The best darts players on the planet will soon do battle at the impressive Winter Gardens complex in Blackpool to try and win the coveted World Matchplay crown.
In terms of stature in the professional darts arena, many view the World Matchplay as second only to the World Darts Championship, with the overall prize fund a reported £800,000.
Read on and enjoy NetBet‘s preview as 32 ‘dartists’ prepare to set their sights on lifting the Phil Taylor trophy.
World Matchplay Schedule
July 13: First Round x4
Gerwyn Price vs Daryl Gurney
Jonny Clayton vs Raymond van Barneveld
Luke Humphries vs Ricardo Pietreczko
Nathan Aspinall vs Luke Woodhouse
July 14: First Round x8
Ross Smith vs Josh Rock
Danny Noppert vs James Wade
Dimitri Van den Bergh vs Martin Schindler
Stephen Bunting vs Ryan Joyce
Rob Cross vs Gian van Veen
Joe Cullen vs Brendan Dolan
Peter Wright vs Andrew Gilding
Dave Chisnall vs Krzysztof Ratajski
July 15: First Round x4
Damon Heta vs Ryan Searle
Michael Smith vs Gary Anderson
Michael van Gerwen vs Luke Littler
Chris Dobey vs Ritchie Edhouse
July 16: Second Round x4
TBC
July 17: Second Round x4
TBC
July 18: Quarter-Finals x2
TBC
July 19: Quarter-Finals x2
TBC
July 20: Semi-Finals x2
TBC
July 21: Final
TBC
World Matchplay Format
- First Round: Best of 19 legs
- Second Round: Best of 21 legs
- Quarter-Finals: Best of 31 legs
- Semi-Finals: Best of 33 legs
- Final: Best of 35 legs
World Matchplay Preview
The headline fixture of the opening round is, of course, Luke Littler’s battle with three-time winner Michael van Gerwen next Monday evening.
English sensation Littler was unseeded for this event due to his rapid rise in the game so faces the toughest of first assignments against the Green Machine. But Littler is the favourite to progress to the next round at odds of 1.58.
Littler recently won the Premier League and will feel confident of adding another trophy to his cabinet, although stopping rival Luke Humphries will be no easy task. The current world champ is fresh from a World Cup victory, a tournament in which he starred alongside Michael Smith.
Defending champion Nathan Aspinall is not in the best form heading into the Blackpool showpiece but he can also never be counted out, particularly in a competition which uses the legs format rather than set play.
Elsewhere, darting stars Rob Cross, Gary Anderson and Gerwyn Price will fancy their chances, with Cross and Anderson both past winners of a tournament in which upsets are far from uncommon – the polar opposite in fact.
However, Littler and Humphries are still the men to stop and if they meet at any point, simply sit back, relax and watch the two best in the business right now provide entertainment of the highest order.
World Matchplay Favourites
Luke Humphries: 4.00
Luke Littler: 5.00
Gerwyn Price: 8.00
Michael van Gerwen: 9.00
Rob Cross: 15.00
Michael Smith: 19.00
Gary Anderson: 19.00
Stephen Bunting: 29.00
Josh Rock: 34.00
Nathan Aspinall: 34.00
Chris Dobey: 34.00
Where Can I Watch the World Matchplay?
The entire tournament will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK.
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