The 2026 Betfred World Matchplay continues on Friday night so check out Chris Hammer's match-by-match predictions, best bets and a suggested acca.
World Matchplay: Friday July 24
- TV Coverage: Sky Sports, 1900 BST
- Format: Quarter-finals, best of 31 legs
SL Acca: 2pts Smith & Wade both to win at 9/2 with Sky Bet
Ross Smith v Gerwyn Price
- Three-Dart Average (2026): 95.86 - 99.36
- 180s per leg (2026): 0.34 - 0.32
- Checkout Percentage (2026): 41.14% - 43.04%
- Titles won in 2026 (TV titles in brackets): 2 (0) - 2 (0)
SELECTION: 2pts Over 19.5 180s in Smith v Price at 5/4 (General)
Gerwyn Price headed to Blackpool with question marks over his confidence and motivation levels but both must be building steadily after reaching the quarter-finals.
That said, his performances against Martin Schindler and Rob Cross were comfortably below his very best and he'll probably have to raise his game against a very fresh Ross Smith, who reached this stage by virtue of Cameron Menzies' unfortunate illness.
Smith previously looked dangerous during a 10-6 victory over Kevin Doets in which he averaged 100 and fired in seven 180s and I expect plenty more maximums during this potential thriller.
Price, who defeated the in-form Smith 8-6 in a European Tour final earlier this season, has a slightly lower 180 per leg rate than his opponent but he's still been pretty prolific in Blackpool and if we see a good chunk of the legs played then 20 or more seems more than viable.
As for the winner, I'm siding with Smith to reach his maiden World Matchplay semi-final.
Scoreline Prediction: 16-13
Gian van Veen v James Wade
- Three-Dart Average (2026): 95.79 - 94.68
- 180s per leg (2026): 0.27 - 0.23
- Checkout Percentage (2026): 40.26% - 42.8%
- Titles won in 2026 (TV titles in brackets): 0 (0) - 1 (0)
SELECTION: 1pt James Wade to win and hit most 180s at 10/3 (Sky Bet)
James Wade is proving once again just why he loves Blackpool as he gears up for his 14th World Matchplay quarter-final.
The seven-time finalist, who lifted the trophy way back in 2007, overcame Gian van Veen at this same stage of the competition 12 months ago when most fans were probably guilty of underestimating him yet again.
Wade finds himself as marginal underdog and that's largely based on world ranking and seasonal stats - two factors that can almost be hurled out of the window when the Machine turns up at the Winter Gardens.
It's not as if Van Veen has been firing on all cylinders this season. Far from it. And as gutsy as his 14-12 triumph over fellow Dutchman Wessel Nijman was, his average of 97 doesn't suggest he's suddenly back to his brilliant best.
Van Veen has the high 180 per leg rate this season as a whole but he's only managed five maximums across 42 legs this week whereas Wade has hit 11 in 35, so that's why I'm expecting the Englishman to fire more.
Scoreline Prediction: 12-16
World Matchplay Darts: Draw Bracket
ROUND ONE
- (1) Luke Littler 10-6 Niko Springer
- (16) Nathan Aspinall 10-5 Joe Cullen
- (8) Josh Rock 10-4 Luke Woodhouse
- (9) Stephen Bunting 13-12 Niels Zonneveld
- (4) Michael van Gerwen 10-6 Andrew Gilding
- (13) Chris Dobey 11-13 Dirk van Duijvenbode
- (5) Jonny Clayton 10-7 Damon Heta
- (12) Gary Anderson 10-2 Ryan Joyce
- (2) Luke Humphries 7-10 Cameron Menzies
- (15) Ross Smith 10-6 Kevin Doets
- (7) Gerwyn Price 11-9 Martin Schindler
- (10) Danny Noppert 3-10 Rob Cross
- (3) Gian van Veen 10-6 Krzysztof Ratajski
- (14) Wessel Nijman 10-5 Dave Chisnall
- (6) James Wade 10-7 Jermaine Wattimena
- (11) Ryan Searle 10-6 William O’Connor
ROUND TWO
- (1) Luke Littler 11-8 Nathan Aspinall (16)
- (8) Josh Rock 11-6 Stephen Bunting (9)
- (4) Michael van Gerwen 12-14 Dirk van Duijvenbode
- (5) Jonny Clayton 7-11 Gary Anderson (12)
- Cameron Menzies v W/O Ross Smith (15) (Cameron Menzies withdrew due to illness)
- (7) Gerwyn Price 11-5 Rob Cross
- (3) Gian van Veen 14-12 Wessel Nijman (14)
- (6) James Wade 11-8 Ryan Searle (11)
QUARTER-FINALS
- (1) Luke Littler 16-7 Josh Rock (8)
- Dirk van Duijvenbode 16-13 Gary Anderson (12)
- (15) Ross Smith v Gerwyn Price (7)
- (3) Gian van Veen v James Wade (6)
World Matchplay Darts: Daily Schedule
- Click here for Sky Bet odds
- * Each game must be won by two clear legs, with up to a maximum of five additional legs being played before the sixth additional leg is sudden-death
Saturday July 18 (1900 BST)
First Round (best of 19 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
- Josh Rock 10-4 Luke Woodhouse
- Stephen Bunting 13-12 Niels Zonneveld
- Luke Littler 10-6 Niko Springer
- Nathan Aspinall 10-5 Joe Cullen
Sunday July 19
Morning Session (1300 BST)
First Round (best of 19 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
- Dirk van Duijvenbode 13-11 Chris Dobey
- Gary Anderson 10-2 Ryan Joyce
- Michael van Gerwen 10-6 Andrew Gilding
- Jonny Clayton 10-7 Damon Heta
Evening Session (1900 BST)
First Round (best of 19 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
- Ryan Searle 10-6 William O’Connor
- James Wade 10-7 Jermaine Wattimena
- Gian van Veen 10-6 Krzysztof Ratajski
- Wessel Nijman 10-5 Dave Chisnall
Monday July 20 (1900 BST)
First Round (best of 19 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
- Ross Smith 10-6 Kevin Doets
- Gerwyn Price 11-9 Martin Schindler
- Cameron Menzies 10-7 Luke Humphries
- Rob Cross 10-3 Danny Noppert
Tuesday July 21 (1900 BST)
Second Round (best of 21 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
- Gary Anderson 11-7 Jonny Clayton
- Dirk van Duijvenbode 14-12 Michael van Gerwen
- Luke Littler 11-8 Nathan Aspinall
- Josh Rock 11-6 Stephen Bunting
Wednesday July 22 (1900 BST)T)
Second Round (best of 21 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
- Ross Smith w/o (Cameron Menzies withdrew due to illness)
- Gian van Veen 14-12 Wessel Nijman
- Gerwyn Price 11-5 Rob Cross
- James Wade 11-8 Ryan Searle
Thursday July 24 (1900 BST)
Quarter-Finals (Best of 31 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
- Dirk van Duijvenbode 16-13 Gary Anderson
- Luke Littler 16-7 Josh Rock
Friday July 24 (1900 BST)
Quarter-Finals (Best of 31 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
- Two matches
Saturday July 25 (1900 BST)
Semi-Finals (best of 33 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
- Winner QF 1 v Winner QF 2
- Winner QF 3 v Winner QF 4
Sunday July 26 (2030 BST)
Final (best of 35 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
- Winner SF 1 v Winner SF 2
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