World Grand Prix 2026 Preview: Does Double-In Really Change Everything?

The World Grand Prix is one of the tournaments I always find interesting because it asks the players to do something they simply do not have to do anywhere else on the PDC circuit.

Every leg is double-in, double-out.

Before a player can start scoring, they have to hit a double. They then have to finish on one in the usual way.

It sounds like a relatively small change, but we all know what can happen. Miss a few darts trying to get away and your opponent can already be well into the leg before you have scored a point.

The obvious question, though, is how much difference does it really make at this level?

My feeling going into the tournament is perhaps not as much as we sometimes think.

These are elite double hitters

The theory is that the World Grand Prix should favour the better double hitters.

That makes perfect sense.

But we also have to remember who we are talking about. This is a 32-player field made up of elite professionals. There will obviously be differences between their doubling percentages, but every player in this tournament is capable of hitting doubles consistently.

For me, the format probably creates more volatility rather than completely changing who the strongest players are.

If someone misses six darts getting away, suddenly a leg can disappear very quickly. Over a short match, a couple of legs like that can decide everything.

Over the course of a whole tournament, though, I still expect the better players to come towards the top.

We will find out.

Littler and Humphries set the standard again

It is difficult to start anywhere other than Luke Littler and Luke Humphries.

They are currently the top two players in the Q4QS rankings and their recent numbers back that up.

Littler has been producing some extraordinary averages and has won nine of his last ten matches in the database. His World Matchplay run included an event average above 111, which tells you the level he can reach when everything is working.

Humphries remains number one in the Q4QS rankings and continues to produce deep runs and tournament victories.

The double-start format gives everyone another problem to solve, but it is difficult to imagine either player being particularly fazed by it.

Gerwyn Price remains right in the picture

Gerwyn Price is another player coming into the tournament with plenty of strong form behind him.

He is third in the current Q4QS rankings with an average just under 99 and has recently reached a World Matchplay final as well as another televised semi-final.

His opening match against Sebastian Bialecki is one I am particularly interested in.

Bialecki is much further down the established PDC pecking order, but the Q4QS numbers are very positive. He has already won a Players Championship event this season and sits surprisingly high in our current rankings.

If Price starts quickly, his scoring power should give him the advantage.

But this is exactly the sort of tournament where an outsider getting away cleanly while the favourite struggles on the starting doubles can suddenly change everything.

Ross Smith arrives as a recent champion

Ross Smith certainly deserves a mention after winning the recent World Series of Darts Finals.

That is a serious piece of form to bring into another televised tournament.

Smith has also won on the Players Championship circuit this season, so this isn't simply one good weekend appearing from nowhere.

He is capable of producing big averages, he scores heavily and he has just shown that he can put together a complete run against top-class opposition on a major stage.

His opening match against Cameron Menzies isn't straightforward, but Smith comes into the tournament with genuine momentum.

Chris Dobey is one I will be watching

Chris Dobey's recent numbers have been particularly strong.

He sits fifth in the current Q4QS rankings, has won eight of his last ten recorded matches and recently averaged over 105 across a Players Championship run.

He has also produced individual match averages comfortably above 110.

Dobey faces Jermaine Wattimena, who is hardly short of form himself.

Wattimena recently won a Players Championship event and has also won eight of his last ten matches in the database.

That could be one of the best matches of the opening round.

Nijman continues to climb

Wessel Nijman is another player whose numbers keep catching my attention.

He is currently fourth in the Q4QS rankings and has been regularly producing averages around or above the 100 mark.

His opening match against Rob Cross should tell us plenty.

Cross has obviously been there and done it on the biggest stages and has also won on the Players Championship circuit this season.

But Nijman increasingly looks comfortable alongside this level of player rather than simply being someone trying to break into it.

That makes this a particularly interesting first-round match.

Plenty of danger throughout the field

There are a number of other players who could easily have a big week.

Michael van Gerwen remains capable of beating anyone when his game clicks.

Gary Anderson's best performances are still extremely strong.

James Wade has spent a career finding ways of winning matches in formats where pressure and doubling matter.

Kevin Doets has been producing good results and recently reached a Players Championship final.

Danny Noppert continues to put together solid numbers, while players such as Gian van Veen, Nathan Aspinall, Stephen Bunting and Damon Heta make this a very strong field throughout.

There really aren't many comfortable matches.

So how much will double-in actually matter?

This is probably the thing I want to follow most closely throughout the tournament.

My starting position is simple:

It matters, but I don't think it completely changes the hierarchy.

At lower levels of darts, differences in doubling ability can be enormous.

At this level, those differences are much smaller.

The really interesting part may therefore be what the format does psychologically.

One missed dart at double 16 means very little.

Three misses becomes frustrating.

Six misses while your opponent is already halfway down the board becomes pressure.

And once that happens in a short set format, strange things can happen very quickly.

That is probably why the World Grand Prix feels different even if, by the end of the week, many of the familiar names are still standing.

I'll be interested to look back when the tournament is finished and see whether the double-in format genuinely produced more surprises than we would normally expect.

Because there are really two different questions.

Does double-in change individual legs and matches?

Almost certainly.

Does it actually change who the best players are?

I'm not so sure.

This week should give us a pretty good opportunity to find out.

How Do You Beat Luke Littler? Six Defeats Reveal the Best Chance of Stopping Darts’ Dominant Player

 The World Series of Darts Finals arrive in Amsterdam this week, and once again Luke Littler will start as the man everyone wants to stop.

With another major title on offer, the question facing the 31 other players in the field is becoming increasingly familiar: how do you beat Luke Littler?

There is a growing feeling around darts that Littler may simply keep winning. His level in 2026 has been extraordinary, and when he gets into the longer televised formats he has often looked almost impossible to stop.

So ahead of the World Series Finals, rather than simply asking who might beat him in Amsterdam, I wanted to look at a slightly different question.

How do you actually beat Luke Littler?

The Q4QS data gives us six examples from 2026.

Littler’s current profile shows 41 wins from 47 matches, an 87.2% win rate, with six defeats.

