"I've looked at the rankings – I’m provisionally number one for the World Championship if Luke doesn't defend all that prize money,” he said, casually eyeing top spot.
Darts World
There were some big rankings jumps and falls for players.
Alex Walsh
Who doesn't love a little Bob Marley?
Luke Littler is hot on Luke Humphrey's heels in the race to be world No.1
Toby Coxon
Lisa Ashton added the PDC Women’s World Matchplay title to her already overcrowded trophy cabinet with a thrilling 6–5 victory over inaugural winner Fallon Sherrock...
Luke Littler has done it.
This evening's clash is between a highly decorated former champion, James Wade, and reigning World Champion, Luke Littler....
Luke Littler is looking to win his first World Matchplay title.
They were both on nines!!!
The semifinals featured two of the greatest games we have ever seen in Blackpool.
Josh Rock capped off an incredible performance with a fitting 164 checkout.
Day 7 continued what has been an entertaining week at the World Matchplay of Darts.
Luke Littler is onto yet another round of the 2025 World Matchplay.
We have some entertaining first-round matchups lined up.
Luke Littler's scoring made him a huge threat against Gilding.
Luke Littler is up for the task at the World Matchplay of Darts.
James Wade ended Gian van Veen's title hopes in their quarterfinal match on Thursday.
Jonny Clayton had himself a day against one of the tournament favorites, Stephen Bunting.
Day 6 featured two veterans dismantling their opponents in their quarterfinal matches.
With a smooth throw and level temperament, Bunting had long been considered a major talent, and his switch to the PDC later that same year was met with high expectations.
At 7-2 down, it looked like Littler’s Matchplay dreams were being bundled into the back of a Blackpool Uber. Wattimena was cruising – full of bounce, belief, and bang-on scoring. He strutted around like a man who’d finally cracked the Littler code...
Only eight players remain in the World Matchplay. The Sporting News has all the best predictions as the quarter-finals get underway.
S News Betting
Luke Littler is set to play in his first career World Matchplay quarterfinal.
Gerwyn Price showed tonight why he's one of the favorites to win it all.
Andrew Gilding had himself at day at the World Matchplay.
Michael van Gerwen was clutch with this timely ton-plus checkout.
Littler fought back from down 7-2 to win a thriller.
Michael van Gerwen and Josh Rock produced one of the games of the tournament.
Day 5 featured two of the best games of the 2025 World Matchplay of Darts.
...there exists a hallowed club [in darts]. A sacred fraternity if you will. To date, only four men have ever won the sport’s Triple Crown: the World Championship, the Premier League, and the World Matchplay...
Michael Van Gerwen has spoken about his career longevity and his pursuit to stay at the top.
Day 4 was filled with drama, including the game of the tournament so far.
Littler is looking to follow up an incredible performance from round one.
The stakes are high, with the winner earning a coveted spot in both the 2025 Grand Slam of Darts and the 2026 PDC World Championship...
Day 3 featured entertaining contests from Josh Rock and Gerywn Price, to cap off the first round.
Mike De Decker picked up a huge first career win in Blackpool on Sunday.
The Flying Scotsman played very well in his first round game.
Clayton and Schindler played so well, it was a shame someone had to go home.
Stephen Bunting was able to grab the first of hopefully many wins this week.
What a day it was for Littler on Sunday.
If Littler manages it in a week’s time, he won’t just break the record for the youngest ever to do so – he’ll do it by a country mile...
Gary Anderson longs for the darts 'good old days', saying all the young players just sit on their phones.
Day 2 of the World Matchplay was full of surprises and entertaining action.
Jermaine Wattimena can check a win in Blackpool off his bucket list.
Dirk van Duijvenbode was showing off on this 137 finish.
The 2019 World Matchplay champion is out!
Heta and Gilding were both in top form in their match.
Humphries may have lost the game, but this was a crazy checkout to end session #1.
It was far from an ideal World Matchplay campaign for Nathan Aspinall.
...when it comes to the Winter Gardens, Jonny has stayed until the very end once – and on all other occasions, beat the postcards home...
