2026 World Matchplay: Three bets for Wednesday evening's action
The World Matchplay's second round of action concludes on Wednesday with four more players set to book their spots in the quarter-finals in Blackpool.
Luke Littler lit up the Winter Gardens with a magical nine-darter in his 11-8 victory over Nathan Aspinall on Tuesday. Can anyone follow suit this evening?
Our arrows expert Matt Hill is on hand to run you through the action, complete with his best bets.
We start Wednesday night with a contest neither player would have really been expecting, as Ross Smith takes on Cameron Menzies.
Smudger would have undoubtedly fancied his chances of making the last 32, despite many making him the outsider for his first round clash with Kevin Doets – a game he won 10-6.
The Kent ace was keen to point out afterwards that bookmakers writing him off had fired him up for that contest a little bit and, to be fair, the three-time title winner in 2026 showed his class and experience with a ruthless showing.
Even still, Smith would not have expected to be playing Menzies in his next assignment. The Scot seemed to surprise himself when completing a remarkable 10-7 win over tournament second-favourite Luke Humphries with a 170 finish. But it was a thoroughly deserved success.
Menzies is so often his worst critic but it's been long apparent that when his head is in a good place, he can mix it with the game's elite. Now, he faces another hurdle in trying to back such a showing up.
Hunting just a third ever major quarter-final, it's hard to be confident in him doing so. It's an age-old tale in darts, too, to see a player struggle to replicate their level after causing a seismic shock. So I do expect some regression from Menzies here, which makes Smith a worthy favourite.
Smith might just feel the pressure too though, now he is presented with an unexpected opportunity. What looks on paper to be a close and exciting match-up may well descend into who holds themselves together the best.
As a result, I find myself gravitating towards the unders line on 180s. We've seen a few games with monstrous maximum totals in this round already – and practically, this pair can score with the best. But given the context around this particular clash, that may be easier said than done.
Under 11.5 180s looks worth a play here.
Possibly the most intriguing game of the round here as the Netherlands' two most exciting young talents square off in Gian van Veen and Wessel Nijman.
Van Veen would be within his rights to feel a little irked to be made outsider here, given he's the one with more major pedigree (World Championship finalist, European Championship winner), more big stage experience and has won five of the seven previous meetings. But such is the class of Gian, he wouldn't say it out loud.
Instead, he's chosen to pay homage to what his compatriot has done this year – and it has been quite remarkable, in fairness. Nijman has racked up eight titles in 2026 and we're only in July. Six on the floor, two on the European Tour. Finally, this long-time prodigy is coming good on his potential.
In many ways, this feels like a pivotal night in Nijman's career. While he always managed to keep the out-of-form Dave Chisnall at arm's length in round one, he will have a much sterner examination from Van Veen here and you'd think we'll need to see a 90%+ version of Nijman if he is to seal a landmark victory.
The fact he snapped a five-match losing streak against Van Veen recently on the European Tour (a 6-1 success) will do wonders for his mental state and I, like many other darts followers, believe this could well be Nijman's breakout tournament. But tonight is the big test for him.
If he is to get over the line, 180s will be key. Nijman can hit maximums with the best of them and while Van Veen is not a shabby scorer himself, that facet of his game has been a little off in recent times. He was even out-maximumed by Krzysztof Ratajski in round one, which tells a story about where Gian's game is right now.
I think taking Nijman on the 180s handicap line of -1.5 (i.e. - to win the maximum count by two or more) could be solid way into this blockbuster clash.
Gerwyn Price can count himself as the most fortunate man left in this tournament after Martin Schindler let him off the hook in the opening round.
Leads of 4-0, 6-2 and 8-5 for the German had the Iceman floundering but Schindler was unable to close out the contest, losing six of the last seven legs. Credit must go to Price for showing good battling spirit but there's no doubt it was his opponent's implosion that most shaped the outcome.
Price admitted after that his confidence is quite low at the moment, which doesn't bode well for a showdown with the resurgent Rob Cross.
Voltage was incredibly well backed by punters to take care of Danny Noppert in round one and did so with minimal fuss, putting the Freeze away 10-3 with a 97.41 average – and you feel there were more gears there for the former world champion if he needed them.
Cross has spoke openly about his recent mental health issues and admits that nearly missing out on qualification for this tournament has 'given him a kick up the backside'. He's unquestionably playing the best arrows we've seen from him in many years and there are plenty who believe the 35-year-old is close to competing for the biggest titles again.
At the prices, you'd certainly have to lean towards Cross getting the job done here. Having backed him for his quarter at 9/1 already though, it's not a line I'd be getting involved in again on a personal level.
One angle that could pay in this one is backing a big finish. The highest checkout line sits at 133.5 – fairly high, but with good reason. These are two of the best combination finishers on the planet for me, with buckets of big game experience. Both are good on the bull (always a plus when backing big outs) and furthermore, this feels like a near certainly to have 16+ legs in it. So ample time for something special to happen.
You're never out of the game with a big finish line too, so it's a nice one for recreational punters to take a chance on.
The final game of Wednesday evening is perilously close in the betting and I have to admit, I'm struggling to call it.
James Wade was installed as an initial clear favourite but, as expected, money has come for recent World Championship semi-finalist Ryan Searle to make this verging on a pick'em.
The stats suggest these pair are well matched. Wade has the experience and pedigree edge, while Searle has the superior scoring power – and isn't bad at the back-end of legs either. I'm not sure I'd want to be hanging my hat on either of this pair really, though you do have to respect what Wade's record here reads.
Being honest, I have a sneaky lean towards Searle here. I have much stronger conviction on the other three matches though, so this night-closer is a watching brief for me.
2pts - Ross Smith vs Cameron Menzies under 11.5 180s - EVS (William Hill)
2pts - Wessel Nijman -1.5 180s handicap vs Gian van Veen - 21/20 (Ladbrokes/ Coral)
2pts - Over 133.5 checkout in Gerwyn Price vs Rob Cross - 10/11 (various)
1pt treble on above selections - 6.24/1 (Ladbrokes/ Coral)
Total staked - 7pts
18+. New customers only. Opt in required. Minimum bet of £40 on any selections. Min odds of evens (2.00). Pre-game only. Free bet awarded upon settlement. Free bet split into 4 x £5. Free bet on accumulators only. Free bet expiry 24 hours. Other free bet terms apply. Maximum pay-outs apply. GamCare.org.uk | UK only. Full T&Cs apply. #ad
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.
Matt's p/l
7 Days
30 Days
Year 2026
