James Hubbard’s Betting Tips for the UK Open (Day 1) Evening Session

• Kevin Doets to Win: 6/5 at LiveScore Bet

Michael Smith is really struggling for form over the last 12 months and that hasn't changed so far in 2025 as he's failed to win a match on tour in five attempts. His last win came at the Players Championship Finals at this very venue on the 22nd November last year, 6-5 against Nick Kenny. He's lost to Danny Noppert, Dimitri Van den Bergh, Kim Huybrechts, Stephen Burton and Andy Boulton so far in 2025 and averaged just 82 in his defeat to Huybrechts. Smith is clearly struggling with the well-documented arthritis in his throwing hand and the fact that this match has been put last on stage 3 shows the rapid decline 'Bully Boy' has had.

Kevin Doets hasn't set the world alight so far this season but he's certainly not been poor. Two last 32 runs in Players Championship Events and qualification to the German Darts Masters is solid enough. He won his third round match here 6-2 against Greg Ritchie, averaging 100.24 in the process.

Doets beat Smith in their previous meeting at the World Championship in December and the way the Englishman is playing at the moment, I'm not sure if he is going to handle the scoring power of Doets and I expect the Dutchman to come through this tie.

Under 16.5 Legs: 4/5 at Coral

Jose de Sousa has been struggling for a few years now after bursting onto the scene with his Grand Slam win in 2020. 'The Special One' is a former Premier League player but he's playing nowhere near to that level now. He's dropped to 45th in the PDC World Rankings but he did win his first match here 6-4 against the talented Dutchman Jimmy van Schie. He averaged 92.84 and will definitely take some positives from that performance after another disappointing start to the season. Before this afternoon, he had lost his last three matches on tour and has only averaged over 90 twice in his previous 8 matches.

Ross Smith had a run to the Semi Finals of Players Championship 02 in Wigan earlier in the season but also has two first round defeats in his first four tournaments in 2025. He's not playing badly at all though and has averaged over 95 in six of his 10 matches played on Tour this season.

For me, Ross Smith is the clear favorite in this match and the player who is in better form. De Sousa has regularly been out of sorts over the past two years and I fancy 'Smudger' to come through this match with relative ease.

• Under 15.5 Legs: 11/10 at Ladbrokes

Ryan Searle lives very close to Mineahead so will have plenty of support as usual at the UK Open. Another tremendous start to this season with a semi-final run at Players Championship 02 and then winning Players Championship 04 in Rosmalen. 'Heavy Metal' has a running average of 98.01 so far this season, which is the 4th best in the World. This feels like it could be a huge season for Searle and I fully expect him to have a deep run at the UK Open this year.

Adam Hunt has continually struggled on the PDC Tour and that hasn't changed so far this season but he did win his first match here 6-4 against Maik Kuivenhoven with an 88.90 before getting a walk over in the third round as Jeffrey de Graaf was forced to withdraw. His seasonal average in 2025 is just 88.21 which puts him 114th on Tour.

The biggest issue is that Hunt continues to average around 88 and he will need a lot more than that if he's to test Searle. If Searle plays at the level he has so far this season, then I think he beats Hunt comfortably, and with the crowd support he will receive, it will benefit him and Hunt may struggle to settle in that atmosphere.

• Chris Dobey to Win: 6/5 at SpreadEX

I'm really surprised that Dobey isn't favourite to win this match, especially after how Bunting has started his Premier League campaign, losing his first four matches. Bunting did play well on Thursday, averaging 104.89 in a 6-3 loss to Luke Littler but winning breads confidence and he's just not doing that enough at the moment. He started the season brilliantly, winning the Bahrain Masters and getting to the Final of the Dutch Darts Masters but has surprisingly struggled since then.

Chris Dobey looks the player in better form to me after two Finals in four events so far in the Players Championship this season, winning one at Players Championship 03. 'Hollywood' himself is on a four-match losing streak at the Premier League but did make the final of Night 1 in Belfast.

The price for a Dobey win just seems extremely puzzling to me, and just based on recent form I would personally make the Geordie favourite. It will be a tight match for sure, but I think the longer format plays into Dobey's hands more so than Bunting and I think he comes through this contest.