

Ross Smith-Niels Zonneveld over 2.5 180s each: The last match of the Evening Session is scheduled for around half an hour before England's Quarter Final at the 2026 World Cup and so Ross Smith will be hoping the earlier matches have not dragged on too long.

His focus will be on appearing on Finals Day in Leverkusen, but he will also want to get off the stage without missing too much of the England game.

Power scoring can quicken up Legs and both Smith and Niels Zonneveld are very capable of putting together some monster scoring.

These two players met in a European Tour event in early May and the maximums were powered in by both in a match that lasted nine Legs. You have to imagine that will be the case in this one too and that should give Ross Smith and Niels Zonneveld enough time to hit three maximums each in a fitting end to the Evening Session schedule.

MY PICKS: Luke Woodhouse - 2.5 Legs @ 1.66 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Kim Huybrechts @ 2.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Wessel Nijman - 2.5 Legs @ 1.83 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Stephen Bunting to Win & Most 180s @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Jonny Clayton to Win, Jonny Clayton Over 1.5 180s & Karel Sedlacek Over 0.5 180s @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Kevin Doets to Win & Both Players Over 1.5 180s @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Ross Smith-Niels Zonneveld Over 2.5 180s Each @ 2.15 Bet365 (1 Unit)

European Darts Open: 2-1, + 1.05 Unis (3 Units Staked, + 35% Yield)

European Tour 10- European Darts Open Day 1 Picks 2026 (Friday 10th July)

A couple of Players Championship events were held earlier this week, but in the main, the PDC Tour has been on a little hiatus moving into the second half of the year.

This is when things really begin to ramp up though with more European Tour events and a Tour that has a second half that is filled with Ranking events after the field for the World Matchplay was confirmed.

That begins in mid-July on the same weekend as the World Cup Final is scheduled, but that also means the Matchplay will be gaining plenty of attention once the football has concluded and the tournament heats up.

Before that, the European Tour 10 event is to be played across this weekend in the format that has become very familiar to all.

Seeds will be joining the tournament on Saturday, but the First Round will be played across two Sessions on Day 1 on Friday before the event is concluded across a couple of Sessions on Sunday.

Andrew Gilding - 1.5 legs v Rob Owen: Beating Rob Owen is never going to be easy, but Andrew Gilding has something he likes about the match up and he can get through this First Round tie at the latest European Tour event.

Both players have been in decent form on the floor, but the Gilding experience is an important factor that gives him the edge.

Goldfinger will have noted the early losses suffered by Rob Owen at the Players Championship events played earlier this week and Andrew Gilding can back up his solid performance at European Tour 9 by making sure he gets into the weekend here.

The World Matchplay draw will be something that Andrew Gilding will be interested in seeing once it is released, but the focus is to have some momentum ahead of the trip to Blackpool and he can get the better of his Welsh opponent yet again.

Kim Huybrechts to win & most 180s v Samuel Price: These two players met on the floor earlier this year, but the key here is whether Kim Huybrechts can overcome the disappointment of missing the World Matchplay.

That does not take away from how well he has played in 2026, but it is important to keep building forward.

Kim Huybrechts is the favourite against Samuel Price who has lost his last eight Players Championship matches and the heavier scoring should come from the Belgian.

This is another step in the development for Price and his career, but Kim Huybrechts should overpower him on his way through to the Second Round.

Joe Cullen to win & over 1.5 180s v Charlie Manby: These two met in a high quality match on the Tour earlier this season and it was Joe Cullen who edged to the victory 6-4 in a Quarter Final at Players Championship 08.

Charlie Manby looked in decent shape on the floor in Players Championship 23, but Joe Cullen wasn't playing badly and just needs to get his doubling back up to par.

He has admitted that the scoring is not really an issue, but Cullen cannot afford to give away too many chances if he is going to have a decent run in this event.

You would expect Joe Cullen to put at least two maximums on the board, but this is going to come down to whether he can withstand the push that Charlie Manby will have and whether the former can hit his big doubles. That is hard to guess, but Joe Cullen should be motivated in a match like this and that is usually when we see his best efforts.

MY PICKS: Andrew Gilding - 1.5 Legs @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Kim Huybrechts to Win & Most 180s @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Joe Cullen to Win & Over 1.5 180s @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 94-120, - 13.83 Units (211 Units Staked, - 6.55% Yield)

European Tour 9- Slovak Darts Open Day 3 Picks 2026 (Sunday 21st June)

The ninth European Tour event of the 2026 season is going to be coming to a conclusion on Sunday and the focus has been on the Quarter Final matches after the Third Round was completed in the Afternoon Session.

