2026 PDC World Darts Championship: Littler to go back-to-back?
It’s back. Christmas and the World Darts Championship are synonymous and Alexandra Palace hosts the world's top players once more… only this time there are 128 of them.
Defending champion Luke Littler has enjoyed an extraordinary 2025 and hopes to be the first player to win the tournament back-to-back since Gary Anderson in 2016.
Luke Humphries, the 2024 champion, will have plenty to say about that as the two continue what is becoming one of the greatest rivalries darts has seen.
BetMGM has trawled through the extensive draw and put together three of the best bets as the world’s eyes once again turn to darts.
Let’s take a look…
Tip 1 – Luke Littler to win the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship @ 19/20
Defending champion Littler is out for yet more glory in 2026.
The 18-year-old has won a staggering six majors in 2025 – and it all started with victory at Ally Pally last January.
He added the UK Open, the World Matchplay, Grand Prix, Grand Slam and Players Championship Finals. Littler was also a finalist in the BetMGM Premier League and the World Series of Darts Finals.
Add a tour-leading year-to-date average of 100.96 and an astonishing 886 180s and it is virtually impossible to think about backing against the Nuke despite his short odds of 19/20.
He’s in the first quarter of the draw and should have no issues in the early rounds as he faces Darius Labanauskas and then either Mario Vandenbogaerde or qualifier David Davies.
The biggest threat from his section of the draw will come from 2021 world champion Gerwyn Price, who he could meet at the quarter-final stage.
Even then, he has won the last eight meetings with the Iceman.
Littler is just in astounding form. His performances this year have left his challengers unable to compete at times and, if he’s on his game during the worlds, then he may well be unstoppable given the longer format.
It’s nearly a decade since a player won back-to-back world titles here. The Nuke could be about to make yet more history by doing just that.
Tip 2 – Nathan Aspinall to win the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship (E/W) @ 33/1
After a poor 2024, Nathan Aspinall has looked more like his old self this year, warming up nicely for the World Championship.
He made his first major final since 2023 just last month at the Players Championship Finals, adding to a BetMGM Premier League semi-final appearance and three other last-eight major finishes.
The Asp also won three titles on the European tour this year – the European Darts Trophy, European Darts Open and German Darts Championship –while making the final of two Players Championship events for good measure.
He even hit two nine-darters in one day back in October.
The world number 15 has arguably had his most consistently successful year since 2020 – aside from winning a major.
He faces out-of-sorts qualifier Lourence Ilagan in the first round at Ally Pally, while either Leonard Gates or Mickey Mansell would await in round two.
His section is by no means easy, though, as his 33/1 odds suggest.
The 2024 World Grand Prix winner Mike De Decker could lie in wait, followed by the small matter of 2024 world champion Humphries.
The Asp has never lost to De Decker while he has beaten Cool Hand twice this year, including a 6-1 win on the European Tour.
Aspinall had been on a five-match losing streak against potential quarter-final opponent James Wade but stopped the rot in the Players Championship last time out.
If he can bring the form shown in the quarters and semis of the Players Championship Finals, where he averaged over 100, then Aspinall is certainly worth a look at those long each-way odds.
Tip 3 – Michael van Gerwen to win Quarter 4 @ 11/4
Despite by his standards a subpar year, three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen did win a major in 2025.
As well as his World Series of Darts Finals success in Amsterdam, he made the last four of the European Championship and won the German Grand Prix on the European Tour.
MVG last won the world title in 2019 but has made the final on three occasions since – including last year when he lost to Littler.
He has been drawn in quarter four and he has a favourable early run. Opening up against qualifier Mitsuhiko Tatsunami should cause no alarms, while likely second-round opponent William O’Connor has lost 10 of 11 meetings with the Dutchman.
Former world champions Peter Wright and Gary Anderson could come next for Van Gerwen and, while not the heavyweight clashes they were, they will be a stern test for the world number three.
He won three of six meetings with Wright last year while his last three clashes with the Flying Scotsman have all been in majors. Anderson won two of those three but lost convincingly 5-2 to Van Gerwen at the Grand Slam in October.
Should he make it through those tests the last eight could see him meet fellow Dutchman Danny Noppert, who has enjoyed a fine year.
The Freeze has made five major semi-finals in 2025 and beat MVG in both meetings this year – but the three-time world champion loves this competition and, despite what will be some stern tests, 11/4 for him to win the quarter is not to be ignored.
It is worth noting that Beau Greaves could also be a potential quarter-final opponent here. She has a tough opener against Daryl Gurney but will be buoyed by reaching round four of the UK Open, where she pushed Humphries all the way in a 10-7 defeat, as well as beating Littler in the World Youth Championship.
Her 14/1 odds to win the quarter are an attractive price and, while it may be a step too far on this occasion, she showed against MVG and Anderson at the Grand Slam that she can push the world’s best all the way.
And at Ally Pally, anything can happen. Kirk Shepherd, anyone?
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change
