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)

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)

World Series of Darts Finals Day 4 Picks 2026 (Sunday 20th September)

The title will be handed out in Amsterdam on Sunday and that means the Quarter Finals are played in the Afternoon Session before the Semi Final and Final is played later in the day.

Eight players are still competing and all will believe they have what it takes to win this event and use the momentum to kick onto the big Ranking events coming up.

However, Luke Littler remains the player to beat after sneaking through the Second Round with a final Leg decider win over Nathan Aspinall.

Any selections from the Semi Final matches will be added to this thread.

Ross Smith-Josh Rock both over 4.5 180s: This looks a really good Quarter Final on the form shown over the last couple of days, although it is no surprise that Ross Smith has been placed as the favourite.

His form has been stronger for some time compared with Josh Rock, although the latter is a Premier League participant and looks to be peaking as we get into the final quarter of the season.

This should make for a very competitive contest and two big maximum hitters can both produce at least five each on the day.

All players will want to keep something in the tank for the remainder of the tournament to be completed later, but these two are capable of pushing one another and that could lead to a high quality match.

James Wade v Gerwyn Price: We all know how good Gerwyn Price is and the layers will never underestimate him, but it is James Wade who has gotten the better of the 2026 meetings.

A couple of those wins have been across a longer format and the Englishman looks a good underdog to back considering his recent form.

Gerwyn Price may feel he can outscore James Wade, but the latter sticks around and the superior finishing can see him swing this Quarter Final in his favour.

Nothing ever comes easy against either of these players, but Wade looks an underdog who can show his bite is just as effective as his bark.

Luke Littler to win & over 6.5 180s v Jonny Clayton: Scraping through the Second Round makes Luke Littler that much more dangerous as the World Series of Darts Finals wind down on Sunday.

Once again Littler has shown he can produce under intense pressure, while opponents have perhaps not had the belief they need in order to upset the World Number 1.

Jonny Clayton may have more than most having picked up wins over Luke Littler in the Premier League, but the more recent head to head has swung back in favour of the youngster.

It is incredibly difficult to beat Luke Littler over the longer formats and he can do enough to secure both parts of this double put together.

MY PICKS: Ross Smith & Josh Rock Over 4.5 180s Each @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

James Wade @ 2.20 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Luke Littler to Win & Over 6.5 180s @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Series Finals: 7-6, + 0.73 Units (13 Units Staked, + 5.62% Yield)

World Series of Darts Finals Day 3 Picks 2026 (Saturday 19th September)

The format moves into a best of nineteen Leg Second Round at the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam and that means the eight matches to be played on Saturday are going to be split across two Sessions.

It is a busy day, but one that should produce plenty of high quality darts for fans to enjoy.

Josh Rock v Ryan Searle: This has been set as a pick 'em contest in the Second Round after the odds had opened up with Josh Rock as a narrow underdog.

That felt out of place after the opening performances of both players, while Ryan Searle has perhaps not kicked on from his run to the World Championship Semi Final as well as he would have hoped.

It has not been the ideal season for Josh Rock, but he looked in really sharp form in the win over Stephen Bunting and can outlast Heavy Metal.

Ross Smith - 2.5 legs v Daryl Gurney: Credit has to be given to Daryl Gurney for rallying and beating home favourite Michael van Gerwen in the First Round, but there is also little doubt that he was let off the hook when trailing 5-3 and having lost five consecutive Legs.

That is unlikely to be the case if he gives Ross Smith the same kind of momentum.

Daryl Gurney will have taken plenty of confidence from beating van Gerwen, but his recent form has been very disappointing and in sharp contrast to the kind of darts that Ross Smith has been throwing.

It will need a real off-day from Smudger for things to change in this Second Round match and the top player on the European Tour in 2026 can win another match on the continent to take his place in the Sunday Quarter Finals.

Dirk van Duijvenbode most 180s v Luke Humphries: The Afternoon Session will conclude with a big match between a home player and the World Number 2 and Dirk van Duijvenbode will not be intimidated by the challenge in front of him.

He has beaten Luke Humphries on the European Tour already this season and the crowd are going to push van Duijvenbode all the way in this Second Round match.

Of course it is no surprise that Humphries is the strong favourite, especially over the best of nineteen Leg format, which will allow him to fight back even if the Dutchman makes a very fast start.

Dirk van Duijvenbode could be lining up the upset if he can get his powerful scoring going and he has had more maximums than Luke Humphries in the last two meetings on the Tour. That is a big part of his game and van Duijvenbode may at least win in that column, even if he is not quite able to cross the line for the victory to take his place on Finals Day.