It is a mixed eight player field left- there are quality operators and some underdogs who have fought through, but all will believe they can win this title.

Rob Cross-Nathan Aspinall over 5.5 180s: The winner of this Quarter Final is certainly going to feel like they can go all the way in Slovakia and pick up this European Tour title.

Both Rob Cross and Nathan Aspinall have put high quality performances on the board and these are two players capable of peppering the treble 20 bed as they have been all weekend.

The layers are finding it hard to separate the players and it would be a surprise if we are to have fewer than nine Legs to decide a winner.

That should mean there is enough time for Rob Cross and Nathan Aspinall to pile in at least six maximums in the opening Quarter Final.

Ross Smith & Wessel Nijman double: Andrew Gilding and Mike De Dekker will have something to say about things, but Ross Smith and Wessel Nijman have been regular winners on the Tour this season and they are going to be very difficult to stop before what is likely going to be a Semi Final meeting against one another.

Both Smith and Nijman have been playing with real confidence and the feeling is that they can score well enough to have the chances to win the Quarter Final matches.

There has to be a respect for Andrew Gilding for his level produced against Michael van Gerwen, but Ross Smith beat him comfortably at the UK Open and can back that up.

Wessel Nijman has won three in a row against Mike De Dekker and should be able to extend that run on current form of the two players.

MY PICKS: Rob Cross-Nathan Aspinall Over 5.5 180s @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Ross Smith-Wessel Nijman Double @ 2.14 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Slovak Darts Open: 3-8, - 5.38 Units (11 Units Staked, - 48.91% Yield)

European Tour 9- Slovak Darts Open Day 2 Picks (Saturday 20th June)

The Seeds might be joining the party on Saturday at the Slovak Darts Open, but plenty of names that have fought through the opening Round will feel they are playing well enough to reach the final day at this latest European Tour event.

It is another busy day and the fans get to enjoy two different Sessions with the biggest names beginning their run for this title in the Evening Session.

However, there are some quality looking matches in the Day Session as well as the Second Round is completed over several hours and there should be plenty of good Darts to enjoy.

Kevin Doets to win & over 3.5 match 180s v Damon Heta: There was little to write home about for the Australia World Cup team, at least where the Darts are concerned, but Damon Heta showed decent form on the floor last week.

He is a Seeded player, but it would be an upset if he was to get the better of Kevin Doets, according to the layers if not the player himself.

Damon Heta is going to need to score well to keep up with Kevin Doets who continues to produce a high level and consistently, which makes him tough to beat.

Earlier this season, Heta was able to turn up the heat on Kevin Doets and beat him at a European Tour event played in March, but it is the Dutchman who has elevated his level over the last couple of months. Kevin Doets continues to play well on the floor, but he has gained confidence in these European Tour events in front of big crowds and the expectation is that he will edge to the win.

However, Damon Heta can play his part in the maximum hitting department and both players are capable of combining for at least four in a match that is ultimately won by Kevin Doets.

Chris Dobey to win & most 180s v Tyler Thorpe: Anyone who saw Tyler Thorpe rack up the power scoring and big finishing in his First Round win will have found a new respect for the young player, but he is still finding his feet on the Tour.

While the experience will help in the development, Thorpe is going to have to do something special to match the kind of level he produced in Friday.

He will also be put under pressure by Chris Dobey, who is a big maximum hitter in his own right, and that could see Tyler Thorpe struggle to maintain his confidence in this Second Round match.

It took a couple of very big efforts to beat Chris Dobey on the floor in the two Players Championship events played earlier this week and that kind of form would be enough to see him past this opponent and likely with a win in the maximum hitting department too.

Ryan Searle-Kim Huybrechts over 5.5 180s: When these two players met at European Tour 7 in the International Darts Open, it ended in a routine win for Ryan Searle.

However, it was a match filled with some serious quality as Searle and Kim Huybrechts shared out eight maximums and there was a lot to like about the Huybrechts performance on Friday.

This is a player desperate to put together a couple of big runs that will earn him a spot at the World Matchplay and Kim Huybrechts will feel he could have turned things around against Ryan Searle at the end of May with stronger finishing.

Ryan Searle would suggest otherwise having put a 99 average on the board despite missing ten attempts at doubles and he had three maximums to Kim Huybrecht's five to give as good as he got in that previous meeting.

