The 2026 Grand Slam of Darts gets under way this weekend and our Chris Hammer brings you his group-by-group preview and tournament tips for the Sky Sports-televised major.
Darts betting tips: Grand Slam of Darts
4pts Luke Littler to win the Grand Slam of Darts at 6/4 (Sky Bet)
1pt each-way Ross Smith to win the Grand Slam of Darts at 20/1 (General 1/2 1,2)
1pt each-way James Wade to win the Grand Slam at 33/1 (Unibet, BetMGM, 1/2, 1,2)
SL Acca: 1pt Wade, Schindler & Doets all to win their groups at 9/1 with Sky Bet
The Grand Slam of Darts is one of the most popular events on the calendar as we draw ever closer to the World Championship, so it'll be interesting to see how the radical change to the group stage goes down with fans over the next few days.
In previous editions, the top two players in eight groups of four would advance to the knockout stages, but this year there are 16 groups of three, with only the winner progressing.
This is obviously a lot more cut throat and as we saw in this year's World Cup of Darts - which has the same ruthless format - only two of the 12 group winners scraped through with a defeat.
Beau Greaves, who will face Luke Littler on the opening night, admitted the format change "didn't make much sense" and branded it "odd" and I'm sure she's not the only player who feels the same.
Anyway, in this preview I'll look at each group in turn, with seasonal statistics for every player as well as predictions as to who will make the knockout stages.
Grand Slam of Darts Group Stage
- All group games best of nine legs. Only the group winner qualifies for knockout stages. Any three-way tie on points would be decided by leg difference, legs won, legs won against through, highest tournament average and highest winning match average.
GROUP A
Luke Littler has undoubtedly lost some of his fear factor over the autumn after the wheels fell off his pursuit to win every major title in a calendar year - so I guess it's no real surprise to see him at odds-against prices to win the Grand Slam of Darts.
However, this is the perfect venue for him to recapture his form and become just the third player behind Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen to lift the Eric Bristow Trophy for three years in a row.
Littler has yet to taste defeat in any of his 14 matches on the Wolverhampton stage, averaging over 100 in 12 of them and boasting a tournament legs difference of +72 (Won 146, lost 70)!
I do expect him to be given a tough test against Beau Greaves, who has a head-to-head record of 1-1 against him across both their competitive matches which both went to 11 legs, while the presence of the improving Niels Zonneveld in the group will ensure he doesn't let himself lose focus.
Being in a tricky group is ideal for him to renew any lost confidence after a tough couple of months and then I expect him to reach full stride in the knockout stages.
Verdict: Luke Littler to win the group and the title
GROUP B
Jermain Wattimena is favourite to win Group A but I feel he's one of the seeds most at risk.
The Dutchman has picked up a Players Championship title this season but he's suffered a lot of early exits on the major stages while Alan Soutar's performances have been improving recently and his average over the past three months is 94.24 is right up there with Wattimena.
He's reached the quarter-finals on his only other appearance here back in 2022 so he'll be relishing the prospect of another good run.
Verdict: Alan Soutar to win the group
GROUP C
The bookies are struggling to split Josh Rock and Kevin Doets in a very competitive Group C and it would also be unwise to completely dismiss Tommy Morris, who won the last Players Championship event of the season earlier in the week to book his Grand Slam spot.
Morris is the sixth player ever to win a PDC ranking title without holding a Tour Card and his average over the past three months of 93 shows he's certainly on an upward curve.
However, I'm going for Doets to come out on top as he continues to climb up the rankings and gain more and more big stage experience.
The Dutchman has qualified for all the majors this season for the first time in his career and while he's yet to challenge at the latter stages, he's clearly grown in confidence and also won his maiden Players Championship title earlier this season.
It's not been a great year for Rock compared to what he was probably hoping to achieve and he's in danger of an early exit.
Verdict: Kevin Doets to win the group
GROUP D
Stephen Bunting is marginal favourite in this group but he's not enjoyed the best of seasons having failed to win a title of any kind, while he's only managed to reach one quarter-final on the major stage in 2026.
We'd usually expect far much more from the Bullet and that's why I fancy Cameron Menzies to spring a surprise as he heads to Wolverhampton on the back of one of his best ever years.