James Wade-Wessel Nijman over 9.5 180s: This is the penultimate Second Round match to be played in the Evening Session and looks a very good one on paper.

After a blistering start to the 2026 season, Wessel Nijman has come off the boil in recent weeks and that, coupled with the form James Wade has been putting together, means he will be entering this match as a narrow underdog.

However, Nijman is going to be given plenty of support and he looked to be in good form in his First Round win.

James Wade had to overcome a barrage of maximums in his win over Damon Heta, but continues to show how much he wants things on the oche by refusing to wilt under such pressure. His maximum hitting deserted him a little bit on Friday, but this longer format should give Wade and Wessel Nijman plenty of opportunities to pile up the big scores and they can surpass this total set.

Luke Littler to win & over 7.5 180s v Nathan Aspinall: While there have been times when Nathan Aspinall has been able to push Luke Littler, it is hard to say that he has ever looked confident in beating the World Number 1.

Something will have to change drastically for Nathan Aspinall to find that belief, but he is capable of avoiding a complete blowout and that should mean Luke Littler has time to bang in plenty more maximums.

He may be the younger player on the stage, but Luke Littler almost 'big brother's' Nathan Aspinall and the dominant head to head underlines the point.

Getting up to eight maximums in a best of nineteen Leg format is not going to be easy, but Nathan Aspinall can win at least five Legs here and that Littler's maximum hitting rate should mean he has the time to complete both parts of this selection to take his place in the Quarter Final.

MY PICKS: Josh Rock @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Ross Smith - 2.5 Legs @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Dirk van Duijvenbode Most 180s @ 2.10 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

James Wade-Wessel Nijman Over 9.5 180s @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Littler to Win & Over 7.5 180s @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Series Finals: 4-4, + 0.08 Units (8 Units Staked, + 1% Yield)

World Series of Darts Finals Day 2 Picks 2026 (Friday 18th September)

A couple of the Day 1 selections ended on the wrong side after beginning too slowly or blowing a healthy lead through missed Doubles, but it could have been a worse day and that keeps things ticking forward.

The First Round is going to be completed in Amsterdam on Friday and there are perhaps not as many good looking matches in this half as there are in the half that was completed on Thursday.

It is reflected by having a couple fewer Picks from the Session to be completed through the evening in the Netherlands, although there is still plenty of quality darts for the fans to enjoy.

Nathan Aspinall to win & most 180s v Raymond Smith: There have been some suggestion that Raymond Smith is playing with a concern about his arm, but you would never have guessed that from the performances produced in the New Zealand and Australian World Series tournaments played in August.

He reached the Semi Final in New Zealand having beaten the likes of Stephen Bunting and Adam Leek, while Raymond Smith gave Gian van Veen a scare in Australia.

This should narrow the focus for Nathan Aspinall who has not been as active as he would have liked in what has been a busy personal year for the former Premier League participant.

When he has arrived at tournaments, Aspinall has shown his qualities and can find a way to complete the Match Double in what could be a good First Round match.

James Wade to win & over 1.5 180s v Damon Heta: James Wade has won nine matches in a row since losing in the New Zealand World Series tournament in the Semi Final.

It is a run that saw him pick up the title in Australia and Wade followed up by winning a European Tour title as well.

He was very disappointed to have missed out on playing in the Premier League this season, but James Wade is putting another strong year in the books and might be much harder to ignore in 2027. Rounding out the season with a Ranking title may make it impossible for him to miss out on a tournament he clearly wants to play in, but this is a tough opening match for James Wade.

Damon Heta has not had the kind of 2026 that he may have hoped, but he remains a very tough player to beat and he reached the Semi Final in the European Tour event played last weekend. That run was ended by James Wade, but it was a very good match and this could be another.

It is James Wade who has won the last three between the players and he may just have enough to edge this one as well- Wade has been hitting the treble 20 mark with some regularity in recent weeks and can add two in any winning effort on Friday.

Luke Littler to win & over 3.5 180s v Danny Noppert: Two weeks ago, Luke Littler won a European Tour title and beat Danny Noppert without dropping a Leg in that success.

Last week Danny Noppert was beaten by eventual Winner James Wade without winning a Leg and the home crowd will be hoping to lift the World Number 10 to a more competitive effort.

It is a big ask against the top player in the world and Luke Littler continues to put so much pressure on opponents thanks to his scoring power.

He can find at least four maximums in another win over Danny Noppert and Luke Littler is capable of reaching that mark even in a blowout win.