You have to expect more resistance from Kim Huybrechts in this one and that should allow for enough Legs to be played to reach at least six maximums between two players capable of peppering the treble 20 bed.

Only seven Legs were needed to provide eight maximums at the end of May, but this should be closer and the power scoring should be clearly on display.

Luke Woodhouse - 1.5 games v Andrew Gilding: It doesn't feel that long ago that Luke Woodhouse would have been playing on the opening day of any European Tour event, but he is Seeded here in Slovakia and the recent form has been of a very high level.

Andrew Gilding knows all about that having lost a Players Championship Final against Luke Woodhouse in May and then later in the same month being beaten by the same player in another European Tour event.

A solid win over Mervyn King has pushed Andrew Gilding into the Second Round, but he will be aware that he needs to improve his scoring if he is going to beat the World Number 17.

Luke Woodhouse played well at Players Championship 21 on Tuesday and he will be feeling really confident in his current game.

He actually went on to win the European Tour 8 event at the end of May to add to his recent collection of titles and Luke Woodhouse has the perfect scoring and finishing balance to believe he will have too much for Goldfinger in this Second Round meeting.

Michael van Gerwen to win & most 180s v Krzysztof Ratajski: You just know that the Polish Eagle is never going to be an easy out in any match on the Tour and Krzysztof Ratajski has a win under his belt on this stage.

That is going to give him confidence as he prepares to try and earn an upset over Michael van Gerwen and Ratajski does have a win over the former World Champion on the floor this year.

However, it was Michael van Gerwen who averaged over 100 when they met on the European Tour, although credit has to be given to Krzysztof Ratajski for making that a competitive match thanks to his 99 average.

Ultimately Michael van Gerwen won and he played well in the World Cup of Darts, while also winning the Nordic Dart Masters when last out in Singles action. The former power of being the dominant force on the Tour may be behind van Gerwen, but there have been enough signs in 2026 to suggest he can win a major title sooner than later.

There are some huge events coming up and the recent form of Michael van Gerwen suggests he is capable of completing the Match Double on the way to the Third Round in Slovakia.

Jonny Clayton to win & most 180s v Ryan Joyce: At the end of May, Relentless Ryan Joyce reached the European Tour 8 Final before coming up short against Luke Woodhouse, but the form since then has been much more inconsistent.

A First Round win will have just given Ryan Joyce a boost, but he will also be aware that he is facing a player who will be playing in Slovakia with a real belief that he can win the title.

Jonny Clayton's levels have been very high all year and he has been producing consistent results after consistent results.

These two players did split two meetings on the Tour in 2025, but Jonny Clayton is the bigger scorer and he showed his confidence in the World Cup of Darts when almost leading Wales to an upset of England. Doing that without Gerwyn Price highlights the kind of standards Clayton is setting this season and he may just have enough to produce a couple of maximums to help get the Match Double over the line in this Second Round match.

Ross Smith to win & over 2.5 180s v Joe Cullen: You never know what you are going to get from Joe Cullen and that makes him dangerous.

At his best he is capable of matching the power scoring of any player on the Tour, but there are too many days when Joe Cullen is not at his best.

He has come through a First Round match in Slovakia, but taking on a confident Ross Smith is a different kind of challenge and especially after the higher Ranked player won a European Tour title (finally) and a Players Championship event over the last month.

Those victories will make Ross Smith feel his hard work has been rewarded and he continues to be a big maximum hitter, but now backing it up with solid finishing and holding himself together mentally when the big moments have come up will certainly add to the belief. Winning titles will change the mindset and Ross Smith could become even more dangerous than he is already over the coming months as the Majors are played.

Joe Cullen will certainly push Smudger, but Ross Smith can showcase his scoring ability on his way through to the final day at the Slovak Darts Open.

MY PICKS: Kevin Doets to Win & Over 3.5 Match 180s @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Chris Dobey to Win & Most 180s @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Ryan Searle-Kim Huybrechts Over 5.5 180s @ 2.10 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Luke Woodhouse - 1.5 Legs @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Michael van Gerwen to Win & Most 180s @ 2.75 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Jonny Clayton to Win & Most 180s @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Ross Smith to Win & Over 2.5 180s @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Slovak Darts Open: 2-2, - 0.29 Units (4 Units Staked, - 7.25% Yield)

European Tour 9- Slovak Darts Open Day 1 Picks 2026 (Friday 19th June)

This is the time of the Tour when there is an opportunity for Darts players to earn themselves a bit of rest with one European Tour event to be played in a three week gap between Players Championship tournaments.

