The PDC World Darts Championships for 2021 begins on December 15th and concludes on January 3rd.
There are several in-form darts players coming into this event, and a number of them have a decent shot at winning the event.
Peter Wright will be looking to defend his title after taking down Michael Van Gerwan in the final earlier in the year. Michael Van Gerwan is also in some pretty good form with a win at the last big event, the Players Championship, with a 11-10 win over Mervyn King.
Be sure to check back for Darts Picks, Darts Predictions, Darts Previews and Darts Betting Tips for the remainder of the World Championships of Darts.
PDC World Darts Championship
Dates Held December 15th 2020 – January 3rd
2021
PDC World Darts Championship Format
First Round: Best of five sets
Second Round: Best of five sets
Third Round: Best of seven sets
Fourth Round: Best of seven sets
Quarter-Final: Best of nine sets
Semi-Final: Best of 11 sets
Final: Best of 13 sets
There will be a total of 94 players competing in the event with the 32 seeded players gaining a significant advantage and making it through to the second round automatically.
There are then 32 Pro Tour Order of Merit players who qualify, and some are in excellent form. The final few spots are taken up by 32 International Qualifiers and making the event is an achievement in itself for most of them.
Below is a short description of the 32 Seeded Players and their form coming into this event.
Seeded Players
1 – Michael van Gerwen (Mighty Mike) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Events – 9 Wins and 1 Loss
The Three-time winner of this event is back and comes into this event with a big win at the Players Championships a couple of weeks back. He is beginning to show some of his form from previous years and will be the one to beat in the PDC Darts World Championship.
2 – Peter Wright (Snakebite) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 5 Wins and 3 Losses
Wright is the defending champion, but comes into this event after a less than impressive semi-final loss to Mervyn King at the Players Championship. Wright likes to switch darts often, and that tactic has worked for him in the past. If he is on and throwing well though, he will be tough to beat against any opponent. Wright’s form leading in has been unconvincing though.
3 – Gerwyn Price (The Iceman) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 7 Wins and 2 Losses
Price has been in decent form the last month and will come into this event fresh after a couple of weeks off. He made the semi-final at the Players Championship and pushed Michael Van Gerwan for an 11-8 loss. He is one of the more intimidating players on tour with his passionate celebrations and will come into this event as one of the favourites, and a decent shot at going deep in this event.
4 – Michael Smith (Bully Boy) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 7 Wins and 2 Losses
Smith is one of the grinders on tour and can score big points and do it quickly in matches. His quick throwing style which relies heavily on rhythm, can be a weakness at times when it comes to checking out. Smith has been playing a lot of darts on the Home Tour leading into this event, and his form has been pretty good in significant tournaments. A decent chance to go deep in this event and has gone deep in big competitions in previous years.
5 – Rob Cross (Voltage) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 3 Wins and 3 Losses
The 2018 Darts World Championship winner comes into this event with some below-average performances. Cross can definitely turn it on, but the form he has shown from previous years has been few and far between in recent events. Will have to be at his best to go deep in this tournament, and that looks unlikely at this stage.
6 – Nathan Aspinall (The Asp) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 4 Wins and 3 Losses
Aspinall was out in the second round of the Players Championship and is one of the players that tends to draw energy off the crowd in the bigger events. He has openly said that he gets a little bored out there with no atmosphere and that may be having an impact on his performances.
Aspinall is one of the more feisty players on tour and gets excited when he builds some big scores. Can light it up, but has found it challenging against some of the more prominent names in recent times, although a big win against Gerwyn Price in the Grand Slam of Darts will give him some confidence in this event.
7 – James Wade (The Machine) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 6 Wins and 2 Losses
Wade does not practice as much as some of his opponents and has said that having all these events so close together has evened it up and helped his game. He is not a massive scorer in terms of 180s, but will capitalize on the mistakes of his opponent as he is very good at hitting doubles. He stood out at the Grand Slam of darts only to lose the final to the in-form Jose de Sousa. Longer matches seem to suit Wade, and if he can somehow advance to the final stages, he is always a chance and won’t let his opponents break away.
