For the third consecutive year, the PDC European Championship is hosted at the Westfalenhallen in Dortmund, where Peter Wright will defend his crown.
Following on from the World Grand Prix, this is the second of five televised majors in the final three months of 2024, and as usual, Luke Humphries and Luke Littler are the two favourites with little to choose between them.
PP’s resident Darts guru, Ben Smith is here with three big calls for this weekend’s action.
PDC European Championship betting tips
Michael van Gerwen to win
Ross Smith to win (each-way)
James Wade to win (each-way)
WHERE: Westfalenhallen, Dortmund
WHEN: October 24th-27th
TV: ITV4 & ITVX
Michael van Gerwen to win
It has been a fantastic five weeks for Michael van Gerwen. His Players Championship 21 victory ended an almost eight-month title drought, and he followed it up with a Hungarian Darts Trophy success before notching another Pro Tour win in mid-October.
Mighty Mike also played well at the Czech Open, posting the highest losing average in European Tour history (112.19) as he fell to Littler in the quarter-finals.
Given his recent form, I expected his odds to be slightly closer to the two Lukes in the outright market, especially as the English duo would meet in the semi-finals if they both win their first three matches, while the Dutchman has an easier path.
Instead, van Gerwen, who has beaten his round of 32 opponent Gabriel Clemens eight times out of nine, looks a very appealing bet for an upcoming PDC premier event for arguably the first time in 2024.
The change in fortunes can be traced back to the run to the World Matchplay final in July. The Green Machine’s first-round triumph over Littler in Blackpool was a huge moment in a season that threatened to spiral towards the end of the Premier League. Now, the world number three is full of belief and finds himself in the winner’s circle regularly. It seems only a matter of time before he adds a 48th individual major.
Ross Smith to win (each-way)
With no in-form perennial winners in the top quarter of the draw, it is an attractive section to target from a betting perspective. The most suitable candidate is Ross Smith, who returns to Dortmund with happy memories, having won this competition at the Westfalenhallen in 2022.
Smudger should have accomplished more than he has this year. Too often, it has been a case of missing crucial doubles and losing last-leg deciders. His defeat by Alan Soutar in Prague on Saturday summed up his season in many ways – six 180s in 11 legs, 20 missed darts on the outer ring, and a 6-5 loss.
While there are flaws in Smith’s game, his overall numbers have remained pretty consistent over the past 12 months and I’m always happy to side with players who I know will at least give themselves chances.
Gerwyn Price is the favourite to win the quarter, but he has had a terrible year on TV. None of the others have done much in the big tournaments lately either, with Ryan Searle, Martin Schindler, and Dirk van Duijvenbode being the other main threats to Smith.
The 35-year-old, who plays Luke Woodhouse first, has a great opportunity to reach the semis and is then a win away from earning us an each-way return.
James Wade to win (each-way)
Rather like van Gerwen, James Wade’s World Matchplay campaign was a significant turning point in his season. It took a big effort from The Machine to qualify for the Winter Gardens, and since making the semi-finals there, he has seen a considerable uptick in results.
Wade has been hyping himself up in the press over the last few months. He appears to have a chip on his shoulder and is determined to prove his critics wrong. The increased motivation is having a positive impact on his output.
A finalist here in 2023 and a former European champion, Wade has had success at this event, promising recent form and a favourable head-to-head record against first-round opponent Rob Cross. On that basis, it is worth a small each-way play at a massive price.
Darts betting tips
Michael van Gerwen to win
Ross Smith 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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