The very top names will be heading to the United States for a Masters event next weekend, but the European Tour will feature plenty of the leading names and a number of others chasing spots in the next big Ranking event at the World Matchplay.

Another European Tour event will take place in three weeks time, but it is the Slovak Darts Open and the next two Players Championship tournaments played early next month that will determine the thirty-two names competing for the 2026 World Matchplay title.

That event will begin on the same weekend as the World Cup Final and there are a number of players competing this weekend who will be looking for strong runs as they cling onto one of the Qualifying spots for the next big Ranking event on the calendar.

There are some pretty solid players taking part on Day 1 of European Tour 9 as the First Round is scheduled to be played across two Sessions and then the Seeds will get involved in the action on Saturday across another two Sessions.

Both Luke Humphries and Luke Littler are skipping the event after winning the World Cup of Darts last Sunday, but a number of Premier League players are competing and this should be another good weekend of action for the fans to enjoy.

Karel Sedlacek - 1.5 legs v Tyler Thorpe: After helping Czechia reach the Knock Out Stage of the World Cup of Darts last weekend, Karel Sedlaceck had a decent run at Players Championship 21 earlier this week.

His numbers were solid in both Players Championship floor events played on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Karel Sedlacek is a much more experienced player at the European Tour level compared with his opponent.

Tyler Thorpe has flashed his potential this season, but he has struggled to get over the line and another couple of early defeats on the floor cannot be helping.

Credit has to be given to him for battling through the Qualifiers to earn a place in Slovakia, but Tyler Thorpe will need to be better if he is going to beat Evil Charlie in the First Round.

On current form, Karel Sedlacek should have enough to come through without the need for a deciding Leg.

Andrew Gilding to win & over 1.5 180s v Mervyn King: Two veterans meet for a second time in the space of a few days after Andrew Gilding won the last four Legs to get the better of Mervyn King in the Players Championship on Tuesday.

Goldfinger will recognise that he will need to be better if he is going to have a more comfortable day in the office, but he will also be well aware that Mervyn King continues ot be very dangerous on his day.

The latter has put together a solid amount of wins over the last month, although King did not need to be at full tilt to come through Qualifiers for European Tour 9.

Both players are capable of throwing some high quality darts, but Andrew Gilding is capable of maintaining his level for longer and he can produce a couple of maximums in any winning effort.

Kevin Doets - 2.5 legs v Owen Bates: This is a spread that leaves little room for error, but Kevin Doets continues to operate with real confidence and that should be enough to get through this First Round match.

He is most definitely on a trajectory to earn a Seed at these European Tour events in the near future and Kevin Doets is 8th on the one year Ranking list to show the kind of improvement he continues to make.

Owen Bates has lost eight of his last ten matches, although the three Qualifying wins should be something that gives him belief. One of those came against former World Champion Michael Smith, but Bates has struggled in the main this season and the inexperience of this kind of stage could work against him.

As long as Kevin Doets remains focused and can maintain intensity, he should be able to win this one and clear the awkward handicap number for a best of eleven Leg match.

Kim Huybrechts to win & over 1.5 180s v Keane Barry: Time is running out for players to earn a spot in the World Matchplay and this is a big First Round with that in mind.

Out of the two players, Kim Huybrechts is in a closer spot to pick up a spot in Blackpool next month.

He began this season wondering whether he would return to the kind of form that hae has previously produced, but Kim Huybrechts has shown there is still plenty left in the tank. Of course it is going to be difficult to get right in amongst the elite, but he will believe he is one of the best 32 players on the Tour and the recent results would back Huybrechts up.

Keane Barry needs three very big runs to earn his own spot in the World Matchplay, but it has been a tough month for the World Number 56 and that may show up here.

The heavier scoring can come from Kim Huybrechts and that may put him in a position to win a match where he places a couple of maximums on the board.

MY PICKS: Karel Sedlacek - 1.5 Legs @ 1.66 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Andrew Gilding to Win & Over 1.5 180s @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Kevin Doets - 2.5 Legs @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Kim Huybrechts to Win & Over 1.5 180s @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 84-109, - 11.26 Units (190 Units Staked, - 5.93% Yield)

European Tour 8- Baltic Sea Darts Open Day 3 Picks 2026 (Sunday 31st May)

The tournament is going to be completed on Sunday, but there have not been a lot of good angles to play over the last two Rounds.

The Baltic Sea Darts Open completed the Third Round earlier in the day and the Quarter Final matches have been set, which begin at the earlier time of 5pm in the United Kingdom.

