World Grand Prix 2025: Two betting tips for Thursday night
The World Grand Prix field will be whittled down to eight after this evening as the second round of action concludes in Leicester.
There are four best-of-five set contests for arrows fans to enjoy and our resident darts tipster Matt Hill has two best bets – having successfully tipped Cameron Menzies for an upset yesterday with his solitary selection.
A fascinating opener to tonight’s action and a big one for me on a personal level, having backed Jonny Clayton for the title and his quarter pre-tournament.
The Ferret’s chances of making at least the final four certainly increased during round one, with the other three seeds in his section – Michael van Gerwen, Ross Smith and Damon Heta – all falling at the first hurdle.
Clayton did a professional job on the dangerous Andrew Gilding, who was threatening to force a deciding set before the Welshman held and then broke in two impressive five-visit bursts.
Now, instead of a meeting with the Australian No1 Heta, he faces Luke Woodhouse, who won arguably the most dramatic game of the tournament thus far to seal his place here.
In control for most of the contest, it seemed Woody had let things slip through his hands when taking seven darts to get off in a deciding leg on throw – before breaking Heta’s heart with a brutal nine darts, going 180, 180 and 90 in three for a majestic success.
There’s no doubt Woodhouse is a player on the up, having reached a first Euro Tour final two weeks ago in Switzerland which added further gloss to an encouraging 2025 campaign.
It’s for that reason that I see him making this a close contest with Clayton – though I do think these are two similar types of player, with one simply boasting that little bit more major experience.
Few are playing better than Clayton at the moment and with his ever-reliable doubling at the start and end of legs, I think he will have enough to eventually see off a stubborn Woodhouse resistance.
Backing Clayton to win with over 3.5 sets in the match (so 3-1 or 3-2) feels attractively priced at 11/10.
Josh Rock and Gerwyn Price will just be relieved to remain in the running here, having both turned around 1-0 deficits in their opening clashes against Ryan Joyce and Ryan Searle respectively.
It’s not about how you play at the World Grand Prix, though – certainly not in the opening round at least. You just need to find a way through and both showed their class to do so.
Now the format has extended slightly, both of these elite operators should settle into their stride a bit and when Rock meets Price in 2025, fireworks generally fly.
The first of their four meetings this year saw Price edge an epic Pro Tour final 8-7, with Rock averaging 110 in defeat. Rock got his revenge on the Euro Tour two weeks later though, averaging just the 111 on that occasion.
An epic World Matchplay quarter-final also fell in the Northern Irishman’s favour, triumphing 16-11 with his 104 average arguably even more impressive than the previous two given the magnitude of the occasion and length of contest.
Price has since won a further meeting at the New Zealand Darts Masters to level the annual score at two wins apiece, with doubling woes costing Rock who fired in seven maximums in a 6-5 defeat.
Clearly, these two bring the best out of each other and Rock 180s have been a constant of those recent battles. He’s hit 30 in 63 legs against Price this term, averaging 0.47 per leg – a chunk higher than his seasonal average of 0.42 per leg, which is only second to Luke Littler in the entire PDC throughout 2025.
With an improved performance expected from both, and the strong possibility of five sets, backing Rock to go crazy on the T20 bed again tonight makes sense.
2pts - Jonny Clayton to beat Luke Woodhouse and over 3.5 sets - 11/10 (Bet365)
2pts - Josh Rock over 5.5 180s vs Gerwyn Price - 6/5 (Bet365)
1pt double - 7/2 (Bet365)
Total staked - 5pts
*Prices correct as of 1.30pm on Thursday October 9th 2025
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 2025
WOODHOUSE KO'S HETA! What a fightback from Luke Woodhouse! Woodhouse misses SEVEN darts to start the leg, but hits back-to-back maximums to complete the comeback and beat Damon Heta 2-1! 📺 bit.ly/WGP25Live #WGPDarts | R1
164 TO WIN IT!!!! 🔥 RIDICULOUS FROM JOSH ROCK... 👏 A perfect finish to an incredible performance as he reaches the Betfred World Matchplay Semi-Finals in Blackpool, beating Gerwyn Price 16-11. 📺 bit.ly/25WMPLive #MatchplayDarts | QF
CLAYTON ADVANCES! Jonny Clayton is through to Round Two after beating Andrew Gilding 2-0 to set up a tie with Luke Woodhouse next! 📺 bit.ly/WGP25Live #WGPDarts | R1