Those six defeats are:

• Gerwyn Price, 6-2 — Bahrain Masters

• Niels Zonneveld, 6-5 — Belgian Open

• Luke Humphries, 7-5 — Nordic Masters

• Luke Humphries, 8-7 — US Masters

• Jermaine Wattimena, 6-5 — Players Championship 27

• Brendan Dolan, 7-4 — Players Championship 28

Five of those defeats are grouped in Littler’s profile, with the Dolan loss appearing among his most recent matches.
And there is one thing that jumps out immediately.

Every single defeat came in a relatively short format.

None of Littler’s defeats in the Q4QS 2026 data came in the sort of long race we see later in the biggest televised events.

That may be the first real clue.

Short Formats Give You a Chance

The theory is simple.

If Littler is producing a higher level than almost everybody else over a sustained period, then the longer the match goes, the more opportunity that superiority has to show itself.

A shorter race creates more variance.

One missed double, one 12-dart leg from the opponent, one poor visit at the wrong time, and suddenly there may not be enough match left for Littler to recover.

Jermaine Wattimena’s win is a perfect example.

Wattimena beat Littler 6-5 at Players Championship 27 while averaging just 92.36. Littler averaged 95.68.
That was not a case of somebody producing a 110 average and blowing Littler away.

It was a short match, Littler dropped below his usual level, and Wattimena took the opportunity.

Gerwyn Price did something similar in Bahrain.

Price won 6-2 with a 97.43 average while Littler averaged 94.04.
Again, it was not a superhuman performance.

It was simply good enough at exactly the right time.

But Waiting for Littler to Play Badly Is Not Enough

There is another side to this.

Niels Zonneveld beat Littler 6-5 at the Belgian Open despite Littler averaging 103.20.

Luke Humphries has beaten him twice, and both performances were at genuinely elite level.

Humphries averaged 105.42 in a 7-5 win and 104.05 in an 8-7 victory.

That gives us two different ways Littler has been beaten this year.

The first is to catch him on an ordinary day and punish it immediately.

The second is to play outstanding darts yourself and stay with him right through the short race.

The second route is obviously much harder.

But Humphries has already shown twice that it is possible.

Humphries Has the Strongest Case

If I were looking for the player with the clearest evidence that they can beat Littler rather than simply hope Littler has an off day, Humphries would be top of the list.

He is the only player in the six defeats to have beaten Littler twice.

More importantly, neither win came because Littler collapsed.

Littler still averaged 100.85 and 99.50 in those defeats.

Humphries simply played better.

That matters.

There are plenty of players capable of beating Littler if he averages 94 or 95.

There are far fewer who look capable of beating him when he is around 100 or above.

Humphries has done it.

Of course, even that does not make him some sort of Littler kryptonite.

Littler beat Humphries 6-5 at the World Masters earlier in the year, averaging 104.72.

He also beat him in the recent Czech Darts Open final.

So this is not a one-sided rivalry.

It is simply the strongest evidence in the field that somebody can go toe-to-toe with Littler at a high level and still come out on top.

Price Has Beaten Him — But the Longer Match Told a Different Story

Gerwyn Price is another obvious threat.

He has already beaten Littler this year, winning 6-2 in Bahrain.

But the World Matchplay showed how dramatically things can change when the format gets longer.

Price averaged 104.97 in the final.

That is the sort of number that wins most matches.

Against Littler, it was nowhere near enough.

Littler won 18-9 and averaged 111.53.
That may be the best single example of why a long format is such a problem.

Price had already proved he could beat Littler over a shorter race.

Later in the year he actually played far better against him — and lost heavily.

That is not proof that format alone caused the difference, but it is certainly consistent with the wider pattern.

Over a long match, Littler has more time to find his best level.

And once he does, even an opponent averaging 104 or 105 can be in serious trouble.

Van Gerwen Has a Different Kind of Case

Michael van Gerwen has not beaten Littler in the Q4QS 2026 profile data.

Littler beat him 8-5 in Saudi Arabia.

So purely on this season’s evidence, Van Gerwen would not rank above Humphries or Price as the most proven threat.

But the World Series Finals are in Amsterdam.

And that changes the feel of the story.

Van Gerwen is the defending champion, having beaten Littler 11-7 in the 2025 final at the same venue.

That does not mean history will repeat itself.

But if there is one place where Van Gerwen should walk onto stage believing he can beat Littler, Amsterdam is probably it.

He has already done it there when the title was on the line.

Wattimena Has Already Shown the Blueprint

Jermaine Wattimena may actually be one of the most interesting names in this discussion.

His win over Littler came recently, it came over a short distance, and it came without an enormous average.

He simply stayed close enough and took his opportunity.

That is probably far more realistic for most of the field than trying to produce 110 darts.

Wattimena’s example says something important.

You do not necessarily need to be the better player over 20 or 30 legs.

You need to be the better player over the legs that actually get played.

That is a very different challenge.

The Opening Rounds in Amsterdam May Be the Danger

That brings us directly back to this week's World Series Finals.

Danny Noppert gets the first chance at Littler.

On paper, Littler is the obvious favourite.

Noppert has already lost 10-6 to him at the UK Open this year.

But if the short-format pattern is real, the early rounds may actually provide the best opportunity for an upset.

A player like Noppert does not need to prove he is better than Littler across an entire season.

He does not even need to prove he is better across a long match.

He needs one sharp spell, one strong finishing run, and perhaps one ordinary patch from Littler.

That is why an early-round opponent can sometimes be more dangerous than a bigger name waiting later in the tournament.

So Who Can Stop Him in Amsterdam?

Based on the evidence I have, I would split the main threats into different categories.

Luke Humphries is the strongest proven high-level threat. He has beaten Littler twice while producing elite averages.

Gerwyn Price has already beaten him and has the scoring power to do it again, although the Matchplay showed just how hard the task becomes over longer distances.

Jermaine Wattimena has the most recent proof that a short-format upset does not require a massive average.

Michael van Gerwen has the Amsterdam history, the crowd and the memory of beating Littler in last year’s final.

And then there are players such as Wessel Nijman, Gian van Veen and Nathan Aspinall who may not have the same direct 2026 evidence against Littler, but have shown they can produce high enough levels against elite opposition to be dangerous on the right night.

The Best Way to Beat Littler May Be to Beat Him Quickly

The most obvious conclusion from the six defeats is not that Littler has a particular weakness against one specific player.

It is that the window for beating him appears to be much wider when the match is short.

If Littler averages 94 or 95, there are several players capable of punishing him.