MY PICKS: Luke Woodhouse/Kevin Doets/Wessel Nijman Treble @ 2.54 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Ryan Joyce @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

European Tour 8- Baltic Sea Darts Open Day 2 Picks 2026 (Saturday 30th May)

There are some really good looking matches to be played at the European Tour event in Kiel as the Seeded players join the Baltic Sea Darts Open.

However, it feels like the margins are pretty tight and only two selections will be made from the two Sessions to be played.

Both Picks are from the Day Session, but there will hopefully be stronger options to get behind on Day 3 when the tournament is completed.

Luke Woodhouse to win & over 1.5 180s v Andrew Gilding: In the space of three Players Championship tournaments played earlier this month, both Andrew Gilding and Luke Woodhouse won titles for the first time on the floor.

The latter of those saw Luke Woodhouse beat Andrew Gilding 8-4 in the Final, but both disappointed days later at the European Tour event last weekend.

Luke Woodhouse is one of the Seeded players here and so joins the Baltic Sea Darts Open in the Second Round, but Andrew Gilding does have a win under his belt from the Day Session on Friday. That will at least make himself feel better after the very early loss at the International Darts Open against a struggling opponent, whereas Luke Woodhouse came up short against Kevin Doets having rallied to force a decider.

Both players are capable of heavy scoring, but Luke Woodhouse has perhaps found that treble 20 bed with a bit more regularity and that should see him edge past Goldfinger.

He will have to score well and Luke Woodhouse can add a couple of maximums on his way through to the Third Round.

Joe Cullen to win & over 1.5 180s v Dave Chisnall: Three years ago, Dave Chisnall won the title here, but it has been a tough season for the World Number 26.

Dave Chisnall has lost five of the last six matches played and looked completely out of sorts when being beaten 6-0 by James Wade last week.

His head to head with Joe Cullen will give Dave Chisnall some confidence, but the former has won a match in the tournament and was very unfortunate to loss to Ross Smith last week at European Tour 7. The fact that Ross Smith went on to win the title last time out will at least mean Joe Cullen can believe he is playing well having come up short against the eventual Champion.

As stated before, Joe Cullen can be very difficult to trust with his inconsistencies, but he has produced more positive recent form compared with Dave Chisnall and that could show up in this Second Round match.

MY PICKS: Luke Woodhouse to Win & Over 1.5 180s @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Joe Cullen to Win & Over 1.5 180s @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Baltic Sea Darts Open: 3-1, + 2.29 Units (4 Units Staked, + 57.25% Yield)

European Tour 8- Baltic Sea Darts Open Day 1 Picks 2026 (Friday 29th May)

The long Premier League Darts season which covers the majority of the opening five months of the season has come to a conclusion with Luke Littler regaining the title he lost last year.

Once again it was a Final featuring Littler and Luke Humphries and that has led to new calls for the Premier League format to be changed.

The criticism is that we are seeing the top players face one another far too often in the current format and that is something that will lose the uniqueness of those battles- we all want to see the best face off, but they become special battles when they are not occurring every other week and that is something the PDC should be noting.

The Premier League is over, but the next several weeks are pretty busy on the PDC Tour.

Another European Tour event begins on Friday with the First Round played over two Sessions and this tournament will be competed on Sunday.

Before the next big Ranking event- the World Matchplay in July- there are a number of events taking place that will feature some big names.

The World Cup of Darts is played on the opening weekend of the 2026 Football World Cup, but there are also three European Tour events, two Masters tournaments, and six Players Championship events scheduled to be played.

The cutoff point for entry into the World Matchplay tournament is early July and that means there are plenty of players competing at events to build up their Ranking Points so they can compete.

And that means we are in for another important weekend for those competing, especially as the Baltic Sea Darts Open is missing big names that were involved in Premier League action on Thursday.

Ross Smith took advantage of that last weekend with his first European Tour title and there will be plenty of players involved this weekend who will certainly believe they can pick up the trophy when all is said and done.

Ryan Joyce & Krzysztof Ratajski double: For the second week in a row, Ryan Joyce and Christian Kist meet in a European Tour event, although this time it is a First Round match.

Last week Kist was a late entry into the International Darts Open as he took the place of a Seeded player withdrawing, but he was well beaten by Ryan Joyce.

Relentless is expected to have enough to get the better of Christian Kist again, especially if he can build on last weekend when reaching the Quarter Final.

