PDC Players Championship Finals Predictions and Betting Tips

Good news darts fans, the Players Championship Finals begin on 22nd November. It symbolises the last stop before the World Darts Championship and will have big repercussions for the most sought-after prize in darts. The final major before Ally Pally will see the best 64 performers in 2024 compete in the Players Championship for a prize pool of £600k. Two of the last three winners of the tournament have gone on to win the World Championship just a matter of weeks later.

This unique tournament differs from other majors through the ranking system. It is the only major event that exclusively accounts for non-televised events when ranking players. The expansion to 64 players in 2016 means we see a huge field of talent compete in one of the most exciting tournaments of the year.

PDC Players Championship Finals Format and Qualification

Qualification for the Players Championship Finals is decided through the Players Championship Order of Merit. Every player in the PDC participates in the Players Championship Series throughout the year, a series of 30 mini-tournaments. At the end of the year, the top 64 highest-earning players are arranged in order and qualify for the finals at Butlins, Minehead. The players who have qualified for the finals this year are:

The format of the tournament is convoluted following the expansion to 64 players. They split the players into four groups and then divide the field in two with a top and bottom. A straight knockout ensues which reduces the field down to 32. The first-round games are bracketed using the seeding positions. Both the first and second rounds are played over the best of 11 legs. The next two rounds up the ante to 19 legs and the final two stages involve a best of 21. As the field is exceptionally large, they host two games simultaneously.

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PDC Tournament Newcomers

Several players will debut in the Players Championship Finals for the first time in 2024. The name on everyone’s lips at the moment is Luke Littler. ‘The Nuke’ will make his first Players appearance fresh off of his stunning win at the Grand Slam of Darts. Littler put on arguably his best tournament performance to date throughout the Grand Slam, storming through the competition and winning one of the most one-sided finals in recent history, defeating Martin Lukeman 16-3. The 17-year-old prodigy continues to get even better and his first appearance at the Players could not have come at a better time.

Young Dutchman Wessel Nijman will also make his debut after an incredibly unlucky Grand Slam campaign. The 24-year-old finished every group game with a higher average than his opponent. He also finished the tournament with a highly impressive 103.99 average and a finish percentage of over 40%. Somehow, Nijman exited in the group stage without winning a single game. Nevertheless, he is one to watch and he can certainly build on that impressive performance.

PDC Players Championship Finals Predictions

Tournament Winner Prediction: Luke Littler to win the Players Championship Finals

Luke Littler and Luke Humphries could be exchanging seats at the top of the darting world for a long time. Both have been leagues ahead of the competition since their face-off in the final of the World Championships in January. Their friendly yet competitive rivalry has made every clash an absolute thriller. Humphries enters this tournament as the defending champion and the world number one is unstoppable at his best. The thing is, Luke Littler is too.

The Nuke’s performance at the Grand Slam was maybe the best we have seen him play since he burst onto the scene at Ally Pally last year. He averaged over 100 in every game he played in the tournament, only Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen have matched that. He hit 60 180s, a new tournament record, with 12 in the final. Littler won an insane 15 legs in a row against Lukeman in the same game. Humphries is probably the only man who can stop Littler, but if the Nuke plays anything like he did in the Grand Slam, this might be his tournament to lose. He is worth 13/5 to win the tournament for anyone betting on the Players Championship Finals.

A certain Dutchman cannot be underestimated though. Michael van Gerwen had a down year and is without a major this season. He has only failed to win a major once in the last 12 years and is now approaching one of his favourite tournaments. MVG has dominated the Players’, winning seven of the last 11 editions and reaching the final in all but two. It would be foolish to rule out the three-time World Champion and this could be his last real chance at a major. MVG is worth 17/2 to win the Players’ or 9/2 to reach the final with our online bookmaker.

PDC Players Championship Finals First Round Betting Tips

Rob Cross vs Luke Littler

There are some exciting clashes in the opening round of the tournament. Arguably the most interesting is the meeting between Rob Cross and Luke Littler on the opening day. Cross has played excellently, especially towards the back end of the year. That includes a win over Littler in the World Grand Prix in October. However, that was only his second win over the Nuke since they first met in the semi-finals of the World Championships in December 2023. Littler was a 180 machine at the Grand Slam and he can carry on with this coming so soon after. Bet on Littler to hit over 4.5 180s in the match, worth 6/5.

Daryl Gurney vs Peter Wright

Peter Wright had a tournament to forget at the Grand Slam. ‘Snakebite’ lost every one of his Group C games, barely averaging 80 in his match with Mervyn King. The former world champion has experienced a sharp decline this year and there is no return to form in sight. He meets Daryl Gurney in the first round. ‘Super Chin’ has lost to Wright twice this year, but only one came on stage. Bet on Gurney to win this one, worth 3/5. Wright has slipped out of the top 16 and Gurney is in better form.

Gary Anderson vs Ryan Meikle

Gary Anderson and Wright are countrymen from the same era in two completely different situations. Anderson’s resurgence this year has been incredible and the two-time world Champion gave Littler his most competitive game of the Grand Slam last week. The Flying Scotsman now finds himself in the top 16 and calls for a return to the Premier League next year. He meets Ryan Meikle in the first round, who is ranked 64th. The Scot could go far in this tournament and will start strongly. Bet on Anderson to land over 3.5 180s in this match, worth 1/1 in the darts betting markets.

Players Championship Finals Schedule

The first round of games will take place on the 22nd and run until the final has been played on the 24th. The first-round fixtures have all been bracketed, and every player knows who they are clashing with. Let’s take a look at when every player in the first round is scheduled, and what comes beyond.

First round Afternoon session (from 12:00 pm)

Main stage

• Gian van Veen v Scott Williams
• Brendan Dolan v Martin Schindler
• Ritchie Edhouse v Luke Woodhouse
• James Wade v Stephen Burton
• Ryan Searle v Jeffrey de Graaf
• Martin Lukeman v Connor Scutt
• Dave Chisnall v Joe Cullen

Board 2

• Andrew Gilding v Kevin Doets
• William O’Connor v Niels Zonneveld
• Krzysztof Ratajski v Madars Razma
• Cameron Menzies v Jim Williams
• Dirk van Duijvenbode v Callan Rydz
• Ryan Joyce v Karel Sedlacek
• Wesley Plaisier v Mensur Suljovic
• Alan Soutar v Jermaine Wattimena
• Wessel Nijman v Kim Huybrechts

First round Evening session (from 7:00 pm)

Main stage

• Daryl Gurney v Peter Wright
• Gerwyn Price v Thibault Tricole
• Chris Dobey v Nathan Aspinall
• Michael van Gerwen v Ian White
• Luke Littler v Rob Cross
• Luke Humphries v Gabriel Clemens
• Gary Anderson v Ryan Meikle

Board 2

• Damon Heta v Mervyn King
• Jonny Clayton v Florian Hempel
• Danny Noppert v James Hurrell
• Raymond van Barneveld v Chris Landman
• Stephen Bunting v Mario Vandenbogaerde
• Mike De Decker v Richard Veenstra
• Michael Smith v Dom Taylor
• Josh Rock v Ricky Evans
• Ross Smith v Dimitri van den Bergh

Saturday, Nov. 23

• Second Round Afternoon session (from 12:45 pm)
• Second Round Evening session (from 7 p.m.)

Sunday, Nov. 24

Afternoon session (from 12:45 pm)

• Quarterfinal

Evening session (from 7:00 pm)

• Semifinals
• Final