James Wade appears to be a real threat after a statement win against Joe Cullen.
Danny Noppert is through to the second round.
Some huge names were eliminated already on Day 1.
Luke Humphries had a very short 2025 World Matchplay campaign.
Cameron Menzies wasn't very focused here.
The Bald Eagle says memories of winning the very first World Matchplay in 1994 come flooding back every year when he sees the Winter Gardens stage...
Luke Littler is searching for his first World Matchplay win this week.
There could be some high seeds going home early based on our expert picks for the 2025 World Matchplay of Darts. Alex Walsh gives you the full lowdown.
Darts World caught up with Cullen ahead of the curtain-raiser to get his thoughts on... kicking off the biggest event of the summer:
The 32nd edition of the World Matchplay Darts gets underway, and The Sporting News has all your TV and live streaming details as the action gets underway in Blackpool.
Abhinav Nair
Each has a claim to have contributed to one of the most prestigious and cherished events on the modern darts calendar. Here are some of our favourites:
...few players have tangoed with tungsten in the Empress Ballroom as often as two-time World Champion Adrian Lewis...With over half of his trips to the Winter Gardens ending in at least a quarter-final, Lewis has been embroiled in some absolute belters...
Phil Taylor has set a virtually impossible-to-beat standard.
Like everything to do with darts you can get some wonderful insights through the simple numbers of any long lasting event. With this years event due to start this weekend we thought we'd offer a few...
A new format means more action!
By 17, MVG was already making waves - winning the 2006 Winmau World Masters and hitting a televised nine-darter shortly thereafter. In 2007 he began to ply his trade in the Professional Darts Corporation...
There's a lot on the line for a handful of players at the World Matchplay.
Some new names will be headed to the land down under.
Dobey made a fantastic choice to switch his walk-on to "Hey Jude".
...it looked like Sevada might need a wheelbarrow just to haul his expanding trophy haul back to Arizona. The red-hot marksman burst out of the blocks during Weekend #3...
Some unseeded players could make major noise.
Celebrity, popularity or past achievements are no insurance against the cold reality of finishing outside that top echelon. Among 2025’s threatened names are...
Gerwyn Price just had an incredible week.
The two German stars will have a chance to win on Sunday in front of their home crowd.
Dirk van Duijvenbode smashed through the 105 average mark as he dismantled Ryan Meikle in ruthless fashion.
They’re amateurs. That means you should have to work your way up before playing at the World Championship. Frankly, they shouldn’t be there at all...
As the...event rolls into the Winter Gardens next week, bringing with it thirty-two dart-flinging hopefuls, £800,000 in prize money, and a strong scent of ambition, DW are going to suggest a few early match ups to keep an eye on.
The European Tour returns this weekend!
Bradley Brooks was putting up insane averages.
It will feel weird not seeing these players in Blackpool in two weeks.
There are some iconic & new names competing at Blackpool this year.
That set up a showdown with Stephen Bunting – a man who sees more finals than most but has been left holding the silver platter a few too many times....
Damon Heta won an absolute thriller against Stephen Bunting.
Josh Rock strikes perfection with an incredible nine-dart leg.
Many are organic and were coined by players and watchers over the decades. Others have been popularised by TV commentators adding colour since the 1970s...
...two other PDC affiliated tour events were taking place thousands of miles apart. Such is the pace of modern Professional Darts Council affiliated activities.
What a finish!
He's incredible!
After a solid career in rugby union and league, he switched to darts in 2014 and quickly turned pro with a PDC Tour Card. His fiery competitive spirit and uncompromising attitude rapidly earned him a reputation.
Enter the World Series of Darts – the PDC’s glitzy global tour that takes elite players, local hopefuls, and tungsten far and wide to promote the sport on other continents...
What a day it was!
Three faces are essentially granite-certified: Eric Bristow, Phil Taylor, and Michael van Gerwen..."It's just probably me...I won five. So I think I belong in the top four.”..."
