World Matchplay Darts Betting

Few darts venues are as recognisable as Blackpool’s Winter Gardens. Every summer, 32 of the PDC’s leading players arrive there to compete for the Phil Taylor Trophy across nine days of knockout action. You can follow the tournament through our online sports betting platform, with World Matchplay darts betting markets available before and during the event.

The World Matchplay has been part of the PDC calendar since 1994. It is widely regarded as one of the sport’s biggest competitions and is often grouped with the World Championship and Premier League as part of darts’ unofficial Triple Crown.

Luke Littler is the reigning champion after successfully defending the title in 2026. With the next tournament expected to take place in July 2027, players have several months to earn the ranking money required to qualify for Blackpool.

The World Matchplay is an annual PDC darts tournament played at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.

Larry Butler won the first edition in 1994, beating Dennis Priestley in the final. The American remains one of the tournament’s most unusual champions, with most subsequent winners coming from the highest positions in the PDC rankings.

Unlike the World Championship, World Matchplay matches are decided by legs rather than sets. That creates a fast-moving format in which one break of throw can change the direction of an entire contest.

Most editions have taken place inside the Winter Gardens’ Empress Ballroom. The only exception came in 2020, when the event moved behind closed doors to Milton Keynes.

The World Matchplay is normally held over nine days in July. The exact dates for the 2027 tournament have not yet been confirmed at the time of writing.

Once announced, the schedule should include afternoon and evening sessions across two weekends. The men’s final traditionally closes the tournament on the second Sunday, following the Women’s World Matchplay earlier that day.

Check the latest World Matchplay darts odds and confirmed schedule nearer the event.

There are 32 places in the men’s World Matchplay draw.

The leading 16 eligible players from the PDC Order of Merit qualify and enter the competition as seeds. They are joined by the highest-ranked 16 players from the ProTour Order of Merit who have not already secured a place through the main rankings.

The PDC Order of Merit is based on prize money earned across recognised ranking tournaments over a two-year period. The ProTour list uses money collected at Players Championship and European Tour events over a shorter qualifying window.

That system usually produces an interesting field. Established names enter as seeds, but players enjoying a strong year on the ProTour can still force their way into the draw.

The qualification picture remains open until the designated cut-off event. A player close to the final position may therefore secure a Blackpool debut with one late run on the ProTour.

The tournament uses a straight knockout format, meaning one defeat ends a player’s challenge.

The number of legs required increases as the competition progresses:

• First round: First to 10 legs
• Second round: First to 11 legs
• Quarter-finals: First to 16 legs
• Semi-finals: First to 17 legs
• Final: First to 18 legs

Matches must normally be won by two clear legs. If neither player establishes that advantage after six additional legs, the contest moves to a sudden-death leg.

The format gives players time to recover from a poor spell, particularly during the later rounds. It also means bettors should consider consistency over longer matches rather than relying only on a player’s recent short-format results.

World Matchplay betting is not limited to picking the tournament champion. Match markets are normally added once the draw and playing schedule have been confirmed.

Tournament Winner

The outright market lets you back the player you believe will lift the Phil Taylor Trophy.

World Matchplay winner odds can change throughout the build-up. Ranking events, the confirmed draw and a player’s recent form may all influence the prices available.

Match Winner

This is a bet on which player will win an individual match. Only the final result matters, regardless of the number of legs played.

Handicap Betting

A leg handicap gives one player a virtual advantage or disadvantage.

For example, a favourite backed at -3.5 legs would need to win by at least four. An underdog selected at +3.5 could lose by three legs and still cover the handicap.

Total Legs

Rather than choosing the winner, you can bet on whether the match will contain more or fewer legs than the displayed line.

Closely matched players are more likely to produce a longer contest, although finishing quality and missed doubles can quickly affect the total.

Most 180s

Back the player you think will hit more maximum scores during a match. There may also be markets covering the combined number of 180s or whether either player will record a specified total.

Scoring power is relevant, but match length matters too. A player cannot build a large maximum count if the contest ends quickly.

Highest Checkout

This market asks which player will record the highest successful checkout. A tied result may be included as a separate selection, depending on the market offered.

Correct Score

Correct-score betting requires you to predict the exact final score in legs. The greater difficulty is usually reflected in longer odds than a straightforward match-winner selection.

First-Leg Winner

Choose which player will win the opening leg. This market is settled quickly and does not depend on who eventually wins the match.

Open the relevant fixture through the main darts betting section to see which markets are currently available.

Selected matches may move into the live betting section after the first dart is thrown.

In-play darts odds respond to the score, each player’s throw and what is happening on stage. A player who breaks throw or finds their range on the treble 20 may shorten in price, while missed doubles can shift a market in the other direction.

Live options may include the match winner, next-leg winner, leg handicaps, totals and checkout markets. Availability can change between fixtures.

Check the latest price displayed in the bet slip before confirming an in-play wager, as darts odds can move quickly between visits to the board.

Luke Littler successfully defended the World Matchplay title in July 2026, beating Gerwyn Price 18-9 in the final.

Littler produced a commanding performance at the Winter Gardens, hitting 12 maximums in the final and 66 across the tournament. He became only the third player to retain the men’s title, following Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen.

Beau Greaves won the 2026 Women’s World Matchplay after beating Fallon Sherrock in the final. It was Greaves’ third victory in the competition.

The list shows how difficult it can be to retain the trophy. Even players who dominate elsewhere on the PDC circuit can struggle to string together enough high-level performances across the longer Blackpool format.

Fans looking ahead to the sport’s other major events can also explore the latest PDC World Championship odds and Premier League Darts betting.

Phil Taylor holds the record with 16 World Matchplay victories.

His first came in 1995, and his final triumph arrived in 2017, when he defeated Peter Wright before retiring from professional darts the following year. Taylor also won 13 consecutive editions between 2000 and 2012, a run unlikely to be matched.

Michael van Gerwen is next with three titles, while Rod Harrington and Luke Littler are among the players to have won the competition more than once.

The winner receives the Phil Taylor Trophy, which was renamed in honour of the record champion following his retirement.

The men’s World Matchplay prize fund increased to £1 million in 2026. The champion collected £225,000, while the runner-up received £125,000.

Prize money matters beyond the payout itself because the World Matchplay is a ranking event. Earnings contribute to the PDC Order of Merit and can affect qualification and seeding for future tournaments.

The prize structure for the 2027 event should be checked once it has been confirmed by the PDC.

To place a World Matchplay darts bet at talkSPORT BET:

1. Sign in or create an account.
2. Open the darts section.
3. Find the World Matchplay outright or individual match.
4. Select the market and outcome you want to back.
5. Enter your chosen stake in the bet slip.
6. Check the selection, odds and potential return.
7. Confirm the wager if you are happy with the details.

Eligible customers can view the latest sports betting offers separately. Read the full eligibility requirements and terms before opting into a promotion.

Always set an affordable budget before betting. The result of a darts match can change rapidly, and no player or selection is guaranteed to win.