MY PICKS: Nathan Aspinall to Win & Most 180s @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

James Wade to Win & Over 1.5 180s @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Littler to Win & Over 3.5 180s @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Series Finals: 2-3, - 0.85 Units (5 Units Staked, - 17% Yield)

World Series of Darts Finals Day 1 Picks 2026 (Thursday 17th September)

We are entering that time of the PDC calendar when big tournaments come thick and fast and eyes begin to turn towards the World Championship.

Three months remain before it all gets underway at Ally Pally again, but the attention is focusing on the big events when you think only six floor Players Championship events remain.

Two more European Tour events will take place before the European Championship, while the World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals are other big events remaining in the build to the World Championship.

Luke Littler has put together a couple of years where his dominance is very much in line with the likes of Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen previously and every big event he enters, Littler will be a strong favourite to pick up the title.

He has yet to Qualify for the Players Championship Finals, but you would not rule out the World Number 1 from doing that even though he will finish the season with just four floor events attended. That may lead to some criticism from outsiders, but Luke Littler will care little about that if he does go on to sweep the 2026 big titles and then wins a third World Championship in a row to open 2027.

The World Series Finals brings together plenty of big names, but the challenge for all beyond the First Round is beating Luke Littler in a longer format match.

This has not happened very often at all since Littler lost the World Championship Final to Luke Humphries in January 2024 and something needs to change if only to give those chasing the World Number 1 the belief that they can beat this player. Most have lacked that confidence and Littler has also shown he can surge through the gears at key times to take matches away from opponents and so the youngster remains the player to beat any time he enters any tournament.

Dirk van Duijvenbode - 2.5 legs v Viktor Tingstrom: After reaching the World Matchplay Semi Final in July and looking like he was getting back to levels shown previously, Dirk van Duijvenbode has not really built on the momentum he had picked up.

He beat two former World Champions in his run to the last four, but was outclassed by Luke Littler like so many others have been.

Dirk van Duijvenbode reached the Quarter Final of the European Tour 11 event at the end of August, but has suffered opening defeats in the next two tournaments. However, this looks a very winnable First Round match in Amsterdam where the home fans are going to be behind him.

Viktor Tingstrom is very capable when at his best, as he showed in a win over Stephen Bunting at the Nordic Darts Masters, but he has suffered two comfortable defeats to Dirk van Duijvenbode on the floor this year.

With the scoring power that van Duijvenbode possesses, he should have enough to power past this opponent in the opening match at the World Series of Darts Finals.

Kevin Doets-Ross Smith over 5.5 180s & 1+ 100+ checkout: Two very strong scorers meet in a First Round match that the layers are struggling to favour one over the other.

It is a tough match to call and both Kevin Doets and Ross Smith should be confident, while the former is going to have the home support behind him.

Playing in Europe has been very positive for Ross Smith all season though and that will give him belief and confidence and both players are big time maximum hitters once they find their rhythm.

Matches like this can be swung by a big finish or two and that may be the case when Kevin Doets and Ross Smith meet for a third time in 2026 having split the previous two matches.

Josh Rock v Stephen Bunting: Both of these players were involved in the Premier League in 2026, but Josh Rock and Stephen Bunting may have work to do to compete again in 2027.

That would change if the format is expanded as rumoured, but if only eight players are selected, neither has done enough to believe they will earn a call up.

All of that changes in the next three months with some big runs at Ranking events and in spots like this one at the World Series of Darts Finals.

It should be said that neither can point to a lot of positive form of late, but Rocky is perhaps an underrated underdog considering he has won three of the four matches against Stephen Bunting this season.

The two Premier League matches were split with a win each in this format, but Josh Rock earned wins at the UK Open and World Matchplay and that may give him enough belief to power into the Second Round.

Luke Humphries to win & both players over 1.5 180s v Jermaine Wattimena: It is no surprise that there is a big Dutch contingent taking part in this tournament and the atmosphere by the time Luke Humphries and Jermaine Wattimena reach the stage should be approaching fever pitch.

The fans would love to see an upset, but Luke Humphries has enjoyed the tempo set by Wattimena and it has allowed him to play some of his best darts.

He was beaten by this opponent at the Dutch Masters in January last year, which is something that Luke Humphries is unlikely to have forgotten. It should also motivate him to be more prepared to deal with the hostile atmosphere and the World Number 2 looked in good form when reaching the European Tour 13 Final last week.

Jermaine Wattimena is very capable on his day and should contribute to the maximum total, but the form has been a little more mixed over the last couple of weeks and that gives Luke Humphries the edge to win the match.

