2025/26 World Darts Championship: Day 2 Betting Tips

• Mervyn King To Win: 6/5 at bet365

A match between two players who are seemingly at the back end of their careers, but Mervyn King looks to have found a spark again after losing his tour card at the end of 2024.

The King has had a year of playing in whatever he likes, and he's taken full advantage of that, with good runs in the Modus Super Series and the Challenge Tour, which is how he qualified for his 17th PDC World Championship.

Ian White has had another tough season, but still managed to qualify for his 14th PDC World Championship. White has always been a fabulous floor player, but has notoriously struggled to replicate that form on the big stage.

King certainly comes into this match in better form and has the added momentum of playing and winning a lot of matches this season. For that reason, I think Mervyn will come through a tight contest and book his spot in round two.

• Cor Dekker Over 3.5 180s: 29/20 at Virgin Bet

Rob Cross hasn't won a match on tour since early October and comes into Ally Pally with a lot of question marks over him.

Back-to-back first-round losses in the recent European Championship and Players Championship Finals have seen Voltage fall out of the top 16 in the world, and he faces a tricky test here.

Cor Dekker earned a tour card last year and played his first full season on the PDC Tour in 2025. The big Norwegian struggled at times but did have a great run to the semi-finals of the Swiss Darts Trophy in September.

I can see this being a much tighter match than the odds suggest, and if Cross doesn't wake up and find some form, he will get caught out.

Dekker hit a 9-dart finish on the European Tour in 2024, so he is no stranger to hitting maximums and will have plenty of time to hit a few if this match is as tight as I think it will be.

• Ross Smith Most 180s & Win: 1/1 at Sky Bet

Ross Smith has had another solid season on tour, but he needs a good run at this tournament to keep his name in the Premier League mix. He suffered a shock defeat to Paolo Nebrida in round two last year, and he'll need to be careful again today after being handed a very tricky test.

Andreas Harrysson qualified for his first PDC World Championship after winning three Nordic and Baltic tournaments and finishing top of the rankings. The Swede is vastly experienced now and has shown he can play on big stages, including winning Champions Week at the Modus Super Series.

Ross Smith needs to be on his game here because this isn't an easy test. This match will all depend on how quickly the Swede settles. If Smith comes out the gate quickly, he can come through comfortably, but if he doesn't, he needs to be ready for a scrap.

Smudger is one of the biggest power scorers on tour, and I think he will come through this tie, so 1/1 looks fantastic value for the match double.

• Cristo Reyes Over 2.5 180s: 4/5 at 10bet

Gian van Veen comes into Ally Pally as one of the tournament favourites after winning his first PDC major at the European Championships. He also successfully defended his World Youth title by defeating Beau Greaves 6-3.

It's been a real breakthrough season for the young Dutchman, and with a good run at Ally Pally, he will be a certainty for Premier League selection for 2026.

Cristo Reyes returns to Ally Pally for the first time since 2020 after defeating Ricardo Perez 7-4 in the Mediterranean qualifier. The Spaniard has always been a quality operator and is a danger to anyone in this tournament if he recaptures his form.

Gian van Veen should have far too much quality here, but if Reyes settles early, this could be closer than most predict. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Reyes claimed a set, but it looks more likely for him to hit over 2.5 180s as he's always been a fabulous scorer.

• Damon Heta Most 180s: 3/4 at Unibet

Damon Heta hasn't looked himself at all this season, and comes to Ally Pally searching for form. The Aussie has still managed to win two Players Championship titles, which demonstrates his continued excellence, even when out of form.

He doesn't have the best record at Ally Pally, though, having not made it past round three in six previous attempts.

Steve Lennon is a banana skin for anyone on tour, but the Irishman has failed to make it past round four in any PDC event this season. If he finds some form, he will cause Heta problems, but that's a big if after looking at his stats this year.

I can see this becoming a bit of a nervous and scrappy affair between two players who are struggling. Heta should have far too much experience here, though, and is certainly the heavier scorer out of the two.