8 – Dave Chisnall (Chizzy) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 3 Wins and 2 Losses
Chisnall is a noted scorer on tour and is having no trouble hitting big scores recently. He is struggling with checkouts in recent matches and giving his opponents a lot of chances with missed opportunities. A couple of weeks off may have given him some time to sort out his inability to hit doubles, and if he does, he will be dangerous. His form coming into this event has been unconvincing, but he has made finals in significant events before.
9 – Dimitri Van den Bergh (The DreamMaker) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 5 Wins and 2 Losses
Van den Bergh was very impressive in the Grand Slam of Darts, but in the most recent Players Championship, he was out in the first round with a loss to Ryan Searle. He was on a scoring streak at the Grand Slam, and if he recaptures that form, he will be dangerous. Is a streaky thrower and the scoring can go missing on occasions, but can match it with the best. Is a former winner of the World Match Play event.
10 – Ian White (Diamond) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 3 Wins and 4 Losses
White is another player on the tour that can score big and register a lot of 180s on the odd occasion. He had a high scoring loss to Joe Cullen in the Players Championship and will be a threat if he can somehow go deep in this event. Has never really gone deep in significant events though, with a Semi-Final appearance at the Players Championship in 2019 being his best performance.
11 – Daryl Gurney (SuperChin) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 0 Wins and 1 Loss
Gurney has performed well in big events before with a couple of wins and a lot of Semi-Final appearances. He has not played a lot of matches in big events in recent times, but could be a wildcard. Has been there and done it before and if he brings that type of game, he will be a handful for his opponents.
12 – Glen Durrant (Duzza) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 0 Wins and 4 Losses
Durrant has been a solid performer in events of the past and performed well in big events in recent years. He has been recovering from a sickness, and that has impacted his form in recent weeks. Has been well below his best and comes into this event with less than impressive recent record.
13 – Gary Anderson (The Flying Scotsman) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 3 Wins and 3 Losses
The 2015 and 2016 winner of the Darts World Championships, Anderson comes into this year’s event with an injury to his leg, which may be contributing to his form. The early matches in this event are shorter, and if he gets the early break on his opponents, he will be dangerous. Anderson is a proven winner and may surprise in this event as he can still light up the board.
14 – Jose de Sousa (The Special One) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 8 Wins and 2 Losses
The Winner of the Grand Slam of Darts a couple of weeks back, de Dousa may be one of the players that benefit from there being no crowd. He seems relaxed and is hitting big scores right now. He is new to the tour and the only real question mark to his game, would be his unorthodox style of checking out and the odd miss count. He practices a lot and will be dangerous if he continues limiting the chances of his opponents.
15 – Krzysztof Ratajski (The Polish Eagle) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 1 Win and 3 Losses
Ratajski has been playing a lot of Darts on the Home Tour in the lead up to this event, and his form has been ok. He has never really performed well in the big events as yet, with a Quarter-Final finish at the World Match Play this year being his best finish. Is ranked well and seeded, but is probably more of an outsider in this one.
16 – Joe Cullen (The Rockstar) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 4 Wins and 3 Losses
Cullen is coming off an impressive performance at the Players Championship and pushed Gerwyn Price in his final match, only to lose 10 – 9. He has made Semi-Finals and Quarter-Finals in big events before, and when his game is on, he can match it with the best. Did win an ugly match during the Players Championship against Rob Cross, but redeemed himself after that win and showed some promise. May find it challenging against the big guns though.
17 – Jonny Clayton (The Ferret) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 3 Wins and 3 Losses
Clayton is another seeded player that can occasionally light it up and has no trouble taking it up to some of the bigger names. He has performed well in significant events before, but his best performance at the World Championships is a 3rd Round finish in the last World Champs. Another player that will be a threat if he is on, and it will be good to pay close attention to him in the early stages of the event.