Michael van Gerwen - 1.5 legs v Daryl Gurney: There is no doubt that Michael van Gerwen is still striving to close the gap to the top two players in the world, but on his day he can still be very, very good.

The consistency has been lacking, although van Gerwen can give the home fans something to celebrate by beating Daryl Gurney.

The Northern Irishman has lost four matches in a row, albeit in competitive fashion, but those defeats can knock the confidence out of many. Daryl Gurney does give off the impression that he would be less bothered and he will certainly be fired up to quieten the crowd, but nine losses in ten matches played makes it hard to see that happening.

When they met on the European Tour earlier in the season, Michael van Gerwen won a very high quality contest between the players.

It feels like Michael van Gerwen is still playing the superior darts in September and Daryl Gurney's recent drop in standards may result in an early exit in Amsterdam.

MY PICKS: Dirk van Duijvenbode - 2.5 Legs @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Kevin Doets-Ross Smith Over 5.5 180s & 1+ 100+ Checkout @ 2.05 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Josh Rock @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

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

Micael van Gerwen - 1.5 Legs @ 1.70 William Hill (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 128-162, - 21.43 Units (289 Units Staked, - 7.42% Yield)

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 2 Picks 2026 (Saturday 5th September)

The Czech Darts Open continues with the Seeded players joining the tournament... It is a weekend where the personal life has to take over and that means only the Picks from the day.

MY PICKS: Ross Smith - 2.5 Legs @ 2.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)
Nathan Aspinall to Win & Most 180s @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Jonny Clayton - 1.5 Legs @ 2.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Czech Darts Open: 1-2, - 1.09 Units (3 Units Staked, - 36.33% 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)

Australian Darts Masters Day 2 Picks 2026 (Saturday 22nd August)

The Australian Darts Masters may have lacked some of the upsets that some may have expected, but that is not to say that the top PDC representatives had an easy day.

Ross Smith will certainly feel he drew the short straw after suffering another First Round exit at the two World Series events played in New Zealand and Australia.

Plenty of other top names were pushed all of the way, but the Quarter Final line up has been put together with seven of the eight players that are familiar to most.

Gerwyn Price & over 2.5 180s v Josh Rock: Recent form makes it difficult to believe anyone other than Gerwyn Price will win this Quarter Final, but it would be foolish to dismiss the chances of Josh Rock.

The last Premier League meeting between these players ended in a 6-3 win for Josh Rock, but Gerwyn Price reached the New Zealand Masters Final and he has a level that may be tough for the Northern Irishman to reach.

Josh Rock is a talent that needs to be respected, but the feeling here is that Gerwyn Price can produce the maximums that eventually puts him in a position to win this Quarter Final.

Over the last couple of weeks, Price has found a level that has been consistently stronger than the one that Josh Rock has reached and that may be the case again.

James Wade v Stephen Bunting: A relatively poor performance did not stop Stephen Bunting getting through the opening Round at the Australian Darts Masters, but he is going to have to be a lot better to win this match.

Some of the Legs played have been dominated by Stephen Bunting, but he has thrown in too many poor Legs and that has meant being in the midst of a poor run of form.

James Wade was in exceptional form in his First Round win, and it is almost certainly going to be tough for him to reach that level once again.

However, The Machine remains a steady force on the Tour and one who feels he should have been invited into the Premier League and he can get the better of one of those eight players involved in that tournament earlier this season.

Jonny Clayton-Damon Heta over 4.5 180s: When these two players met at the World Matchplay, they shared out nine maximums in seventeen Legs played.

Both Jonny Clayton and Damon Heta are very strong maximum hitters and this is a total that can be reached as long as there are at least nine Legs played.

Damon Heta may deserve the edge in the match considering the improved form he continues to show and he will also have the home crowd behind him. That can give Heta a boost as he looks for a big day to conclude the World Series events played Down Under and The Heat has been comfortable here.

In saying all of that, Jonny Clayton is a stronger finisher and scores well enough to to give himself a chance to win any match he plays.

The Welshman is the favourite, but he may need to score well to secure the victory and that may lead to plenty of maximums hit.

Both players are capable of getting stuck into the treble twenty bed and there is every reason to believe these two players can combine for at least five maximums in this Quarter Final.

MY PICKS: Gerwyn Price & Over 2.5 180s @ 2.25 Bet365 (1 Unit)

James Wade @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Jonny Clayton-Damon Heta Over 4.5 180s @ 1.80 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Australian Darts Masters: 2-3, - 0.70 Units (5 Units Staked, - 14% Yield)

Australian Darts Masters Day 1 Picks 2026 (Friday 21st August)

The top players have been invited to travel to New Zealand and Australian for back to back World Series events and it was Jonny Clayton who picked up the trophy last weekend in New Zealand.