If he averages around 100, Humphries and Zonneveld have shown he can still be beaten.

But once the match becomes long enough for Littler to settle, recover from poor spells and repeatedly produce his best scoring, the job appears to become dramatically harder.

That makes the early stages of the World Series Finals particularly interesting.

Noppert gets the first opportunity. If Littler survives that and starts finding his range, the challenge facing everyone else could become progressively harder.

So perhaps the message for Amsterdam is simple.

Do not give him time.

Do not assume you will get another chance.

And if Littler opens the door, go through it immediately.

Because if the match becomes a long one, his 2026 results suggest that door may close very quickly.

PDC Czech Darts Open Preview: Littler Returns to a Stacked European Tour Field

 

The European Tour returns this weekend with ET12, the Czech Darts Open in Prague, from September 4-6, and there is very little missing from this field.

Luke Littler is back. Luke Humphries returns to one of his favourite venues. Gerwyn Price, Michael van Gerwen, Gian van Veen, Josh Rock, Stephen Bunting, Gary Anderson and plenty more are here, while Beau Greaves gets another opportunity on the European Tour.

And perhaps the biggest question is simply: who makes the headlines in a field this strong?

Littler's appearance is particularly significant. This is his first European Tour event since March, having been absent from the circuit for several months. Humphries, meanwhile, is chasing a remarkable third successive Czech Open title, having beaten Josh Rock in last year's final and Kim Huybrechts in 2024.

Littler returns – and the numbers remain frightening

Despite his European Tour absence, there is little suggestion that Luke Littler needs time to rediscover his best darts.

He has won nine of his last ten recorded matches in the Q4QS database, while his recent World Matchplay victory came with a remarkable 111.04 tournament average. That run included 113.68 against Nathan Aspinall, 109.57 against Josh Rock, 110.88 against Dirk van Duijvenbode and 111.53 in the final against Gerwyn Price.

Since then, Littler has reached the quarter-finals and semi-finals of Players Championships 27 and 28 respectively.

The European Tour hasn't seen much of him lately. It might be about to be reminded what it has been missing.

Can anyone knock Humphries off his Prague throne?

If Littler is the returning headline act, Luke Humphries is the man with ownership of this tournament.

Humphries has won in Prague in 2022, 2024 and 2025, and victory this weekend would complete a Czech Open hat-trick of consecutive titles.

His current form hardly discourages the idea. Humphries is 8-2 across his last ten in the Q4QS database and won Players Championship 28 last time out, going 7-0. He has also won Players Championship 17 this season with a huge 104.74 event average.

There's an intriguing potential Saturday opener too. Humphries will face the winner of Daryl Gurney v Beau Greaves.

Price has another big title in him

Gerwyn Price has already shown this year that he remains a major European Tour threat.

He won the European Darts Grand Prix with a 100.26 tournament average, while his recent World Matchplay campaign ended only in the final against Littler. Price's database includes wins over Wessel Nijman, Martin Schindler and Chris Dobey during his recent run, and he remains inside the Q4QS top three.

In a tournament containing virtually every major name, Price still looks one of the players most capable of simply taking the event away from everybody else when his scoring catches fire.

Don't overlook Wessel Nijman

Perhaps Wessel Nijman doesn't yet carry quite the same headline status as Littler, Humphries, Price or Van Gerwen.

His 2026 results suggest that might need to change.

Nijman has already won the Slovak Darts Open this season, averaging 99.45 across the tournament, and followed that with a semi-final at Players Championship 27. He is 7-3 across his latest ten recorded matches and has recent victories over Rob Cross, Ross Smith, Mike De Decker and Stephen Bunting.

His wider 2026 record is exceptional too: he has collected multiple Players Championship titles as well as European Tour success.

If we're looking beyond the most obvious names for Sunday's headlines, Nijman has to be very high on the list.

Van Gerwen remains Van Gerwen

There have been times over the past few seasons when Michael van Gerwen hasn't looked quite as untouchable as he once did.

Writing him off remains a dangerous game.

Van Gerwen has a 7-3 recent record in the Q4QS data and already has title-winning form this season. His recent results also include a victory over Humphries in a final, while he has recorded a 101.55 win over Jonny Clayton.

The most striking number on the Six to Follow graphic is his 122.34 best recorded match average. When MVG finds that sort of level, rankings, form and draw positions become rather less important.

Beau Greaves could create the weekend's biggest story

This is the selection that makes the Six to Follow particularly interesting.

Beau Greaves isn't one of the 16 seeds. She has to start on Friday against Daryl Gurney and, if she wins, her reward is defending champion Luke Humphries.

Not exactly the gentle route through Prague.

But Greaves is becoming increasingly difficult to judge by conventional expectations. Her Q4QS record shows 10 wins from her last ten recorded matches, back-to-back Women's Series titles and Players Championship averages of 94.75 and 95.45 in her latest two appearances.

She also averaged over 104 on her European Tour debut last weekend despite losing to Rob Cross.

Getting through Gurney and then Humphries would be an enormous ask. But if she does, it could become one of the stories of the European Tour season.

Six Players to Watch

Luke Littler – Back on the European Tour for the first time since March and still producing extraordinary numbers. Nine wins from ten and the obvious title threat.

Luke Humphries – The king of Prague. Chasing a third successive Czech Open title and arriving immediately after another Players Championship victory.

Gerwyn Price – A European Tour winner already this season and a World Matchplay finalist. More than capable of another big weekend.

Wessel Nijman – One of 2026's outstanding ProTour performers. Already a European Tour champion this year and increasingly difficult to regard as an outsider.

Michael van Gerwen – Still capable of producing a level very few players can live with. His Q4QS data contains the highest peak match average of these six.

Beau Greaves – The fascinating wildcard. A brutal route awaits, but her recent scoring suggests she is capable of making headlines rather than merely making up the field.

And that's only six…

That's the problem with trying to pick six from this tournament.

Gian van Veen has reached the semi-finals of the World Matchplay and two recent Players Championships and is 8-2 in his last ten.

Rob Cross is also 8-2 and has already won Players Championship 22. Luke Woodhouse has a final, semi-final and quarter-final among his recent Players Championship results. Cameron Menzies has won Players Championship 23.