In the Afternoon Session, Joyce can be doubled up with Krzysztof Ratajski who has plenty of European Tour experience and can edge out Daniel Klose.

The World Number 143 has been playing pretty well, but Ratajski should have a couple of gears to go through and he should be able to reach the Second Round after a bit of a battle.

Niels Zonneveld to win & most 180s v Richard Veenstra: An all-Dutch First Round match should be a decent watch, but the edge has to be with Niels Zonneveld, even if he has not been at his best over the last few weeks.

He is still playing well enough to beat Richard Veenstra, who has lost four matches in a row, and Niels Zonneveld should have the edge in the maximum hitting.

Kevin Doets to win & most 180s v Lukas Wenig: The recent form produced by Lukas Wenig is going to have to be improved significantly if he is going to win this First Round match at the latest European Tour event.

He is a capable player when putting his best foot forward, but the consistency has been lacking and that leaves Wenig vulnerable when coming up against Kevin Doets.

This may be one of the last few occasions when Kevin Doets is asked to play on the opening day of an European Tour event and he is definitely going to be targeting a place at the World Matchplay.

Kevin Doets will be disappointed to have been beaten in the Third Round last week at the International Darts Open, but he has the scoring power to make sure he begins another positive run at the Baltic Sea Darts Open.

Dirk van Duijvenbode to win & most 180s v Paul Krohne: Doubling is always going to be the key to winning any Darts match and it was the finishing that let Dirk van Duijvenbode down last week in his defeat to Rob Cross.

His scoring remains an important part of his game and the Dutchman should have enough of that to create more chances to win Legs and then Matches.

Paul Krohne has flashed his ability on European Tour events in 2026, but this is another level compared with his usual competition.

That has meant losing three in a row and Dirk van Duijvenbode can complete the Match Double within this First Round contest. 

MY PICKS: Ryan Joyce & Krzysztof Ratajski Double @ 2.09 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Niels Zonneveld to Win & Most 180s @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Kevin Doets to Win & Most 180s @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Dirk van Duijvenbode to Win & Most 180s @ 2.20 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 74-102, - 14.85 Units (173 Units Staked, - 8.58% Yield)

European Tour 7- International Darts Open Day 3 Picks 2026 (Sunday 24th May)

Sixteen players remain active in the draw in Riesa as we enter the last day of the International Darts Open and there are plenty involved who will believe they can win the title by the end of the day.

The Third Round is set to be played in the Day Session before the Quarter Finals, Semi Finals and Championship Match are played in the Evening Session.

The fans have a really good day of Darts to enjoy, although the hope is those who want to try and ruin the day by whistling constantly have been found out and refused entry. It has become a problem that is has to be dealt with not only by the referees and players, but by security with people identified and kicked out of the Arena.

Any selections from the Evening Session will be added to this thread at the conclusion of the Day Session.

Stephen Bunting to win & over 1.5 180s v Rob Cross: Twelve months ago, Rob Cross and Stephen Bunting had both been involved in the Premier League and it was Voltage who had been getting the better of The Bullet.

However, it is Bunting who won the last three meetings in 2025 as they prepare to face one another for the first time in 2026 and the defending Champion made a very strong start to the tournament.

Rob Cross has been playing really well too and he has taken advantage of the withdrawals that have allowed him to compete here this weekend. He was a comfortable winner over Mike De Dekker in the Second Round, but Stephen Bunting is playing at a high level having won the Premier League Night on Thursday before winning his Second Round match here on Saturday.

It is the stronger scoring of Stephen Bunting that could be the key to the outcome of this match and the momentum is with the World Number 10 to do that and contribute a couple of maximums to the cause.

Ross Smith to win & most 180s v Ricardo Pietreczko: Dartitis is not something you wish to see anyone struggling with and it has been giving Ricardo Pietreczko problems all season.

You can see he is trying to work through a motion that could help, but Pikachu will be just as surprised as most observers that he has managed to win two matches.

Beating Danny Noppert will give the home player massive confidence, but Ross Smith had a solid couple of days at Players Championship events early last week and his win over Joe Cullen was very impressive.

It feels like a matter of time before Ross Smith wins one of these big events and he can use his power scoring to put himself in a position to reach the Quarter Final against an opponent who has surprised everyone to merely still be competing on Sunday afternoon.

MY PICKS: Stephen Bunting to Win & Over 1.5 180s @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Ross Smith to Win & Most 180s @ 1.66 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

International Darts Open: 4-5, + 0.31 Units (9 Units Staked, + 3.44% Yield)