2025 Betfred World Matchplay: Day 1 Betting Tips

• Under 16.5 Legs: 1/1 at Paddy Power

James Wade starts his 20th World Matchplay campaign this evening and comes to Blackpool in fine form. The Machine won his first PDC title since November 2022 at Players Championship 19 when he defeated Scott Williams 8-3 in the final.

Wade previously won this event in 2007 and has five runner-up finishes in 19 appearances, so he clearly loves playing at the Winter Gardens.

Joe Cullen is tough to predict at the moment, and his form has remained inconsistent after showing a brief glimpse of his class at the start of the year when winning a Players Championship title. He's arguably quite fortunate to have qualified here, but he does tend to be a much better player on the big stage.

For me, Wade's consistency will grind Cullen down, and I expect The Machine to come through this contest relatively comfortably.

• Over 11.5 180s: 29/20 at BetMGM

Danny Noppert has yet to ignite his season, but he isn't playing badly. He forever remains consistent and is, in my opinion, one of the most underrated players on tour. He does need to find an extra gear in 2025, though, which could well happen at the Winter Gardens, in a tournament he reached the semi-finals of back in 2022.

Cameron Menzies continues to impress and is closing in on a spot in the world's top 32. The charismatic Scot is making his debut at Blackpool in what will be a momentous occasion in his career.

I'd stay away from the result here, simply because both players can be inconsistent at times. I do, however, think it will be a close match, so the 180 market looks enticing. Both players are heavy scorers, so if it goes close, there'll be plenty of opportunities for maximums.

• Luke Humphries Most 180s: 1/1 at Ladbrokes

Luke Humphries is in red-hot form and looks set to challenge again this year as he hunts down back-to-back World Matchplay titles. The Englishman has won the Premier League and the US Darts Masters over the last few months, so he should come to Blackpool full of confidence.

Gian van Veen is arguably the most exciting young talent in darts right now, but he needs to start getting results on TV. His major form has been inconsistent, although he did have a run to the quarter-final of the UK Open earlier this year.

This looks set to be the tie of the night on Day 1, and the world number 1 wouldn't have enjoyed being handed this first-round draw. The Dutchman could cause an upset tonight if he's on his A game, but he will need Humphries to be slightly off for him to do so.

I'm targeting the 180 market again in this match because I'm shocked to see Luke Humphries at such a big price, even against one of the biggest maximum scorers on tour. Cool Hand can live with the best of them in that department, so 1/1 looks far too big to ignore here.