The Complete Guide to 2025’s World Matchplay Darts
Darts World Matchplay begins in mid-July. Can Luke Humphries buck a trend by winning the competition for a second successive year?
Blackpool’s Winter Gardens will host the Betfred World Matchplay for the 31st time this month. © Taylor Lanning/ PDC
Key Facts:
- Bookmakers cannot see beyond Luke Littler and Luke Humphries in the World Matchplay Darts.
- No player has retained the World Matchplay title since 2016.
- Long game format is expected to see the cream rise to the top.
- Darts is Sky Sports lovechild. It will broadcast all the action live once again.
The 2025 Betfred World Matchplay, the 32nd annual staging of the £800,000 competition, begins on Saturday, July 19, at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool. Eight individual players have taken this title during the past eight years.
The UK’s sports betting sites quote the defending champion, Luke Humphries, on 4/1 odds to buck the trend and become the first back-to-back World Matchplay winner since Michael van Gerwen in 2016.
Humphries nemesis, Luke Littler, is trading as the 7/4 favourite in the outright betting. The reigning World Champion was eliminated from this competition in the first round 12 months ago. However, he has been on a roll since November and took Darts’ last ranking major, the UK Open.
Who Has the Best Matchplay Record?
Only three players have won this tournament more than once. They are the retired Phil Taylor, Rod Harrington and the currently active Michael van Gerwen. The Dutch star (seeded 3 in 2025) has played this event 16 times. He has taken the title thrice and been runner-up, most recently in 2024.
However, James Wade has achieved more final appearances. The world No.9 won the competition in 2008 and has reached the final an additional five times, most recently in 2015. Despite this impressive record, the UK’s online bookmakers dismiss his chances and quote the left-hander on 66/1 odds.
9 DAYS UNTIL THE WORLD MATCHPLAY GETS UNDERWAY!!! 🤩🎯
Can Luke Humphries go back to back? 👀pic.twitter.com/My3rSZRRuy
— Josh (@joshpearson180) July 10, 2025
What Is the World Matchplay Format?
Played at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, the Betfred World Matchplay is a 32-player competition featuring the top 16 players on the PDC Order of Merit. They have been ‘seeded’, and each will meet one of the top 16 players on the ProTour Order of Merit.
First-round matches are a ‘best of 19 legs’ format, second-round games are ‘best of 21’, quarter finals are ‘best of 31 legs’, semis are ‘best of 33 legs’, and the final is ‘best of 35 legs’. Two clear legs must win all games and games will be extended, if necessary.
Players eliminated in the first round will collect £10,000, and the outright winner of the Betfred-sponsored tournament will collect £200,000. Next year the competition’s £800,000 prize fund will be increased to £1 million.
2025 Betfred World Matchplay Draw
Reigning champion and World No. 1, Luke Humphries, headlines the 2025 World Matchplay opening night on Saturday, July 19. First-round action is spread over three days. The second round will take place on Tuesday, July 22, and Wednesday, July 23, before the quarterfinals are staged on Thursday and Friday, July 24 and 25.
Top Bracket
- Luke Humphries (1) v Gian van Veen
- Danny Noppert (16) v Cameron Menzies
- Nathan Aspinall (8) v Wessel Nijman
- James Wade (9) v Joe Cullen
- Stephen Bunting (4) v Ryan Joyce
- Gary Anderson (13) v Luke Woodhouse
- Jonny Clayton (5) v Martin Schindler
- Dave Chisnall (12) v Mike De Decker
Bottom Bracket
- Luke LIttler (2) v Ryan Searle
- Peter Wright (15) v Jermaine Wattimena
- Damon Heta (7) v Andrew Gilding
- Rob Cross (10) v Dirk van Duijvenbode
- Michael van Gerwen (3) v Raymond van Barneveld
- Ross Smith (14) v Josh Rock
- Chris Dobey (6) v Ricardo Pietreczko
- Gerwyn Price (11) v Daryl Gurney
The Betfred World Matchplay semi-finals will be held on Saturday, July 26. The destination of the £200,000 winner’s prize and the coveted Phil Taylor Trophy will be decided on Sunday, July 27.
The Biggest Names in the Big Event
Outside of the ‘Big Three’, former Masters champion Stephen Bunting and 2023 World Matchplay runner-up Jonny Clayton are seeded fourth and fifth, respectively. Chris Dobey enters the fray in sixth position.
Former World Matchplay winners Nathan Aspinall (seeded 8), James Wade (9), and Rob Cross (10) will also be amongst the seeded stars, alongside 2022 finalist Gerwyn Price. Scottish icons Gary Anderson and Peter Wright – champions in 2018 and 2021, respectively – also comprise the top 16.
Anderson is returning as a seeded player for the first time in three years.
The 16 ProTour qualifiers (based on prize money won in European Tour events and Players Championships within the last year) include 2023 semi-finalist Joe Cullen and Dutch icon Raymond van Barneveld, who was the World Matchplay runner-up in 2010.
Northern Ireland’s newly crowned World Cup winners Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney both feature, as does World Youth Champion Gian van Veen – who was a Blackpool debutant 12 months ago.
Cameron Menzies and Wessel Nijman will be the two newcomers in this year’s field. World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker returns alongside Dutch duo Dirk van Duijvenbode and Jermaine Wattimena.
How Can I Watch the World Matchplay?
Every World Matchplay game, set and match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. The broadcaster reported an impressive upswing in Darts viewing in 2024. Should teenage sensation Luke Littler make a deep run in this competition, the trend will surely continue.
The UK’s best online betting sites will also livestream the action. Bet-in-play markets will accompany it on all matches with options including ‘highest checkout’ and ‘correct game score’.
