2026 World Matchplay: Three bets for Monday evening's action
The World Matchplay's opening round concludes on Monday evening with the final four seeds looking to avoid joining Chris Dobey in suffering a first-round exit.
Our arrows expert Matt Hill is on hand to run you through the action, complete with his best bets.
This was probably the game that darts enthusiasts winced at most during the first-round draw, with two popular and upwardly mobile players paired off in Ross Smith and Kevin Doets.
Smith is more of a known commodity to casual viewers having hovered around the top end of the game for the best part of a decade now, enjoying his crowning moment when lifting the 2022 European Championship.
Smudger had an underwhelming 2025 but has roared back to form in style this year, already scoring two titles on the floor and a first ever European Tour success – making him a popular dark horse in this intriguing third quarter.
However, he'll have to be at his blistering best against Doets, who may just be the quickest-improving player on the circuit over the last 12 months.
The Dutchman has already shown what he can do when on his game with two great runs at Ally Pally in recent times but Hawkeye is now an established top dog – certainly on the floor, where he has made the quarter finals or better of the notoriously difficult Players Championship events on 10 of 24 occasions this term, winning his first one in Germany too.
Doets, like Smith, is a scoring machine and though the 180s line is set high here at 11.5, I think the rhythm of these two players is a perfect fit. Both like to get on with it and aren't lovers of mind games, so this should be high-octane, no-nonsense stuff from dart one.
It's rare I'd play a line this high but with the potential for this one to go to overtime, over 11.5 180s has suckered me in.
Backing Gerwyn Price with confidence at big events is hard work these days, particularly when you consider the Welshman is now over four-and-a-half years on from his last ranked major win at the 2021 Grand Slam of Darts.
Still, the Iceman remains one of the very best operators around and still cleans up on the Pro Tour and European Tour with his customary regularity.
He's only entered three of the 10 continental events this year, making a final in one and winning another. On the floor, he'd had a final and a victory by PC6 in February, meaning he's been able to put his feet up for the last few months knowing his Minehead qualification is already confirmed.
Price has chucked some promising positions at majors, notably when he let Luke Littler up off the canvas with several missed match darts at last year's World Grand Prix. He also exited the World Championship last Christmas at the first hurdle to Wesley Plaisier. So there's always some anxiety siding with him in big-stage match-ups.
However, one thing Price does know how to do is beat Martin Schindler. The diminutive German won their first ever meeting in 2021 but, since then, has suffered defeat in 11 out of 13 subsequent clashes. That's a hefty deficit which unquestionably poses a mental hurdle for the Wall to climb over.
Schindler is no mug, with ample big-stage experience and outstanding success on the European Tour – particularly when operating in front of his home fans. However, his major record is still sub-par for a player of his class and furthermore, I'm slightly concerned about his form in 2026.
Schindler is the definition of a 'first-dart merchant'. If his opening arrow finds the target, he's very good at following it in. But this term, so many of his first darts have been pulled into the five segment and it's something he struggles to correct mid-match.
All told, I think this is the ideal opener for Price this year and while his mettle may be tested in later rounds, he looks value to get rid of Schindler without too much stress. Price -3.5 legs handicap appeals at 6/5.
Match three sees the introduction of tournament second-favourite and former Matchplay winner Luke Humphries, with a tricky but navigable opponent awaiting in Cameron Menzies.
I'm afraid this game is a no bet for me. Humphries is short enough and will probably get the job done with a bit of comfort, but Menzies is nowhere near as bad as his 10-2 loss to Danny Noppert on Blackpool debut 12 months ago would suggest.
The Scot has had his problems – including going to war with a drinks table at last year's World Championship – but seems to be in a much better place now and recently bagged a Pro Tour title for the third year running when victorious on the floor last month.
The market makes this a comfortable night for Cool Hand but I wouldn't be rushing to back that, given Menzies really should have dumped him out of last year's European Championship. Cammy missed two darts for a 9-7 lead before going on to lose a high-quality affair 10-9.
If he can frame that clash correctly in his head, another spirited display could be on the cards here and it wouldn't be the greatest shock to see Menzies go close. But really, Humphries should win.
If only one seed is to join Dobey in not making it through round one this evening, the betting markets would tell you it is Danny Noppert.
The Freeze is a rather large outsider here against former world champion Rob Cross, for whom piles and piles of money has arrived over the last few days. Indeed, I have had Cross on my own radar for the last few months with Voltage clearly a man close to rediscovering his best levels after a few years in the darting abyss.
Cross' downfall hasn't been as dramatic as some. After all, he was unlikely to ever match a first year on tour that resulted in a PDC World Championship win, beating tournament favourite Michael van Gerwen in the greatest ever semi-final, then spanking the great Phil Taylor in the Power's final ever game to lift the trophy. But there's no doubt he had been on a steady decline for some time after those epic opening two years as a pro.
That slide seems to have been arrested, though. Cross has had mental health issues which he now speaks far more openly about and he certainly comes across in his media commitments as someone who feels less weighed down by the rigours of professional darts.
His European Tour final in June was followed by a floor success this month, so the cat is very much out of the bag about Cross' return to form – and as a result, the market may have just overreacted a tad.
Noppert is not enjoying a good 2026 but it's easy to forget that last year, he was probably the most consistent major performer not called Luke. Four semi-finals in the televised big ones for Noppy show how comfortable he now is in these arenas and while I am concerned by his recent levels, I still think he's classy enough to keep this contest tight.
Over 16.5 legs in the match makes good appeal at 17/20 with Ladbrokes and Coral for what could be an epic end to the evening.
2pts - Kevin Doets vs Ross Smith over 11.5 180s - 19/20 (William Hill)
2pts - Gerwyn Price -3.5 legs handicap vs Martin Schindler - 6/5 (10Bet)
2pts - Danny Noppert vs Rob Cross over 16.5 legs - 17/20 (Ladbrokes/ Coral)
1pt treble on above selections - 6.32/1 (Ladbrokes/ Coral)
Total staked - 7pts
Matt Hill is Odds Now's Head of Content and leads our digital operation, while also offering his insight as a tipster across darts and football.
Having worked in the industry for the best part of a decade, including extended stints with Betfred and LiveScore, Matt joined the project in May 2024 with the sole aim of making Odds Now a key player in the betting content space.
He has also forged a reputation as a respected darts tipster, landing numerous three-figure outright winners over the years, while his love for lower league football also helps him pick out the odd obscure winner in that space.
When not at the editorial desk, Matt enjoys travelling the country supporting his beloved Carlisle United FC, chucking a few arrows and spending time with his young family.
Matt Hill is Odds Now's Head of Content and leads our digital operation, while also offering his insight as a tipster across darts and football.
Having worked in the industry for the best part of a decade, including extended stints with Betfred and LiveScore, Matt joined the project in May 2024 with the sole aim of making Odds Now a key player in the betting content space.
He has also forged a reputation as a respected darts tipster, landing numerous three-figure outright winners over the years, while his love for lower league football also helps him pick out the odd obscure winner in that space.
When not at the editorial desk, Matt enjoys travelling the country supporting his beloved Carlisle United FC, chucking a few arrows and spending time with his young family.
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