Demolition Jobs in Opening Week of the World Darts Champs
Defending champion Luke Humphries demolishes rival to march into World Darts Championship third round.
Luke Humphries commiserates Thibault Tricole after their second-round World Darts Championship match. © PDC
Key Facts:
- A repeat of 2025’s World Darts Championship is not possible.
- Luke Humphries and Luke Littler are on course to meet in a ‘crackerjack’ semi-final.
- Only three players have won the World Darts Championship in back-to-back years.
- The bookmakers have dismissed the chances of all 14 debutants.
The 2025 Paddy Power World Darts Championship got underway in London’s Alexandra Palace on Sunday evening when the defending champion, Luke Humphries, booked his place into the third round of the three-week competition. His nine-leg demolition of French No. 1 Thibault Tricole means the 29-year-old can enjoy his Christmas dinner.
Humphries will not re-appear on the ‘Ally Pally’ stage until after Christmas day when he will meet either Raymond van Barneveld, American Stow Buntz or Welshman Nick Kenny. Fans of teenage sensation Luke Littler will have to wait until Saturday, December 21, to see their man make his first appearance.
Ryan Meikle or Fallon’ Queen of the Palace’ Sherrock will be Littler’s rival. Beforehand, Luke ‘The Nuke’ has an appointment with a stage of a different kind. He will be at Salford’s MediaCity on Tuesday, hoping to collect the BBC’s 2024 Sports Personality of the Year award.
Exciting Times Ahead of Christmas
The opening week of the 2025 Paddy Power World Darts Championship consists of an afternoon session and an evening session. Both feature four matches, three first-round games and a single round-two showdown.
Of the ‘big guns’, 2023 World Champion Michael Smith will begin his campaign on Thursday, December 19. Three-time winner Michael van Gerwen will make his bow 24 hours later. The 2018 winner, Rob Cross, will complete the second-round matches on December 23. It will be the last match before the Christmas break.
Draw Means No All Luke Final
Four weeks ago, a repeat of the 2024 final was possible ahead of the draw. However, seedings of one and four mean Littler and Humphries are in the same ‘top half’ draw bracket, setting up a potential mouth-watering semi-final clash.
Consequently, the UK’s top online betting sites have shortened the odds of victory for Michael van Gerwen and the 2015 and 2016 winner, Gary Anderson. However, this pair is housed in the draw’s bottom bracket, meaning a fourth-round clash is on the cards.
Anderson, alongside Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis, is one of just three men to have retained the Sid Waddell Trophy. Luke Humphries indicated he was ready to join the famous trio after his opening night victory.
Can Humpries Go Back-to-Back?
“It’s one of the best atmospheres and feelings I’ve ever experienced. The crowd made me feel amazing,” said Humphries, who received a massive ovation on his successful Alexandra Palace return.
“In terms of the performance, I was nowhere near my best, but all that mattered was that I won tonight. If I had averaged 105 and lost, then I’m out! Now I go into the second part of the tournament, and that’s where you can be at your best and really start thinking about being World Champion.”
“I think it’s probably been one of the best years from a World Champion since Michael van Gerwen,” added Humphries, who has featured in six major televised finals in 2024. “I have won three major titles, including the World Cup. I’ve made another three finals and won a couple of Euro Tours, so I’m pretty proud of the way it’s gone.”
“It would be a beautiful way to top it off by becoming back-to-back World Champion. It would probably top last year, which I didn’t think I would come close to.”
Little Chance for a Debutant Champion
2025’s World Darts Championship, the 32nd staging of the competition, will be broadcast in its entirety on Sky Sports. Of the 96 contenders, 14 are debutants. Rob Cross, in 2018, was the last player to win on his first visit to the famous Alexandra Palace. Beforehand, Raymond van Barneveld beat Phil Taylor in the final on his debut on New Year’s Day 2007.
When it comes to gambling sites, they are not expecting a similar kind of breakthrough this year. Wesley Plaisier, world-ranked 72 and a Players Championship winner in October, appeared to have the best chance of the newcomers.
The Dutchman’s pre-competition odds were 300/1. Nevertheless, he only just beat a fellow newcomer and 1,000/1 shot Ryusei Azemoto from Japan in his first-round match and can still be backed at that price.
2025 World Darts Championship Betting
- 15/8 – Luke Littler
- 3/1 – Luke Humphries
- 10/1 – Gary Anderson
- 11/1 – Michael van Gerwen
- 25/1 – Mike De Decker, Michael Smith
- 28/1 – Wessel Nijman, Gerwyn Price