18 – Simon Whitlock (The Wizard) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 6 Wins and 2 Losses
Whitlock can be a 180 machine and played one of the best matches of his career in the Grand Slam of Darts to defeat Michael van Gerwan. He does tend to struggle a little with hitting doubles, but when his confidence is up, and he is scoring well, he will always be tough to beat. Has gone deep in big events before and if he starts throwing those quick bullets in the early stages of the event, he could be dangerous.
19 – Mervyn King (The King) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 5 Wins and 1 Loss
King is coming off almost upsetting Michael van Gerwan in the Players Championship Final in a thrilling encounter. The antics of Van gerwan clearly got to him, and it may seem evident that King prefers there being no crowds in the events. King normally wears ear plugs when there are big crowds, and the fact that there will be little crowd atmosphere may help him continue performing at his best. Has not performed fantastically in big events in the last 7 or 8 years, but when he is on, he has proven he can match it with the best.
20 – Mensur Suljovic (The Gentle) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – (Not Played)
Although Suljovic has not played in the last two big events, his form in the World Cup of Darts was impressive, and he has performed well in significant events in the past. He has an unorthodox style and does take his time, which may get under the skin of some of his opponents. If he plays as he did at the World Cup, he could go deep in this event.
21 – Adrian Lewis (Jackpot) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 0 Wins and 1 Loss
Lewis has not been playing a lot of Darts, but has performed well in big events in the past. He is a big scorer, but a Quarter-Final finish has been his best performance in a significant event in the last few years. He may be coming into this event a bit underdone and may be up against it, but his best is as good as any.
22 – Chris Dobey (Hollywood) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 0 Wins and 1 Loss
Dobey has made it to the Semi-Finals in significant events in recent times, but has not done a lot in big events this year. Has been keeping his game sharp on the home tour and will need to be at his best to progress in this competition.
23 – Jeffrey De Zwaan (The Black Cobra) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 2 Wins and 1 Loss
Just the one loss in recent big events, but he put in a good performance against Michael van Gerwan at the Players Championship. One of the younger competitors on tour at just 24 years of age, his best finish in a big event was at the 2018 World Match Play with a Semi-Final finish. He was ok at the Players Championship and may advance a few rounds in this.
24 – Jermaine Wattimena (The Machine Gun) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 2 Wins and 3 Losses
Wattimena is a consistent Darts player but has never really performed well in significant events. A Quarter-Final finish in the 2019 World Grand Prix is his best performance, and his form leading into this event has not been massively impressive. Can get going on occasions, but may find it challenging against some of the in-form players.
25 – Danny Noppert (Noppie) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 1 Win and 1 Loss
Noppert can get streaky and post some big scores, but has not done a lot in any big event since a Semi-Final finish at the 2018 Players Championship Final. He may win a match or two, but probably doesn’t score high enough consistently to be a threat in this.
26 – Stephen Bunting (The Bullet) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 0 Wins and 1 Loss
Bunting has been playing a lot of Darts on the home darts tour which may hold him in good stead for this tournament. Has not done a lot in big events since a Semi-Final finish at the 2015 UK Open, but has had some Quarter-Final finishes in recent times. Will probably be an outsider in this event, but can perform if he brings his A-Game.
27 – Vincent Van Der Voort (Dutch Destroyer) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 1 Win and 1 Loss
Injury Prone with a constant back issue, but can occasionally turn it on. A Quarter-Final finish at the World Match Play this year, and he can perform on the odd occasion. Looks an outsider in this, but may pinch a couple of wins in the early stages of the event.
28 – Jamie Hughes (Yozza) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 1 Win and 1 Loss
Hughes was out in the first round last year and will be looking for his first win in the World Championships this time around. He can put up some big scores on the odd occasion, but going deep in this event looks a big task.
29 – Devon Petersen (The African Warrior) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 3 Wins and 2 Losses
Peterson is one of the more confident players on tour, but remaining confident whilst out of form may be an advantage for his opponents. He tends to show emotion, and it is easy for opponents to tell when he is not happy with his performances. He can certainly light it up and is one of the more heavy scorers on the tour. Has never been consistent in significant events and likes to feed off the crowd for inspiration. Looking like an outsider, but may surprise.
