Darts action hits Blackpool, England, over the next week as the 2023 World Matchplay takes place at the Winter Gardens. All the big names in the sport will be showing up, with the top 16 of the PDC Order of Merit automatically qualifying in this knockout tournament. With just short of a million pounds on the line in prize money, fans can expect some ferocious competition over the next nine days in the pursuit of a 2023 World Matchplay champion.
After a six-year drought, Michael van Gerwen yet again lifted the World Matchplay trophy this time last year. Having had his appetite reignited, will the big Dutchman be able to hold off the competition and go back to back in Blackpool? Or will an in-form Gerwyn Price and Michael Smith outperform him and claim their first titles at this event?
We answer this question and more by digging into the PDC 2023 World Matchplay odds and outlining the best 2023 World Matchplay Darts betting tips ahead of the week’s play.
| ℹ️ Tournament: | 2023 Betfred World Matchplay Darts |
| 📝 Format: | 32-player knockout draw |
| 🏟️ Venue: | Winter Gardens, Blackpool, United Kingdom |
| 🗓️ Dates: | Saturday 15 July to Sunday 23 July |
Want to jump straight to placing a bet on the 2023 World Matchplay? Then don’t worry about our 2023 PDC World Matchplay predictions, just check out these latest darts odds:
Darts bookies in England have this tournament as a clear three-horse race. Gerwyn Price, Michael van Gerwen, and Michael Smith are all neck and neck in the PDC 2023 World Matchplay odds, with Price and van Gerwen at 5.00 (4/1) and Smith a sliver behind at 5.50 (9/2).
Behind these three leaders, the odds triple, however. Luke Humphries is the next favorite at 15.00 (14/1), before a three-way tie for the fifth favorite, with Josh Rock, Jonny Clayton, and Peter Wright all paying 17.00 (16/1) to win.
This will be the 30th edition of the World Matchplay darts, with the event first being played in 1994. Several different formats have been tried, with the 2023 edition settling on a 32-player knockout draw. The top 16 seeds are determined by the PDC Order of Merit, with the remaining 16 qualifying via the PFC ProTour.
Here’s how this tournament has unfolded in recent years:
With this year’s top two favorites also contesting last year’s final, will we have a case of deja vu next Sunday as Michael van Gerwen beats Gerwyn Price yet again? Or, can one of the many past champions in this year’s draw step up and claim the title? Read on for all of our 2023 PDC World Matchplay predictions.
We’ve downloaded all the darts betting apps and run the numbers. Below are the best darts tips for World Matchplay 2023 available on the internet. If you love betting on darts and winning big, then this betting preview is for you:
Michael van Gerwen to Win Outright @ 5.00 (4/1)
1 (100%)
0
Anyone who’s been to a darts event in the few decades preceding 2018 will have heard the chant synonymous with darts, “There’s only one Phil Taylor.” It’s true that what Phil Taylor has achieved in darts is truly unparalleled – however, Michael van Gerwen is mounting a strong argument to be considered in the GOAT status of Taylor as well.
Van Gerwen already has three PDC World Matchplay titles to his name, and he’d dearly love another to add to his legacy. The man they call ‘The Ogre’ is throwing well this season as well and will step onto the stage at Blackpool with the taste of victory still sweet in his mouth after triumphing at the Poland Masters last week over Dimitri Van den Bergh. Class rises to the top, they said, and we say that will happen over the coming days for van Gerwen, leading to the Dutchman winning at 5.00 (4/1).
2 (100%)
0
Odds for a first-time winner are relatively high at the World Matchplay 2023, courtesy of Gerwyn Price and Michael Smith having never won here before. However, we say this is a great bet for several reasons. Firstly, Michael van Gerwen already has three titles, and our prediction is that he will lift the trophy. Secondly, there are several other past champions in the draw who will threaten this year, too, such as Peter Wright, Rob Cross, and Dimitri Van den Bergh. Between these names, we feel confident that the 3.00 (2/1) return is worth a punt on your favorite betting app.
1 (100%)
0
Thirteen years ago, Raymond van Barneveld fell painfully short in the final of the World Matchplay, losing 18-12 to Phil Taylor. Fast forward more than a decade, and the veteran may well not be the force that he once was, but there’s still plenty of skill left in the old dog. We say that van Barneveld, who showed some promise recently making the Bahrain Darts Masters semi-finals, will upset No.15 seed Ryan Searle in their first-round clash for a nice 2.00 (1/1) payout.
World Matchplay 2023 kicks off this weekend, as the best of the best in darts will fight it out for nine days in Blackpool, England. While the draw sees plenty of past champions competing, we say Michael van Gerwen will go back to back and continue building his case to be the GOAT of darts, while Raymond van Barneveld may cause an upset in the early rounds.