This week the World Series takes place in Australia and the eight top PDC players will all believe they have what it takes to win the title here, especially with the likes of Luke Littler and Luke Humphries not being involved.

Judging by what was seen last weekend, those invited into this World Series tournament may also be playing with the confidence to believe they can upset the odds and put together a deep run and that makes this World Series event very interesting.

On the opening day of this tournament, all eight opening Round matches will be played before the Quarter Final, Semi Final and Final take place on the second day.

Stephen Bunting - 3.5 legs v Mal Cuming: The disappointing opening Round exit last week should mean Stephen Bunting is that much more focused to make amends when arriving in Australia.

He did not play badly in the loss to Raymond Smith and anything similar should be good enough to beat Mal Cuming who is in eighth place in the Australian Dart Rankings.

In the two previous runnings of the Australian Darts Masters, Mal Cuming has not been able to earn a spot in the draw and he will have to lift his numbers considerably to challenge Bunting.

The Bullet can be really frustrating at times, but he should be focused to bounce back from the early loss at the New Zealand Darts Masters and that should see him ease through to the Quarter Final this week.

Josh Rock to win & most 180s v Adam Leek: The win over Ross Smith last week came as a real surprise, but Adam Leek was not able to back that up in the Quarter Final.

He had not been showing much form at the Players Championship prior to earning a place in the World Series Down Under, but Adam Leek found a way past Ross Smith when he looked set for another defeat.

Credit has to be given to the character of Leek and he will be motivated to perform well here in Australia, while he has beaten Josh Rock once already this season.

However, Josh Rock should be able to maintain a stronger level than Adam Leek even if he was not at his absolute best last week when going out in the Quarter Final as well.

Josh Rock is the bigger maximum hitter and that should aid him in his bid to move through to the next Round.

Jonny Clayton to win & most 180s v Ben Robb: He did not start the tournament in New Zealand with an impressive performance and Jonny Clayton was a little fortunate to beat Haupai Puha.

Despite edging through, Clayton took full advantage by picking up the World Series trophy last weekend and he should be playing with a lot of confidence.

Those qualifying for the New Zealand Darts Masters impressed last week and so Jonny Clayton will know he cannot afford another below par performance against Ben Robb.

A narrow loss to Damon Heta was the outcome of the First Round match involving Ben Robb last week, although it was the missed doubles that kept Robb in the match.

He will need to improve to beat one of the top players on the Tour and Jonny Clayton can secure the match double on his way to the Quarter Final.

Gerwyn Price - 3.5 legs v Simon Whitlock: The veteran Australian is back in the World Series for the third straight year at home, but Simon Whitlock has struggled to compete with the best players on the Tour.

He did win four Legs in his loss to Josh Rock last week in New Zealand, but Simon Whitlock's two matches at the Australian Darts Masters have both ended in 6-1 defeats.

Simon Whitlock will need Gerwyn Price to underperform if he is going to upset the odds, but that looks unlikely considering how well The Ice Man was playing last week.

Maintaining that level has not been easy for Gerwyn Price and he has admitted that he has not been completely focused on his darts this season, even if the results have remained strong.

Motivation should not be too difficult to find for Gerwyn Price against someone who will receive a huge amount of support and he may prove to be the latest top player on the PDC that reminds Simon Whitlock of better days.

Damon Heta - 3.5 legs v Joe Comito: 2026 has not been the season he may have expected, but Damon Heta has shown a bit more positive form over the last couple of months.

He produced a very strong First Round win in New Zealand, although the scoreboard did not reflect how well The Heat had played.

Too many missed doubles were a problem, but Damon Heta is expected to be more focused all around as he plays in front of his compatriots.

Damon Heta should have too much scoring for Joe Comito and that should mean having a lot more chances to close out Legs.

Credit has to be given to Joe Comito for winning a match at the World Championship, but he has won just four Legs in the last couple of years at the Australian Darts Masters.

At the same time, Damon Heta has really produced very strong form in the opening Round at this tournament in each of the two editions and he can pull away for a relatively comfortable win.

MY PICKS: Stephen Bunting - 3.5 Legs @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Josh Rock to Win & Most 180s @ 2.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Jonny Clayton to Win & Most 180s @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Gerwyn Price - 3.5 Legs @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Damon Heta - 3.5 Legs @ 2.20 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 113-147, - 21.14 Units (257 Units Staked, - 8.23% Yield)