Then there is Josh Rock, Gary Anderson, Stephen Bunting, Nathan Aspinall, Chris Dobey, Ross Smith, Damon Heta, Dirk van Duijvenbode and a host of others.

That's what makes Prague so interesting.

Littler's return provides the headline before a dart has been thrown. By Sunday night, there's every chance somebody else will have stolen it.

PDC Round-Up: Littler Makes His Players Championship Return as Wattimena and Humphries Take the Titles

 

It was a busy few days on the PDC circuit, with the World Series of Darts Finals Tour Card Holder Qualifier followed by Players Championship 27 and 28.

There was plenty to take from all three tournaments. Jermaine Wattimena and Luke Humphries collected the Players Championship titles, four players booked World Series Finals places, and Luke Littler made his first Players Championship appearances of the 2026 season.

Littler's return to the floor was always going to attract attention, and despite not taking either title, a quarter-final and semi-final represented an impressive first couple of days back.

Four come through World Series qualifier

The week's action began on 24 August with the Tour Card Holder Qualifier for the World Series of Darts Finals.

The four players to emerge from the field were Callan Rydz, Rob Cross, Kevin Doets and Karel Sedlacek.

Rydz came through with five victories and a 96.44 tournament average, eventually beating Daryl Gurney 6-2 with a 98.95 average in his qualifying match.

Cross also produced some excellent darts. His route culminated in a 6-3 victory over Dirk van Duijvenbode, averaging 98.41, having previously edged Peter Wright 6-5.

Doets completed his run by defeating Maik Kuivenhoven 6-3.

But statistically, one of the performances of the qualifier belonged to Karel Sedlacek.

The Czech averaged 99.53 across his five victories, and saved his best for the decisive match. Sedlacek averaged 105.22 in a 6-4 win over Owen Bates to secure his place.

There was plenty of quality elsewhere too, with Cristo Reyes producing a 106.67 during the tournament and Van Duijvenbode, Mickey Mansell and Keane Barry also recording individual averages above 103.

Four places were available, though, and they ultimately belonged to Rydz, Cross, Doets and Sedlacek.

Wattimena wins Players Championship 27

The first of the week's two Players Championship events produced a title for Jermaine Wattimena.

Wattimena completed a perfect seven-match run by beating Kevin Doets 8-6 in the final, averaging 93.81 against Doets' 93.22.

His overall tournament average was an impressive 95.20, but perhaps the most significant thing about his victory was the quality of opposition he negotiated towards the end.

In the semi-final he defeated Luke Woodhouse 7-4 with a 100.71 average.

Before that came one of the biggest matches of the week.

Wattimena faced Luke Littler in the quarter-finals and edged a tight contest 6-5.

Littler actually produced the higher average at 95.68 to Wattimena's 92.36, but it was the Dutchman who found the decisive leg before going on to take the title.

Nijman produces the performance of the day

Wattimena took the trophy, but Wessel Nijman produced some spectacular numbers.

Nijman averaged 109.77 in a 6-1 Last 16 victory over Bradley Brooks and finished the tournament with a 97.49 overall average.

He eventually lost 7-5 to Doets in the semi-finals despite averaging 97.31.

Luke Woodhouse was another player to enjoy a strong run, reaching the last four with a 95.71 tournament average, while Cameron Menzies, Kim Huybrechts and Mickey Mansell all reached the quarter-finals.

But the big additional talking point was Littler.

Littler's first Players Championship of 2026

For all Luke Littler has already achieved, this was something we had not seen during 2026 – Littler competing on the Players Championship circuit.

And his first appearance certainly wasn't a token visit.

He began with a 6-2 victory over Archie Self before defeating Arno Merk 6-3 with a 105.12 average.

William O'Connor was beaten 6-3 before Littler whitewashed Chris Dobey 6-0 in the Last 16.

That set up the quarter-final against eventual champion Wattimena.

Littler lost 6-5, but finished his first floor tournament of the season with four wins, one defeat and a 97.47 tournament average.

Not bad for a first appearance.

And he wasn't finished.

Humphries takes PC28 – Littler goes one better

Players Championship 28 belonged to Luke Humphries.

The former World Champion went unbeaten through seven matches, defeating Brendan Dolan 8-6 in the final.

Humphries averaged 97.63 across the tournament and produced several outstanding individual displays along the way.

His peak came earlier in the event with a 108.66 average, while he also averaged 99.70 in his 6-5 Last 16 victory over Danny Noppert and 99.97 when defeating Mike De Decker 7-4 in the semi-final.

Dolan's appearance in the final was perhaps less predictable.

His overall tournament average was only 88.38, but he repeatedly found ways to win – and his biggest victory came against Littler.

Littler reaches the semi-finals

Having reached the last eight 24 hours earlier, Littler went one round further at PC28.

And this time his overall numbers were even better.

He averaged 98.36 across six matches, the best tournament average among the four semi-finalists.

His route included a 6-1 demolition of Martin Schindler in the Last 32 with a huge 107.23 average.

Andy Boulton was beaten 6-3 before Littler faced Krzysztof Ratajski in the quarter-finals.

That was an excellent contest.

Littler averaged 100.65, Ratajski 99.99, with Littler coming through 6-4.

That put him into his first Players Championship semi-final of the season at only the second attempt.

Dolan stopped him there.

The Northern Irishman produced one of his best performances of the tournament when it mattered most, averaging 97.63 to Littler's 96.42 in a 7-4 victory.

Humphries then denied Dolan the title in the final.

Two events, nine wins for Littler

The temptation whenever Littler enters a tournament is to judge anything short of victory as a disappointment.

The numbers don't really support doing that here.

Across his first two Players Championship appearances of 2026, Littler recorded:

9 wins from 11 matches

Quarter-final at PC27

Semi-final at PC28

97.47 tournament average at PC27

98.36 tournament average at PC28

105.12 best average at PC27

107.23 best average at PC28

And his only defeats came against the eventual PC27 champion Wattimena and PC28 runner-up Dolan.

There was no title, but there was very little evidence of difficulty adapting to the floor environment.

If anything, the second day suggested he was getting stronger.

A good week for Kevin Doets

Another name running throughout the week's results was Kevin Doets.

First he qualified for the World Series Finals by defeating Maik Kuivenhoven.

Twenty-four hours later he reached the PC27 final.

Doets beat Rob Cross, Cameron Menzies and Wessel Nijman during the latter stages before Wattimena finally stopped him 8-6.