Not only has Menzies qualified for every major in a calendar year for the first time in his career, but he's also picked up two Players Championship titles and his seasonal average isn't that much lower than Bunting's. In fact over the past three months he's managed 93.33 compared to Bunting's 94.63.
Verdict: Cameron Menzies to win the group
GROUP E
Wolverhampton must have felt like a second home to Gerwyn Price from 2018 to 2021 when he lifted this trophy three times in four years, and although some lean campaigns followed, he did enjoy a run to the semi-finals 12 months ago.
Price may not have won a major since 2023 but he's been fantastic this season on the big stage, reaching three finals and three further semi-finals, so I firmly expect him to power his way through this group.
Verdict: Gerwyn Price to win the group
GROUP F
This is an intriguing group and I really wouldn't be surprised to see either player top the group.
Ryan Searle is the obvious favourite based on the seasonal stats and his overall reputation on the big stage but both Andrew Gilding and Charlie Manby have won titles this year and aren't far behind on the averages.
Gilding is a tempting price at 11/4 and although his recent form isn't as good as earlier in the year, over this short format he may prove to be an awkward customer for his rivals.
Verdict: Andrew Gilding to win the group
GROUP G
Jonny Clayton is the understandable favourite to advance in this group despite Rob Cross having the higher seasonal average, and I expect the Ferret to justify those odds.
The Welshman, who has won two titles this season, has reached the quarter-finals or better in six of the eight majors this season while we haven't seen the best of Cross on the big stage for quite some time.
Verdict: Jonny Clayton to win the group
GROUP H
We're STILL waiting for Wessel Nijman to take his incredible floor form onto the major stage so hopefully he can draw some confidence from this group and embark on his first big run.
It's remarkable that a player who has won eight ranking titles this year has yet to reach the quarter-finals or better in any of his 21 major appearances over the past three seasons and how long will we be saying 'surely it's a matter of time'.
Niko Springer is well capable of giving him a run for his money in this group but ultimately I fancy Nijman to progress.
Verdict: Wessel Nijman to win the group
GROUP I
Luke Humphries has found title-winning form at the right time of the season and he'll be widely expected to come through this group.
Despite missing the European Championship due to illness, Cool Hand recently ended his major drought by winning his second World Grand Prix crown while he's since picked up a seventh title of the campaign at Players Championship 33.
He nearly took his tally to eight a day later only for Tommy Morris to stun him in the final but overall he's looking very sharp and should progress with relative ease.
Verdict: Luke Humphries to win the group
GROUP J
Luke Woodhouse heads into the Grand Slam off the back of his best ever season and his confidence on the big stage is also starting to grow.
The Englishman picked up his first two PDC ranking titles this year while he hit the headlines for stunning Luke Littler at the World Grand Prix before going on to reach the European Championship quarter-finals.
Krzysztof Ratajski has also bounced back to title winning ways with victory at the European Darts Open this year while he went one stage further than Woodhouse in the European Championship thanks to his own shock triumph over Littler.
Tom Sykes has also enjoyed a progressive season so this is certainly one of the tougher groups to predict and I wouldn't be surprised to see this being a three-way tie on two points. Overall I'm giving the edge to Woodhouse.
Verdict: Luke Woodhouse to win the group
GROUP K
I've backed James Wade to win a couple of majors this year - albeit unsuccessfully - but I'm hoping it's a case of third time lucky at a big price in Wolverhampton.
I don't like to use the phrase 'rolling back the years' for a 43-year-old in darts - especially one who has always been one of the biggest names in the sport - but there's no doubt his stock has risen again in 2026.
At the World Grand Prix, Wade claimed he is the second best player of all time from a longevity perspective and that's something Paul Nicholson agreed with in a thought-provoking Sporting Life column.
Wade may not have won a major title since 2021 but he’s reached three finals in the last two years – losing them all to Luke Littler – and reaching a further five quarter-finals and one semi.
This has helped him climb well inside the world's top 10 once again while the titles he's picked up on the European Tour and Players Championship Tours this season prove his winning mentality is strong.
It is a tricky little group with Ricky Evans and Cam Crabtree, who beat Littler at the World Youth Championship, but ultimately I fancy the Machine to come through and embark on a big run.
