PDC World Grand Prix betting tips
Luke Humphries to win
Dave Chisnall to win (each-way)
James Wade to win (each-way)
WHERE: Mattioli Arena, Leicester
WHEN: October 7-13
TV: Sky Sports
The only double-in-double-out competition on the PDC calendar, the World Grand Prix, gets underway in Leicester on Monday as Luke Humphries looks to defend his title.
A total of 32 players will compete for the £120,000 top prize, which Cool Hand Luke scooped a year ago as he won his first PDC major. The world number one is not the favourite to triumph, though, as the red-hot Luke Littler sits atop the betting board.
Luke Humphries to win
Elite players have generally dominated the World Grand Prix since its inception in 1998. Phil Taylor’s name has been carved onto the trophy 11 times, while Michael van Gerwen has won it on six occasions.
The floodgates opened for Humphries after his success in Leicester a year ago. Including the World Cup, the 29-year-old has won six out of 11 majors since rocking up at the Morningside Arena last October. He has been a beaten finalist twice as well.
Five of his six victories have been on Sky Sports in tournaments that last up to a week – or longer at the Alexandra Palace – and have matches with an extended format. When Humphries is able to play his way into form throughout a competition, he is very difficult to beat.
Given his strike rate in PDC premier events over the past 12 months, it is a surprise that he is priced at such attractive odds. His results have been unspectacular over the last six weeks, but that was also true heading into the World Matchplay, which he dominated.
Stephen Bunting is a potentially tricky first-round tie, but nowhere near as tough as Luke Littler’s opponent, Rob Cross. It would then be Raymond van Barneveld or Ricardo Pietreczko in the last 16 for Humphries, which is a relatively kind draw.
Dave Chisnall to win (each-way)
Not known for his major tournament prowess, Dave Chisnall has had more joy at the World Grand Prix than at any other televised ranking event. Chizzy has reached the semi-final four times and won two of them as he earned a runner-up cheque in both 2013 and 2019.
He lost to Gerwyn Price in the semis in 2020 and the last eight in 2021, before suffering first-round defeats in each of the last two years albeit under unfortunate circumstances. In 2022, Chisnall was edged out by Dimitri Van den Bergh in a final leg decider. Last year, he posted a 94.62 average – the sixth-highest of the round – but was somehow outplayed by Luke Woodhouse who averaged 95.96.
With Littler and Humphries on the opposite side of the draw, there is an opportunity for an outsider to make the final from Chizzy’s section. Having won four titles this year including two in front of live crowds, the St Helens star is playing well enough to give us a run for our each-way money.
James Wade to win (each-way)
It is worth a small play on another dartist in Chisnall’s half of the draw, James Wade. A long time has passed since The Machine’s two World Grand Prix victories in 2007 and 2010, but he still has the game – and more importantly the motivation – to go deep in majors, as he proved at the Winter Gardens in July.
Wade plays Peter Wright on Tuesday night – a man he has been better than this year. He would be the underdog against Price in round two if the Iceman beats Danny Noppert, but Wade defeated the Iceman last week and their level is currently rather similar.
The draw could open up for the Machine if things fall his way, and despite being outside the world’s top 16, he commands respect in the market, particularly after his wins over Price, Van den Bergh, and Wessel Nijman in Switzerland.
Darts betting tips
Luke Humphries to win
Dave Chisnall to win (each-way)
James Wade to win (each-way)
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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