The third edition of the Poland Darts Masters gets underway, and The Sporting News has all your TV and live streaming details as the action gets underway in Gilwice.
An exciting weekend ahead!
I can't speak!!!
"It’s me – no one else is to blame. If anything, I’m more surprised it took nearly two years to come out. The UK Government didn’t want me to go bankrupt, and rightly so..."
There are just a few World Series of Darts events to go.
Inaugurated in 1994, The Matchplay, as it is known to fans, has been played in the same town, same venue, and almost exactly the same time, every year since...
Who is performing well this year?
With World Series fever still glowing beneath the New York skyline, the PDC roadshow now rolls into Gliwice...
Host nation thrills, favourites coming a cropper, and sublime moments of darting skill were all present in the Big Apple...
How 'Cool Hand Luke' became the world's top-ranked player.
Is this feasible?
Nathan was on his game this tournament.
What a final game it was.
The Green Machine is back.
The Americans were very fun to watch this weekend.
Welcome to Q-School, the gladiator arena for darting hopefuls. It's survival of the fittest. By that, we mean survival of the ones who are generally the best at darts...
No one saw this coming.
He's a showman.
The second night of the U.S. Darts Masters somehow managed to top the first.
A Canadian wins again.
Indiana-born left-hander is preparing for his fourth bite of this cherry – three of those bites having been in the Big Apple itself...
What an opening night it was!
How much does it matter?
As well as a slightly trimmer MVG, fans will notice a couple of cosmetic changes too – in both kit and equipment.
The seventh edition of the US Darts Masters gets underway, and The Sporting News has all your TV and live streaming details as the action gets underway in New York.
Health, happiness and form are all pointing in the right direction. Now all The Asp needs is a little more success in the shape of silverware.
Who will win it all in the Big Apple? Here's our take on the latest betting tips and predictions for the US Darts Masters.
Who will win it all?
It should be a fun one!
“Every tournament is special, but the US Masters is one of the biggest on the calendar. Out of all the World Series events, this is the one I really want to win...
With three World Series tour titles and two Finals triumphs already to his name, Gezzy’s no tourist when it comes to globe-trotting for silverware – and he definitely didn’t fly across the pond just to grab a selfie with the Statue of Liberty....
Whether you're already hooked, newly converted, or just here to find out what the fuss is about, this quick guide should help you get to grips with the world of professional darts...
It's good to see Mighty Mike back in good spirits.
Let’s outline the basic framework and objectives for the most popular game in darts.
Could one of the North American eight go one better than Canadian Jeff Smith, who reached the final in 2023?
Now, let’s take a closer look at the first four North American boys who’ll be stepping up to challenge the big guns...
Which is your favorite?
From that point the World Cup of Darts underwent several incarnations. New formats, venues and then a fully revamped competition, as an exclusively pairs event...
...who could well be the next breakthrough star from North America - the one to again, plant a Canadian flag on the global oche..?
Mighty Mike might be back in elite form.
What a day for The Machine.
The darts calendar is starting to heat up.
Like most successful commercial sports, darts has had a roller coaster ride of success and failure and its fair share of growing pains...Finally, in 1997 a legally enforceable compromise was reached...and the PROFESSIONAL DARTS CORPORATION was born.
There were ten places up for grabs in each qualifier - firstly, for the Baltic Sea Darts Open, which takes place next month...The other was for the Flanders Darts Trophy, hosted where it should be - in Antwerp...
But with the glittering years behind him and the twilight of his career on the horizon, how does he really feel about still mixing it with the elite?
It's going to be a fun next few weeks.
The tension...
One of the most decorated players of the modern era produced a series of vintage displays to claim victory, ending a wait of almost three years for a PDC ranking title.
Stephen Bunting recorded a succession of standout performances to clinch his fourth PDC title of 2025.
The annual darting extravaganza will see a record-breaking 128-player field with a significant boost for North American hopefuls...
‘Hollywood’ Chris Dobey claimed the latest Players Championship title of the season, but nearly tore up his own script as Dirk van Duijvenbode came close to pulling off a remarkable comeback...