That made it an excellent couple of days for the Dutchman: a World Series Finals place followed by a Players Championship final.

Woodhouse consistently goes deep

Luke Woodhouse didn't quite get the headline result, but his consistency deserves mentioning.

He reached the PC27 semi-finals and followed it with a PC28 quarter-final.

Across PC27 he averaged 95.71, including a 101.97 in his quarter-final win over Mickey Mansell.

At PC28 he averaged 96.95 across five matches and produced a 101.61 against Daniel Ayres.

Two events, two deep runs and some very solid numbers.

PC28 produces some huge averages

There were also several eye-catching individual performances away from the latter stages.

Martin Schindler hit 109.52, the highest match average in the PC28 data.

Humphries reached 108.66.

Littler produced 107.23.

Jimmy van Schie averaged 105.36, while Owen Bates, Chris Dobey and Kim Huybrechts were among several others to break through the 100 barrier.

It reinforced just how unforgiving these floor tournaments can be.

An excellent performance can still leave a player several rounds away from the title.

A week with several different stories

If there was one theme running through the week's PDC action, it was probably opportunity.

Rydz, Cross, Doets and Sedlacek took theirs to reach the World Series Finals.

Wattimena converted an excellent PC27 run into a title.

Humphries did the same a day later.

Doets enjoyed one of the week's most consistent spells, while Nijman produced one of its biggest individual performances.

And then there was Littler.

His decision to make his first Players Championship appearances of 2026 added another dimension to both tournaments.

A quarter-final followed by a semi-final may not have produced the trophy, but nine victories from 11 matches and tournament averages of 97.47 and 98.36 suggest his first venture onto the floor this season was hardly unsuccessful.

Whether we see considerably more of him in the remaining Players Championship events remains to be seen.

But his first two appearances certainly made the floor tournaments even more interesting.

Floor vs Stage: Do Some Players Perform Better Under the Lights? A Q4QS Analysis of the 2026 PDC Season

 

One of the oldest debates in professional darts is whether certain players are better suited to the Players Championship circuit or the sport's biggest televised stages.

Some players seem to produce their very best performances in front of packed arenas and television cameras, while others quietly build exceptional records on the ProTour week after week.

But is there actually any evidence to support that idea?

To find out, I compared my 2026 Q4QS Knockout Pedigree Rankings from two very different environments:

• Players Championship events

• Televised ranking tournaments

Rather than comparing averages or prize money, these rankings measure knockout success during the 2026 season. I then compared where every player ranked in each list to see who climbed the rankings under the lights and who built their strongest record on the Players Championship circuit.

Before diving into the numbers, there are two important points to make.

Firstly, these are Q4QS Rankings, not the official PDC Order of Merit.

Secondly, this comparison only covers the 2026 season. Players with insufficient participation have been excluded. Most notably, Luke Littler does not feature, having not competed in a Players Championship event during 2026. Without a Players Championship ranking, it simply isn't possible to make a fair comparison.

Biggest Movers Towards the Televised Rankings

The following players achieved a significantly higher Q4QS Televised Ranking than their Q4QS Players Championship Ranking.

Player	Q4QS Players Championship Rank	Q4QS Televised Rank	Movement
Josh Rock	62	6	▲ 56
Ryan Joyce	70	17	▲ 53
Gian van Veen	50	7	▲ 43
Mike De Decker	71	27	▲ 44
Gerwyn Price	43	2	▲ 41
Niels Zonneveld	55	15	▲ 40
Nathan Aspinall	47	9	▲ 38

Josh Rock heads the list, climbing an incredible 56 places between the two rankings. Ryan Joyce also makes a huge leap, while Gian van Veen continues to strengthen his reputation whenever the biggest tournaments come around.

Gerwyn Price and Nathan Aspinall are perhaps less surprising. Both have built reputations over many years as players capable of producing some of their very best darts on the sport's biggest stages.

Biggest Movers Towards the Players Championship Rankings

These players recorded considerably stronger Q4QS Players Championship Rankings than their televised rankings.

Player	Q4QS Players Championship Rank	Q4QS Televised Rank	Movement
Andrew Gilding	5	29	▼ 24
Chris Dobey	2	20	▼ 18
Gary Anderson	30	40	▼ 10
Kevin Doets	3	12	▼ 9
Wessel Nijman	1	8	▼ 7
Luke Woodhouse	4	11	▼ 7
James Wade	9	13	▼ 4

Wessel Nijman's place at the top of the Players Championship rankings underlines just how impressive his ProTour campaign has been.

Chris Dobey, Kevin Doets and Luke Woodhouse have also put together exceptional Players Championship seasons, while Andrew Gilding's consistency on the floor has been rewarded with a remarkably high Q4QS ranking.

These results shouldn't be viewed as a weakness in televised tournaments. Instead, they demonstrate just how consistently these players have performed throughout the demanding Players Championship schedule.

Consistency Across Both Rankings

Some players don't show a dramatic difference between the two rankings.

Luke Humphries is a good example. While he ranks slightly higher in the televised list, he remains among the elite in both environments.

The same can be said for Michael van Gerwen, whose rankings remain consistently high regardless of whether he is playing on the Players Championship circuit or under the television cameras.

Those players may simply possess an ability to adapt to every environment they encounter.

Why Do The Rankings Differ?

There is probably no single explanation.

One obvious factor is match format.

Players Championship matches are generally played over shorter distances, meaning there is less time to recover from a slow start. Most televised ranking tournaments become progressively longer as the event develops, rewarding players capable of maintaining a high level over an extended contest.

The seeding system may also influence results.

Players Championship events are seeded using the Players Championship Order of Merit, whereas televised ranking tournaments are generally seeded using the main PDC Order of Merit. That can produce very different draws, particularly in the early rounds.

Participation is another important consideration.

Several leading players have reduced their Players Championship schedules during 2026, while others have entered almost every event. That inevitably affects the opportunities available to build a strong knockout pedigree.

Finally, there is the atmosphere itself.

Some players appear to relish performing in front of thousands of spectators, while others quietly produce outstanding results on the ProTour week after week.

Whether that's down to mentality, experience, preparation, playing style or something else entirely is impossible to measure—but it's certainly an intriguing discussion.