Verdict: James Wade to win the group and potentially reach the final
GROUP L
Michael van Gerwen is a very fragile favourite to win Group L and there'll be plenty of fans expecting either Henry Coates or Jeffrey de Graaf to progress.
There's even been talk of MVG potentially being left out of next year's Premier League line-up unless his form on the major stages picks up, and failure for him to get out of his group won't do his confidence any good ahead of the World Championship.
Coates became the fifth player to win a PDC ranking title without a Tour Card back in July when winning a Players Championship event and his form on the Challenge Tour also means he's second favourite to win this group, while de Graaf shouldn't be discounted having also picked up a title this year.
This is another I can see ending in a three-way tie, so I'm going with the outsider at 3/1.
Verdict: Jeffrey de Graaf to win the group
GROUP M
Surprisingly this is the only group where none of the players have won a title this season, although Gian van Veen has come agonisingly close with three final appearances and nine further semi-finals.
Bradley Brooks came through the Grand Slam qualifying event alongside Carl Sneyd to book his place in Wolverhampton and statistically his performance levels are really trending in the right direction over the past three months.
In that time he's averaged around the same as Van Veen in the 94 range so he may be fancied by some to give the Dutchman a scare.
Verdict: Gian van Veen to win the group
GROUP N
Chris Dobey may well boss the stats in this group and has also won more titles than anyone this season with three but I feel Martin Schindler could be the one to watch.
Hollywood has really struggled on the big stage this year with four successive first-round defeats and those three titles have all come in Players Championship events.
Schindler hasn't added to any titles to his name this year but he did reach his first ever major final at the European Championship last month and that could well prove to be a launchpad in his career.
Verdict: Martin Schindler to win the group
GROUP O
Ross Smith has undoubtedly been one of the stars of the season and peaked at just the right time to take advantage of Luke Littler's recent slump in form.
The Englishman was already on a roll in 2026 with four ranking titles - including two on the European Tour - but he found another level since September to win the World Series Finals and the European Championship to become a three-time major champion.
Smith is riding the crest of a wave right now and should he power through this group like I expect, then he's certainly a danger man for another title on the big stage.
Verdict: Ross Smith to win the group and potentially the title
GROUP P
Last but not least we finally get to Group P, where Nathan Aspinall is the obvious favourite to progress.
Karel Sedlacek is going to be his chief rival in this group having won his maiden Pro Tour title this year but ultimately the Asp has all the big stage prowess and quality to reach the knockout stages.
Verdict: Nathan Aspinall to win the group
Darts: Related content
- 2026 Premier League Season
- 2025 PDC Darts Calendar
- Watch: Highest Prize Money winners in darts
- Watch: The most costly match darts ever
- Watch: Crazy darts facts and stats
- Is £1million for the world champion too much?
- Best players never to win the World Matchplay
- Phil Taylor's crazy World Matchplay statistics
- How Littler won £1million in one season
- Should there be a Ryder Cup of Darts?
- What's easier, a nine-darter or a 147?
- Watch: Ranking the major winners in history
- Watch: Royal Rumble and other new tournament ideas
- Watch: How much do darts players earn?
- Watch: Is Luke Littler the next Phil Taylor?
- Watch: Building the perfect darts player
- Watch: How to become a darts professional
- How legends would fare today
- Troubles and triumphs
- Tournament ideas for darts
- 'What If' moments in darts
- Agony of missed match darts
- Good, Bad, Ugly: Nicholson on darts shirts
- Referees in darts
- Calling the shots in darts
- Weird actions in darts
- Hidden talents in darts
- Superstitions in darts
- Routes to glory
- Paul Nicholson's five darts drills
- Paul Nicholson's five mental tips
- Paul Nicholson's five practice games
- Worst losers in darts
- World number ones in darts
- Best players never to be number one
- Five characters in darts
- Do averages lie?
- Greatest Tournaments Ever
- Paul Nicholson's Ally Pally tales
- Watch all the Ally Pally nine-darters
- Players everyone hates to face
- Players everyone loves to face
- How to make it as a pro?
- How much money do players earn?
- Greatest darts rivalries
- Rivalries to cherish
- Be canny with counting
- Phil Taylor's greatest display
- Greatest World Championship displays
- World Cup of Great Darts performances
- Sky Bet's darts odds
