Luke Humphries won the World Matchplay (Picture: PDC)

Luke Humphries won the World Matchplay in 2024

World Matchplay darts 2026: Day three predictions, betting tips, acca, order of play and TV time

Darts

Mon July 20, 2026 · 2M ago

The 2026 Betfred World Matchplay continues on Monday night so check out Chris Hammer's match-by-match predictions, best bets and a suggested acca.

World Matchplay: Monday July 20

TV Coverage: Sky Sports, 1900 BST
Format: First round, best of 19 legs

SL Acca: 1pt Doets, Price (-2.5), Humphries (-2.5) & Noppert all to win at 9/1 with Sky Bet

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook

Ross Smith v Kevin Doets

Three-Dart Average (2026): 95.86 - 96.37
180s per leg (2026): 0.34 - 0.36
Checkout Percentage (2026): 41.14% - 41.23%
Titles won in 2026 (TV titles in brackets): 2 (0) - 1 (0)

SELECTION: 1pt Over 13.5 180s in Smith v Doets at 9/4 (William Hill)

There's no guarantees in darts but this is surely bound to be a 180 fest.

Both players are known for their heavy scoring and prolific rate at hitting maximums while they've both enjoyed impressive seasons, winning three titles between them.

I fancy Kevin Doets as a dark horse to come through this section of the draw but this is going to be an entertaining clash that may require extra legs to settle. And if that proves to be the case then we have to go high on the 180s.

Scoreline Prediction: 10-12

Gerwyn Price v Martin Schindler

Three-Dart Average (2026): 99.36 - 92.82
180s per leg (2026): 0.32 - 0.29
Checkout Percentage (2026): 43.04% - 36.92%
Titles won in 2026 (TV titles in brackets): 2 (0) - 0 (0)

SELECTION: 2pts Gerwyn Price to win and hit most 180s at 11/10 (Sky Bet)

Gerwyn Price has made no secret about his lack of motivation with darts this season but he's still managed to pick up a couple of titles and boasts one of the highest seasonal averages on the circuit.

I do question whether he will go all the way in Blackpool but he should still have plenty too much firepower for Martin Schindler, who has lost all four of his previous matches at the Winter Gardens.

Scoreline Prediction: 10-5

Luke Humphries v Cameron Menzies

Three-Dart Average (2026): 101.09 - 92.11
180s per leg (2026): 0.35 - 0.29
Checkout Percentage (2026): 40.91% - 37.43%
Titles won in 2026 (TV titles in brackets): 3 (1) - 1 (0)

Luke Humphries is my headline tip for the title so it's without question that I fully expect him to make relatively short work of Cameron Menzies.

Cool Hand was a fantastic winner of this event in 2024 when averaging over 100 in all five of his games including a 101 to beat Michael van Gerwen 18-15 in a Winter Gardens classic.

At that moment in time he probably didn't quite realise quite how quickly he'd lose a grip of his newfound dominance and he's largely had to play second fiddle to Littler ever since, winning 'just' three more majors.

He's finished runner up to Littler in four of the major finals he's reached since last October's World Grand Prix but nobody can say he hasn't given him an almighty scare, as we saw in the World Masters and the Premier League final, in which he was pipped in a last-leg decider.

Humphries gained a small measure of revenge over Littler by beating him in the US Darts Masters final 8-7 at the end of June with an average of 104 and right now I believe he's got the confidence to turn him over in a big major.

As for Menzies, he's bounced back well since 'that' meltdown at the World Championship and recently picked up a Players Championship title, but he'll still do well to make this close.

Scoreline Prediction: 10-6

Danny Noppert v Rob Cross

Three-Dart Average (2026): 94.54 - 96.01
180s per leg (2026): 0.25 - 0.26
Checkout Percentage (2026): 38.04% - 37.56%
Titles won in 2026 (TV titles in brackets): 0 (0) - 1 (0)

It's fair to say Danny Noppert hasn't been making the kind of impact that many would have expected this season having reached four major semi-finals in 2025 but we know the big stage brings the best out of him.

Once again he's been relatively quiet on the circuit and better in the majors with two quarter-final runs in the World Masters and UK Open so I'm expecting a clinical performance on the Winter Gardens stage tonight.

And he'll need to be near his best against a resurgent Rob Cross, who has put aside his personal life issues to reach a couple of finals since the start of June, winning one of them at Players Championship 22 and then finishing runner-up to Wessel Nijman on the European Tour.

That's why most fans will be backing Voltage tonight, but I fancy Noppert to make his return to form.

Scoreline Prediction: 10-7