Final Thoughts

This analysis isn't designed to say that one player is better than another.

Instead, it highlights where players have built their strongest knockout records during the 2026 season.

Some have climbed the rankings when the television cameras arrive.

Others have quietly dominated the Players Championship circuit.

And a select few continue to perform at an exceptionally high level regardless of where they play.

As with any statistical comparison, there are caveats, but the trends are fascinating—and they raise an interesting question.

What do you think explains the differences? Is it the atmosphere, the format, the draw, the scheduling... or simply the mark of players who adapt to every challenge?

Just How Difficult Is It To Break Into The PDC Top 20?

 

One of the biggest debates in professional darts centres around the PDC Order of Merit. Are the world's top players simply the best players, or does the structure of the professional game make it harder than ever for new names to break into the elite?

It's a question I've heard discussed countless times, particularly around the European Tour. The Top 16 receive automatic entry and seeded positions, while those further down the rankings often have to battle through qualifiers before they've even thrown a dart on the main stage.

Rather than simply offering an opinion, I wanted to look at the numbers.

A remarkably exclusive club

Looking at the year-end PDC Top 20 between 2010 and 2025 reveals just how difficult it is to join the sport's elite.

Across those sixteen seasons there were 321 Top 20 positions available (2019 included a tie for 20th), yet they were occupied by just 63 different players.

That immediately tells us one thing.

Breaking into the Top 20 is far harder than many people probably realise.

Even more striking is the annual turnover. On average, over 82% of the previous year's Top 20 remained there the following season. In a typical year, only three or four places became available.

Think about that for a moment.

A player isn't realistically competing for one of twenty places. They're competing for one of perhaps three opportunities, while the remaining positions are occupied by players who have already established themselves.

Staying there is just as impressive

Once players reach the elite, many stay there for years.

James Wade appeared in every year-end Top 20 from 2010 through to 2025.

Michael van Gerwen has spent fourteen consecutive years inside the Top 20.

Dave Chisnall has managed thirteen consecutive appearances, while Peter Wright and Simon Whitlock both enjoyed runs of twelve straight seasons.

This isn't simply a list of talented players. It demonstrates remarkable consistency over long periods.

At the other end of the scale, only eleven players appeared in the year-end Top 20 on just one occasion during the study period. Reaching the Top 20 is rarely a one-season fluke.

So is the system fair?

This is where opinions begin to differ.

One argument is simple.

The best players win the biggest tournaments, therefore they deserve to be seeded, receive automatic entries and benefit from those rewards.

It's difficult to argue against success being rewarded.

However, there is another side to the debate.

Once a player reaches the Top 16, they gain regular access to the biggest ranking events, avoid qualification for many tournaments and often receive more favourable draws through seeding.

Those advantages don't guarantee victories, but they do provide more opportunities to earn ranking money than players trying to break through from outside the elite.

The statistics alone don't prove that the system keeps players in the Top 20.

What they do show is that very few places become available each year, meaning the pathway into the elite is incredibly narrow.

Is there a changing of the guard?

Yes, but perhaps not as quickly as many people think.

The early part of the study was dominated by names such as Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis, Raymond van Barneveld, Terry Jenkins and Simon Whitlock.

Gradually they were replaced by Michael van Gerwen, Gary Anderson, Peter Wright, Michael Smith and Gerwyn Price.

Now we're seeing another generation emerge, led by Luke Humphries, Luke Littler, Gian van Veen, Josh Rock and Martin Schindler.

What's interesting is that this change rarely happens overnight.

Most players don't jump from outside the Top 100 into the Top 20 in a single season. Instead they tend to climb steadily over several years before finally making the breakthrough.

Luke Littler is the obvious exception. His rise has been extraordinary and almost certainly shouldn't be viewed as the normal route to the top.

Can we spot the next breakthrough?

This is where I think statistics become really interesting.

The PDC Order of Merit measures prize money won over a two-year period.

My own Q4QS rankings are designed to measure current playing strength using a different methodology.

That means they don't always agree.

Sometimes a player appears high in the Q4QS rankings long before they reach the very top of the PDC Order of Merit.

That doesn't mean they'll definitely become a Top 20 player.

But history suggests that players who consistently produce high averages, win regularly and continue to climb the rankings often follow a similar pathway to those who have broken through before them.

Over the coming months, I'll be comparing today's Q4QS leaders with previous generations of players to see whether we can identify the next stars before they establish themselves on the biggest stages.

The verdict

The figures leave little doubt that breaking into the PDC Top 20 is one of the hardest achievements in professional darts.

With only a handful of places changing hands each year, new players need sustained excellence rather than one outstanding season.

Whether the current structure simply rewards the very best players or also makes it harder for newcomers to force their way through is a debate that will continue.

What the numbers do prove is that reaching the Top 20 is only half the battle.

Staying there is an achievement in itself.

This is only the first part of the research. Over the coming weeks I'll be looking more closely at the journeys of previous breakthrough players, comparing them with today's emerging talent and asking one simple question:

Who will be the next player to force their way into the PDC's elite?

What's in a Name? Which First Name Rules the Q4QS Rankings?

 

Every now and then I spot something in the rankings that makes me wonder...

This week I noticed that Luke Humphries sits at No.1 in the Q4QS Rankings, Luke Littler is No.2, and Luke Woodhouse isn't far behind.

So naturally I started thinking...

Is Luke the strongest first name in darts?

To find out, I grouped every player in the Q4QS rankings by first name. Rather than simply looking at the highest-ranked player, I added together the rankings of each name's best five players. That rewards names with real depth rather than just one superstar.

The results were a real surprise...

The Strongest First Names in Q4QS

🥇 1. Jack (Combined Ranking Score: 558)

• Jack Drayton (#34)

• Jack Aldridge (#50)

• Jack Tweddell (#136)

• Jack Johnson (#145)

• Jack Todd (#193)

🥈 2. Daniel (571)

• Daniel Ayres (#25)

• Daniel Klose (#46)

• Daniel Zapata (#87)

• Daniel Larsson (#171)

• Daniel Nicholls (#242)

🥉 3. James (670)

• James Wade (#13)

• James Beeton (#40)

• James Hurrell (#163)

• James Howard Hughes (#226)

• James Parkin (#228)

4. Ryan (761)

• Ryan Searle (#100)

• Ryan Hogarth (#114)

• Ryan Joyce (#119)

• Ryan Branley (#196)

• Ryan Furness (#232)

5. Michael (811)

• Michael van Gerwen (#6)

• Michael Smith (#84)

• Michael Unterbuchner (#178)

• Michael Wiles (#202)

• Michael Bajowski (#341)

6. Adam (812)

• Adam Gawlas (#37)

• Adam Sevada (#116)

• Adam Leek (#142)

• Adam Beck (#189)

• Adam Paxton

7. Scott (895)

• Scott Robertson (#26)

• Scott Waites (#29)

• Scott Walters (#258)

• Scott Campbell (#277)

• Scott Winder (#305)

So what about the Lukes?

