The PDC World Darts Championship is almost upon us and one player in particular is all the rage to power through the biggest field in the tournament's history and retain the Sid Waddell Trophy.
There are plenty of contenders heading to Alexandra Palace, with several former champions in decent form and a hungry pack of the next generation all ready to go for gold at the greatest show in darts.
And gold this year means a record £5m prize purse with £1m of that going to the winner.
But the one man most darts watchers are finding it hard to see past is Luke Littler, the world No.1 and defending champion, and a red-hot 10/11 shot in the darts betting to see off allcomers and hold the trophy aloft on Saturday, January 3.
Selections
Luke Littler to win @ 10/11
Michael van Gerwen to win (each-way) @ 20/1
Dirk van Duijvenbode to win Second Quarter @ 10/1
The Nuke set to explode into another title charge
Runner-up two years ago on debut, winner 12 months ago, now it’s time for Littler to become just the fourth man – and first since 2016 – to successfully defend his world title.
Timing is everything in darts and teenage sensation Littler has timed his run to Ally Pally to perfection.
The newly crowned world No.1 had a pretty good first half of 2025 – crowned world champion and won the UK Open – but he has hit dizzy heights in the second half.
Not defending his Premier League crown was a minor mishap given the scale of what followed, with Littler landing the Matchplay, Grand Prix, Grand Slam and most recently the Players Championship Finals.
He is closer to unbeatable now than he has ever been and in all honesty it’s virtually impossible to see anyone in his eighth of the draw stopping him from reaching the quarter-finals where the longer format simply plays to his strength.
He is a short price, yes, but deservedly so and is a hard man to look past.
Tip 1: Luke Littler to win @ 10/11
Mighty Mike can force a final repeat
You have to go back to 1997 and 1998 for the last time there were back-to-back repeat finals, when Phil Taylor and Dennis Priestley reached the showpiece for the second year in a row.
But it could quite plausibly happen this year with Michael van Gerwen, beaten by Littler in last year’s final, decent value to emerge from the bottom half to share the main stage with The Nuke on January 3.
Van Gerwen has not had a vintage year by any means, missing events for various reasons, yet he still managed to win a 51st PDC major by beating Littler among others to win the World Series.
He was also a European Tour winner and semi-finalist at the European Championship and has a big-stage nous and pedigree that is the envy of many.
Take him to emerge from the bottom half to land another shot at a fourth world crown.
Tip 2: Michael van Gerwen to win (each-way) @ 20/1
DvD to make good viewing in softer quarter
Punters may well be paying more attention to the second quarter than the outright market because it really is wide open.
Thirty-two players in it and not one outstanding favourite, with Stephen Bunting and Jonny Clayton easy to back at the head of affairs.
They are the top seeds in the section, but did their best work earlier in the year and are hardly flying.
Only Bunting has a better average in this sector than Dirk van Duijvenbode, a wonderfully inconsistent performer who could easily turn it on and make the semis.
Tip 3: Dirk van Duijvenbode to win second quarter @ 10/1