30 – Brendan Dolan (The History Maker) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 0 Wins and 1 Loss
Dolan has not been playing a lot in recent times and has not been consistent in big events over the past 3 or 4 years. Is a proven contender though and will have to find the form he showed of previous years to advance in the event.
31 – Gabriel Clemens (German Giant) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 2 Wins and 3 Losses
Clemens has scoring power and is generally relatively consistent, but has never gone real deep in any of the big events. Will find it challenging against the big names.
32 – Ricky Evans (Rapid) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 1 Win and 3 Losses
His best finish came at the 2019 European Championship with a Quarter-Final finish, and his only win in a big event came against Wayne Warren who had not been playing all season. A couple of wins looks like the best outcome in this.
Good Unseeded Chances
Damon Heta (The Heat) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 6 Wins and 3 Losses
Heta may be unseeded, but he is one of the in-form darts players at the moment. He showed a lot of promise in the Grand Slam of Darts and was beaten to the eventual finalist Mervyn King in the Players Championship. He keeps his cool and has been maintaining his game in the Darts Home Tour. Is probably the best chance out of all the unseeded players and may go deep in this event.
Ryan Searle (Heavy Metal) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 2 Wins and 3 Losses
Searle can score big and has been playing a lot of Darts on the home tour in recent weeks. He rarely gets beaten by a big margin and can get 180s on a string if he is feeling it. May pinch some wins and take down a big scalp in this event, but has never gone real deep in a big tournament.
Dirk van Duijvenbode (The Titan) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 4 Wins and 3 Losses
Van Duijvenbode has been in some decent form, and it took Michael van Gerwen to knock him out of the Players Championship a couple of weeks back. He can score big and is tough to beat when his confidence is up. He made the final of the World Grand Prix earlier in the year and has also had a couple of Quarter-Final finishes in recent big events. Could go deep in this event and may be able to get him at good odds before the tournament.
Ross Smith (Smudger) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 2 Wins and 1 Loss
Smith looked ok in the Players Championship, but seems to lack consistency. He can’t miss for periods in matches and then struggles to hit a triple. Just the one Quarter-Final appearance in previous big events, but has kept his game sharp on the Home Tour. Played some decent darts in the Players Championship and will need to continue that form to win some matches in this event.
Madars Razma (Razzmatazz) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 1 Win and 1 Loss
Razma does not have a lot of experience in the big events and has never gotten past the third round of a significant tournament. Does have the capability to win matches in this event and can surprise if his game is on.
Ryan Joyce (Relentless) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 1 Win and 3 Losses
Joyce does have the game to win matches in this and was a Quarter-Finalist in this event in 2019. Has not been super consistent in his most recent matches, but can match it with the best on occasions.
Kim Huybrechts (The Hurricane) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 0 Wins and 1 Loss
Huybrechts has been playing a lot of Darts on the home tour in recent weeks and was one of the top performers in the World Cup of Darts a month ago. Can score big when his game is on and always looks confident. Has made finals and semi-finals before and could be a surprise at big odds.
Jeff Smith (The Silencer) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – (Not Played)
Smith showed some real promise in the World Cup of Darts for Canada a month back and may be a surprise to win some early matches. Looks confident out there and can put up some big scores.
Darius Labanauskas (Lucky D) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 0 Wins and 1 Loss
Labanauskas has a unique throwing technique and does look confident with darts in hand. The three-time Lithuanian Champion got all the way to the Quarter-Finals last year and has looked ok in recent events. A decent chance to win some early matches.
Luke Humphries (Cool Hand Luke) Latest Odds Here
Record Last 2 Big Events – 3 Wins and 3 Losses
Humphries is another streaky thrower who can occasionally get hot. Does struggle to close out matches and lets opponents in with missed doubles, but he can match it with some of the best if scoring well.