This was the whole reason I looked into it.

With Luke Humphries at #1, Luke Littler at #2 and Luke Woodhouse at #11, I thought Luke would probably top the table.

Not even close!

Once you get beyond those three, the rankings thin out, meaning Luke only finishes 15th overall in the first-name standings.

It just shows that having the world's two best players doesn't necessarily give you the strongest name overall.

Is your name any good?

Being called Paul myself, I couldn't resist checking.

There are 107 Pauls in the current Q4QS rankings.

The leading five are:

• Paul Krohne (#19)

• Paul Milford (#240)

• Paul Rowley (#369)

• Paul Hogan (#379)

• Paul Redfern (#575)

That puts Paul in 17th place overall. Not bad... but I'll admit I'm slightly disappointed we couldn't crack the Top 10!

What about some of darts' legendary names?

I also wondered how some of the sport's most famous first names were represented today.

• Eric – Just 9 players appear in the rankings, with Eric Wadlow (#1064) currently leading the way.

• Phil – 27 players, headed by Phil Johnson-Hale (#708).

• Philip – 16 players, with Philip Van Gasse (#738) the highest ranked.

• Raymond – Led by Raymond Smith (#58) and Raymond van Barneveld (#399), giving the name a respectable showing.

• Ray – Only 6 players, with Ray Byron (#3302) currently the highest ranked.

It seems some of darts' most iconic names have become surprisingly uncommon in today's rankings.

Which name comes next?

This started as a bit of fun, but it turned out to be a fascinating look at the depth of talent behind each first name.

It also raises plenty of other questions...

• Which surname is strongest?

• Which first name is the most common?

• Which names are climbing fastest?

• Is there a lucky darts name after all?

I'll definitely be digging into the data again.

2026 Betfred World Matchplay Preview 18th - 26th July 2026

 

Can anyone stop Luke Humphries and Luke Littler?

The Betfred World Matchplay has always occupied a special place on the darts calendar. Played at Blackpool's iconic Winter Gardens, it's the second biggest ranking title of the year for many players, and one that has produced some of the sport's most memorable moments.

This year's field looks as competitive as ever. The established stars remain at the top of the market, but recent Players Championship events and European Tour tournaments have shown that the chasing pack are more than capable of producing major upsets.

Using my recent database and player form, here's how I see the tournament unfolding.

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The Men to Beat

Luke Humphries

If there is one player arriving in Blackpool with the strongest momentum, it is Luke Humphries.

His recent victory at the US Darts Masters, combined with an outstanding Players Championship title where he averaged over 104, demonstrates exactly why he sits at the top of my rankings. Winning eight of his last ten matches, Cool Hand Luke looks every bit the player to beat.

His opening match against Cameron Menzies is anything but straightforward, but if Humphries negotiates that hurdle he could be difficult to stop.

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Luke Littler

There is almost nothing left to say about Luke Littler that hasn't already been said.

Nine victories from his last ten matches, another televised title and a remarkable scoring power continue to make him one of the most feared players in the sport.

The draw hasn't been especially kind however. Niko Springer is one of the most dangerous floaters in the field and represents a genuine opening-round test before Littler's route potentially becomes even tougher.

If Littler settles quickly, he remains one of the favourites for the Phil Taylor Trophy.

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Players Arriving in Form

Recent months have seen several players quietly build excellent runs of form.

Cameron Menzies arrives after winning a Players Championship title and boasts a 9-1 record over his last ten matches. His reward is arguably the toughest draw possible against Luke Humphries.

Luke Woodhouse has enjoyed perhaps the best spell of his career, winning the Baltic Sea Open before reaching another Players Championship final.

Wessel Nijman continues to develop into one of the most dangerous young talents on tour, while Chris Dobey has consistently reached the latter stages of floor events.

Ross Smith, Rob Cross, Nathan Aspinall and Michael van Gerwen have all lifted ranking titles during the season and know exactly what it takes to win tournaments of this calibre.

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First Round Matches to Watch

Luke Humphries v Cameron Menzies

Possibly the toughest first-round tie in the draw.

Humphries is the deserved favourite, but Menzies has been outstanding over recent weeks and could easily make life uncomfortable.

Michael van Gerwen v Andrew Gilding

Experience against experience.

Neither player has quite reached their absolute best consistently this year, but both remain capable of producing spectacular darts when the television cameras arrive.

Gian van Veen v Krzysztof Ratajski

One of the most intriguing contests.

Van Veen continues to improve every month, while Ratajski's consistency always makes him difficult to beat.

Gerwyn Price v Martin Schindler

Price possesses the higher ceiling, but Schindler is exactly the type of dangerous opponent capable of punishing any slow start.

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Six To Follow

⭐ Luke Humphries

The current benchmark. Recent victories and outstanding averages make him the player everyone wants to avoid.

⭐ Luke Littler

Simply impossible to ignore. Another major title would surprise nobody.

⭐ Wessel Nijman

His development continues at an incredible pace and he looks increasingly comfortable on the biggest stages.

⭐ Luke Woodhouse

Excellent recent form could finally translate into a deep televised run.

⭐ Chris Dobey

Scoring power has never been in doubt. If his finishing clicks, he becomes extremely dangerous.

⭐ Cameron Menzies

Perhaps the form player outside the favourites. If he upsets Humphries, his confidence could carry him a long way.

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Dark Horses

Gian van Veen

Already proving he belongs amongst the elite.

Kevin Doets

Quietly producing excellent floor performances and capable of upsetting seeded opponents.

Ryan Searle

Heavy Metal possesses the scoring to beat anybody over longer formats.

Predictions?