This should be very exciting.
Northern Ireland have at long last added their name to the roll of honour...Let’s have a glance at the club to which they have added their names.
The PDC World Darts Championship 2025/26 will have a record-breaking 128-player field and an eye-watering £5 million prize fund, with £1 million reserved for the eventual winner.
It had all the makings of a blockbuster - and that’s exactly what unfolded. Northern Ireland raced into a 2-0 lead, the biggest margin until the very end...
What a stacked final this finish set up.
So much emotion.
What a weekend it was for Josh Rock & Daryl Gurney.
WHAT A MATCH!
A champion has been crowned!
What a performance by the Germans
The World Cup of Darts has reached the final, and we have all the latest betting and odds here at The Sporting News as the title is decided.
Peter Marshall
It's knockout stage time.
What did we just watch?
The World Cup of Darts is underway, and we have all the latest betting and odds here at The Sporting News.
The World Cup of Darts is here, and The Sporting News brings you the best predictions, tips and odds ahead of the big event.
Peter Fitzpatrick
Get your popcorn out, it's time for the drama to continue.
12 teams will advance by the end of the night.
Pure drama.
History has been made.
North America laboured on the opening night with both the United States and Canada struggling in their opening encounters...
Let the games begin!
The 15th edition of the World Cup of Darts gets underway, and The Sporting News has all your TV and live streaming details as world champions England look to defend their 2024 title in Frankfurt.
How awesome would that be?
USA and Canada have been ever-presents at the PDC World Cup of Darts. Both nations boast a quarter-final appearance as their best run to date.
Should be a fun few days in Germany.
Can it be done?
Greaves had already banked half a dozen before a dart was thrown this past weekend, and by the end of it, she’d stormed into double figures.
Might be the best song on the tour.
Who doesn't love a good nickname?
Some bright spots in a rollercoaster year for 'The Bullet'.
This should be a fun four days.
What a night.
Who doesn't love a good Cool Hand walk-on?
The Asp might be back.
What a night in London.
It's go time.
This is exciting news!
...his charge toward Premier League glory tonight nothing short of astonishing. The man is basically held together by tape, grit, and a pathological refusal to lose.
The Premier League Darts Finals Night is finally here, and The Sporting News has you covered with the best bets, offers, predictions and tips ahead of the action at the O2, London.
TV channels and live streams to watch the Premier League Darts 2025 in UK. Here’s the latest fixtures and the upcoming schedule.
TV channels and live streams to watch the Premier League Darts 2025 in the UK. Here are the latest fixtures and the upcoming schedule.
This would be extremely fun to watch.
Unsurprisingly, the teenage sensation enters the arena as the bookies favourite to retain his crown. But three players - each talented enough to derail the Littler Express - are ready to have their say...
Who will take home some hardware?
A legend is calling it a career.
The popular Welshman also continued his love-affair with Rosmalen, extending his winning run at the Autotron to 12 matches...
The future of darts is in good hands.
World number one Humphries produced a stirring fightback to deny Menzies on a thrilling day of action in Rosmalen, overturning a 5-3 deficit to triumph
The Dutch legend is taking a short hiatus.
Van Duijvenbode was one of four Dutch stars to triumph during an eventful opening day in Rosmalen, with Van Barneveld, Wessel Nijman and Jeffrey Sparidaans also celebrating victories.
The assignment was simple enough - on paper, at least: beat Michael van Gerwen in his quarter-final and you’re off to London next Thursday....
What a week it was to close out the regular season of the 2025 Premier League of Darts.
Night 16 of the Premier League Darts season is upon us, and The Sporting News brings you predictions, tips and the best bets for the action in Sheffield.
The Premier League Darts season is in full swing. Here are the latest prices and betting markets on outright winner and more.
Aspinall, sitting in fourth place with 24 points, has the edge over van Gerwen’s 20. But here's where it gets interesting: the two face each other in the quarter-finals, and the maths couldn’t be simpler...
The wait until the play-off is almost over.
