World Cup of Darts 2025 betting preview: Back Wales for a third title

The World Cup of Darts is one of the most unique events on the darting calendar and the 2025 event promises to be one of the most exciting yet.

Last year, the English pairing of Luke Humphries and Michael Smith stormed to victory in Frankfurt, defeating Australia 10-6 in the final.

Smith drops out for 2025, but in his place is Luke Littler, making England runaway favourites for the team event.

They won't have it all their own way, as strong pairings from Wales, Scotland, Belgium and the Netherlands will all be aiming to win.

The format that was introduced in 2023 remains. All four top seeds have a bye through to the last-16, where they will be joined by the 12 group winners.

From then on, it is a straight knockout format with matches the best of 15 legs, although this changes to the best of 19 legs in the final.

A prize fund of £450,000 is on offer, with the winners getting their hands on £80,000 in Germany this week.

The favourites

Both Lukes have been incredible throughout 2025. Humphries has won the Premier League and the World Masters. Littler not only became world champion for the first time, but the teenager also won the UK Open and Belgian Darts Open.

This pairing, on paper anyway, looks unstoppable. Of course, it isn’t that easy, but the duo will see anything less than a victory as a major disappointment in Frankfurt this week.

Given their respective performances this year, you can back England at 1/2 courtesy of BetMGM.

Such is the strength of the English pairing, the second favourites to win the tournament are Wales, who are 11/2 with BetMGM to win the World Cup for the third time.

Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton have reached three finals in the event as a pair and with both playing solidly throughout 2025, they have a great chance of winning once again.

FIRST’s top tip for 2025 World Cup of Darts

Price reached the Premier League playoffs this season, while Clayton was runner-up at the World Masters and reached the semi-finals at the UK Open.

They are comfortable playing alongside each other and this chemistry could carry them towards another title. Wales are also on the opposite side of the draw to England, thus 11/2 with BetMGM is a very good price.

Extra tips

The Netherlands are third favourites, although they are missing Michael van Gerwen. It is Belgium who you may feel more comfortable backing, however.

Dimitri Van den Bergh and Mike De Decker are the new pairing for the nation and they complement each other rather well.

The latter is now a major champion, winning the World Grand Prix last year. Van den Bergh has plenty of pedigree on the big stage, winning both the 2020 World Matchplay and the 2024 UK Open.

De Decker’s heavy scoring combined with Van den Bergh’s slower, more methodical approach, could take them far in Germany.

As such, a price of 20/1 with Ladbrokes is generous indeed.

Elsewhere, Northern Ireland have a team mixed with youth and experience. Josh Rock is one of the standout youngsters in the game right now and is making his second World Cup appearance.

Daryl Gurney has represented Northern Ireland eight times in the competition, but this is the first time he will be paired with Rock.

As one of the four seeds, Northern Ireland go straight into the knockout round. They could face England in the semi-final, but backing them each-way at 20/1 with Ladbrokes looks a solid bet.

The value picks

Surprisingly, Australia are not seeded for the event this year. Three years ago, the pairing of Damon Heta and Simo Whitlock claimed a stunning victory, beating Wales in the final.

The duo have played in the tournament as a pair five times and while the 2022 win is the highlight, don’t count them out on going far in Frankfurt.

Should they build up confidence with a few easy group stage wins over Spain and Austria, their 50/1 odds with Ladbrokes will fall sharply, that’s for sure.

Austria at 80/1 with Ladbrokes also look tempting, despite being in the same group as the Aussies. Mensur Suljovic and Rusty-Jake Rodriguez have reached two finals at this event.

The pair lost to Scotland in 2021, while succumbing to England in the final last year. Overall, the duo have played as a team at nine World Cups.

Could they reach another final this year? Stranger things have happened.

FIRST’s value pick for 2025 World Cup of Darts

Given how close they have come at the World Cup, plumping for Austria at 80/1 is our value pick for the tournament this year.