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We have reached the business end of this year’s PDC World Championship and several of the game’s biggest names will be believing that this will be their year.
As always with the World Championship, several big names have already made an early exit but the likes of Gerwyn Price, Michael Van Gerwen, Rob Cross and Gary Anderson all remain very much in contention.
With this year’s World Championship having a wide-open feel to it, here we break down some of the most likely contenders and the latest world darts championship betting odds.
Who will win the World Darts Championship – The favourites
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Michael Van Gerwen
The current favourite for the title is the ‘Flying Dutchman’ Michael Van Gerwen. After a few years in the darting wilderness, 2022 has very much been a year of redemption for MVG. Now at three in the world, Van Gerwen is seeking a fourth PDC World Title and very few would bet against it happening.
Van Gerwen is in red-hot form and warmed up for this year’s tournament with a dominating victory at this year’s Players Championships. Van Gerwen has also tasted success at this year’s World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, European Open, and German Open and became a sixth-time winner of the PDC Premier League.
Van Gerwen last tasted world success back in 2019 and will be desperate to end his three-year drought. When it comes to the longer formats MVG will be a tough nut to crack and rightly is the man to beat.
World Darts championship outright odds @Ladbrokes – 2/1
Gerwyn Price
With Michael Van Gerwen having suffered from a few indifferent years, the man who has taken full advantage is the fiery Welshman Gerwyn Price. Price has found himself at the top of the PDC World Rankings for the past few seasons and was the winner of this tournament back in 2021.
Price has established himself as one of the most consistent players on the PDC and has tasted enormous success in recent seasons. A three-time Grand Slam champion, Price has also been victorious in numerous Players Championship events, the World Grand Prix and World Series.
Price is no shrinking violet on the big stage and will believe that he is the man who will last the distance at around 9/2 he could be the value angle of the tournament.
World Darts championship outright odds @William Hill – 9/2
Michael Smith
There would be no more popular winner than Michael Smith if he were to come out on top at this year’s event. Smith has long been one of the most popular players on the PDC Tour thanks in part to his lazy high scoring action. When Smith is at the oche you know the action is going to be fast and furious and he has the ability to beat anyone in the game.
The World Championships have often been a scene of heartbreak for Smith, with the popular Mancunian losing in the final in 2019 and in last year’s event.
After losing in so many big finals – the question hanging over Smith’s head was whether he could win the big one and he was finally able to answer that question when victorious at this year’s Grand Slam of Darts. Smith beat Rob Cross, Joe Cullen, Raymond Van Barneveld and Nathan Aspinall en route to his first major and it’s clear to see that Smith is brimming with confidence here.
Smith knows what it takes to reach the final of this famous event and if he can keep this positive momentum up there is every chance that this could finally be his year.
World Darts championship outright odds @Coral – 5/1
Jonny Clayton
After living in the shadows of his Welsh countryman Gerwyn Price, Jonny Clayton announced himself on the world stage back in 2021 when he captured the World Grand Prix, Premier League, Masters and World Series Finals. Since then, Clayton has become a model of consistency and often finds himself at the business end of the world’s biggest tournaments.
Clayton has often found the lights of the World Championship a little too bright with his best-ever performance coming last year when he reached the fourth round. Clayton will believe he has the game to better that performance this year, and if the Welshman brings his ‘A Game’ he will give anybody a decent game.
World Darts championship outright odds @bet365 – 11/1
Who will win the World Darts Championship – Value Angle
Each year the World Championship sees one of the game’s lesser lights make a deep tournament run – over recent years Luke Humphries and Dave Chisnall have almost shocked the world and won it all.
This year there will be several names who will be hoping they can rock the darting world order.
Dimitri Van den Bergh is arguably the most talented player on the field and has the ability to throw 180s effortlessly. Van den Bergh has a fine pedigree having won the Youth PDC Championship in both 2017 and 2018. Van den Bergh is also a major winner having won the World Matchplay back in 2020. Van den Bergh can certainly beat anyone in this field but whether he has the temperament to hold it all together remains to be seen.
World Darts championship outright odds @Stake – 16/1
Rob Cross has almost become the forgotten man of darts following his meteoric rise to the top of the world back in 2018 when he shocked the world to lift the 2018 world title.
Since his victory in 2018, Cross has found life tricky and hasn’t advanced past the fourth round. However, heading into this year’s tournament there have been signs that Cross is getting nearer to his best.
A winner of Players Championship tournaments this year, Cross also reached the final of the Players Championship losing to Michael Van Gerwen in the final. When in the groove, Cross has proved on numerous occasions that he can beat the very best and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he were to embark on a deep run this year.
World Darts championship outright odds @Betfred – 20/1
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