The obvious names dominate the conversation, but major championships are rarely straightforward.

Luke Humphries enters as my slight favourite after his recent performances, while Luke Littler remains the player with perhaps the highest ceiling in world darts.

Behind them, the likes of Dobey, Cross, Price, Aspinall and van Gerwen all possess the quality to lift the trophy if they can produce their best darts over the week.

Don't discount one or two surprise names either. Every year Blackpool creates new stories, and 2026 feels no different.

US Darts Masters Preview – Can The North Americans Cause An Upset?

 

The World Series of Darts heads to New York this weekend as eight of the PDC's biggest stars take on eight leading North American representatives in the 2026 US Darts Masters.

On paper, the seeded players will start as overwhelming favourites. However, World Series events have often produced memorable shocks, and several North American players arrive with enough recent form to believe they can spring an upset.

Humphries And Littler Lead The Charge

Q4QS number one Luke Humphries arrives in excellent form after winning Players Championship 17 with a tournament average of 104.74. His recent record of eight wins from his last ten matches makes him one of the standout contenders for the title.

Luke Littler is not far behind in the conversation. The teenage superstar recently claimed the Poland Masters title with a superb 105.37 tournament average and remains one of the most feared scorers in world darts. Although he suffered an earlier-than-expected exit at the Belgian Open, few players possess a higher ceiling.

Gerwyn Price also arrives with silverware in recent weeks after lifting the European Darts Grand Prix, while James Wade, Stephen Bunting, Jonny Clayton, Josh Rock and Gian van Veen complete an exceptionally strong seeded line-up.

North America's Best Ready To Test The Elite

While the European stars dominate the headlines, the home contingent has enjoyed an encouraging year on the Championship Darts Circuit.

Leonard Gates comes into the tournament in outstanding form, winning both the US Masters Qualifier and the latest CDC Main Event. His experience and confidence make him one of the biggest threats to the seeded players.

Adam Sevada has also enjoyed an excellent season, collecting multiple CDC titles and reaching another quarter-final in his most recent outing. He has shown remarkable consistency throughout 2026 and will not fear any opponent.

David Cameron remains one of the most experienced players in North American darts and has already claimed the CDC Cross-Border Challenge this season, while Alex Spellman arrives with an impressive 9W-1L record across his last ten matches after several tournament victories.

Players Who Could Cause An Upset

Every World Series event seems to produce at least one surprise result. Looking at recent form, these four players appear best placed to challenge the established names.

Leonard Gates

Arguably the most dangerous unseeded player in the field. Recent CDC titles and vast stage experience make him a genuine threat.

Adam Sevada

His consistency throughout the CDC season has been outstanding. If he settles quickly, few seeds will relish facing him.

David Cameron

A former WDF World Champion who still possesses the experience to frustrate the world's elite over a short format.

Alex Spellman

Perhaps the dark horse of the tournament. His recent 9W-1L run suggests his confidence is growing at exactly the right time.

Q4QS Six To Follow

🎯 Luke Humphries

🎯 Luke Littler

🎯 Gerwyn Price

🎯 Leonard Gates

🎯 Adam Sevada

🎯 Alex Spellman

Q4QS Prediction

Luke Humphries starts as the player to beat based on recent performances, although Luke Littler's scoring power means he is never far away from lifting another televised title.

Among the North Americans, Leonard Gates appears best equipped to produce a headline upset, while Adam Sevada and David Cameron could also make life uncomfortable for the seeded stars if they reproduce their recent CDC form.

Whatever happens, the US Darts Masters remains one of the highlights of the World Series calendar, providing another opportunity for North America's leading players to test themselves against the very best in the world.

Grand Slam of Darts Quarter-Finals: My AI-Model Predicts the Winner

 

The 2025 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts is down to the final eight, and it’s one of the most wide-open quarter-final line-ups we’ve seen in years.

So I decided to put my Philpot AI-Style Prediction Model to work.

This model blends:

• recent three-dart average

• checkout %

• 180s and scoring bursts

• big-stage experience

• bookmakers’ odds (converted into a rating)

• and a final Philpot Form Boost' for players trending upwards

It’s early days for the model, but it gives a fun, stats-based look at who’s most likely to lift the title this weekend.

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⭐ Philpot AI Ratings (Out of 100)

1. Luke Littler – 95/100

The defending champion, the strongest scorer in the field, and the most explosive leg-player in the world right now.
Elite 180 power + rock-solid temperament = the model’s outright favourite.

2. Luke Humphries – 90/100

Still the best all-round player on the planet when he hits top gear.
A slightly lower form rating keeps him behind Littler, but his stage experience and consistency mean he is right in the mix.

3. Gerwyn Price – 88/100

Nobody brings Grand Slam pedigree like Price.
Big-stage factor + finishing quality keep him in the top tier of contenders.

4. Danny Noppert – 85/100

Quietly in great form.
Strong doubling numbers, improved scoring, and a high “danger of causing an upset” rating in the model.

5. Michael Smith – 82/100

Still posting big numbers but hasn’t quite had the major-run consistency this season.
His ceiling is massive — but his floor can be low.

6. Josh Rock – 80/100

Momentum, yes. Experience deep in TV majors, not as much.
The model loves his long-term curve but sees this as “maybe one tournament too soon”.

7. Ricky Evans – 78/100

Playing freely and enjoying the moment.
A live danger in patches, but model marks him down on consistency and doubling.

8. Lukas Wenig – 75/100

What a story.
Huge power, fearless, but low Grand Slam / TV experience keeps the model cautious.
Still very capable of a shock.

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🏆 🏆 Philpot AI Champion Prediction

The numbers pick:

🏆 Luke Littler – 95/100

Everything points to a deep run: the scoring, the timing, the pressure handling, and last year’s title. The model says Littler is the man to beat.

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🌑 Next Best Pick

Luke Humphries – 90/100

If Littler slips even slightly, Humphries is the most likely to punish him. His consistency over long formats remains elite.

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⚡ Surprise Candidate

Danny Noppert – 85/100

The stats favour him more than many fans realise.
If Price or Littler have an off night, Noppert has the game to pounce.

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📈 What’s Next for the Model?

I’ll update this after the quarter-finals to see how well the predictions performed and adjust the model for the semi-finals and final.

Let me know in the comments who your pick is!