Darts is a thrilling sport that offers a variety of exciting betting opportunities. Whether you are a seasoned bettor or a newcomer, understanding the best darts tournaments to bet on can amplify your experience. This guide explores the top tournaments, detailing what makes each one unique and the betting options available.
PDC World Darts Championship
The PDC World Darts Championship is the top event in professional darts. This annual event, hosted at the Alexandra Palace in London, draws the top players from around the globe who compete for the esteemed Sid Waddell Trophy. The championship extends over several weeks, presenting a wide array of matches and betting opportunities. This year, fans can look forward to seeing innovations like laser darts, adding a new level of excitement to the competition.
One of the key attractions of the PDC World Darts Championship is its format. With multiple rounds, including a knockout stage, bettors can place wagers on individual match outcomes, overall tournament winners, and specific game statistics. The popularity of the tournament also means that bookmakers offer competitive, making it a prime event for bettors, while the diversity in betting options keeps the excitement high throughout the event.
Premier League Darts
Premier League Darts is a unique tournament that combines the thrill of league competition with the excitement of knockout stages. Running from February to May, it features the top ten players from the PDC circuit. Matches are held weekly in different cities across the UK, providing continuous action and betting opportunities.
The format of Premier League Darts is particularly appealing for bettors. Each week, players compete in a round-robin format, ensuring that every match has significance. This structure allows bettors to follow form and trends over the season, making informed bets on match winners, highest checkout scores, and more. The live aspect of Premier League Darts means that in-play betting is a popular option, adding more to the excitement.
UK Open
Often referred to as the “FA Cup of Darts,” the UK Open is known for its open draw format and the potential for giant-killing matches. Held annually in March, the tournament takes place at the Butlin’s Minehead Resort and features a mix of professional and amateur players. This blend creates a dynamic and unpredictable competition.
The UK Open’s format is ideal for bettors who enjoy high-risk, high-reward scenarios. With matches drawn randomly from the start, there are opportunities to bet on underdogs and potential upsets. This unpredictability makes the UK Open a favourite among darts enthusiasts looking for value bets. The variety of matches, ranging from early rounds to the final, provides a broad spectrum of betting markets, including outright winners, match handicaps, and individual player performances.
World Matchplay
The World Matchplay, held in Blackpool’s Winter Gardens in July, is one of the most prestigious darts tournaments. Known for its leg format rather than sets, it offers a different strategic challenge for players and an exciting betting landscape for fans. The tournament features the top 16 players from the PDC Order of Merit and 16 qualifiers from the ProTour.
One of the unique aspects of betting on the World Matchplay is its format. The leg-based system can lead to longer, more intense matches, giving bettors the chance to place bets on various in-game events, such as the number of 180s, highest checkouts, and total legs played. The tournament’s history and the high calibre of participants also mean that there is plenty of data for bettors to analyse, helping them make educated decisions. The atmospheric setting of the Winter Gardens adds to the appeal, making each match a spectacle not to be missed.