The PDC World Darts Championship will get underway on Thursday night, and with 128 players now taking part in the opening round, we have a blockbuster week of action ahead.
Naturally, all the attention will be on the defending champion on the opening night, with Luke Littler set to begin the defence of his title against Darius Labanauskas.
Plenty of darting experts have suggested that the only way to stop Littler from winning his second world title is to catch him cold during the early rounds. Could Labanauskas produce one of the biggest shocks in darts history on Thursday night?
Below, we've provided a round one fourfold that pays 19/1. For all the details, keep reading.
World Darts Championship round one tips
Luke Littler under 5.5 180s – 6/4
Luke Littler hasn't been shy about the fact that he feels nervous ahead of his first round match on Thursday night, but that shouldn't matter a jot against a player ranked 95th in the world.
Littler could bring his C game and still win comfortably, and that's what I think we are going to get as he plays his way into the tournament. If he were playing against a more capable opponent, I'd push the overs market on 180s, but I just don't think enough legs will be played for Littler to hit six or more 180s.
Say the 18-year-old wins each set 3-0, which is entirely possible, then he would need to average one 180 every 1.5 legs. As good as he is, that doesn't feel attainable in round one.
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Joe Cullen to beat Bradley Brooks – 13/10
Yes, Joe Cullen has had a bad year, and yes, he has publicly said he is falling out of love with sport, but 13/10 is a ridiculous price for him to beat a player who has never won a match at Alexandra Palace before.
What's more, Cullen actually has recent form on his side. The Rockstar won the Players Championship 27 back in September, edging out Gerwyn Price in the final, so it's not as if he's suddenly forgotten how to throw darts.
On every metric, Cullen is the better player here, so pick him up while he is still priced as the underdog.
Ricardo Pietreczko to beat Jose de Sousa – 4/6
Jose de Sousa isn't the player he once was, and the Special One won't be looking forward to facing Ricardo Pietreczko in round one.
The German has been in decent form in recent weeks and has enjoyed victories over the likes of Josh Rock and Gary Anderson in the Players Championship events. De Sousa, meanwhile, has lost four of the last five matches he has played in.
This feels like a match where Petreczko should be priced shorter, but the name and reputation of De Sousa may have spooked the bookies.
Dimitri van den Bergh to beat Darren Beveridge – 1/1
On the flip side of the coin, Dimitri van den Bergh is being underestimated. The Belgian remains a big name in the world of darts and will fancy his chances of overcoming Darren Berveridge in round one.
Van den Bergh hasn't lost a first-round match at Alexandra Palace since 2017, and has quietly looked better since returning from a break from the sport earlier this year, and moving to a part-time schedule.
On the contrary, Beveridge has never played a match at the PDC World Championships before and comes into the tournament in awful form, with four losses from his last four matches.
World Darts Championship round one fourfold
- Luke Littler under 5.5 180s – 6/4
- Joe Cullen to beat Bradley Brooks – 13/10
- Ricardo Pietreczko to beat Jose de Sousa – 4/6
- Dimitri van den Bergh to beat Darren Beveridge – 1/1
- Fourfold: 19/1 @ Bet365
Andy is tipster who has been calling Golf tournaments for several years across many different platforms. He has covered all tournaments from the Asian Tour to the Masters. He's also a keen football fan and is an expert on European football.
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