Three gold darts in bullseye

2026 UK OPEN DARTS TIPS: FRIDAY BEST BETS & WHY CLAYTON CARRIES VALUE

The unpredictable drama of the ‘FA Cup of darts’ returns to Butlin's Minehead from 6th March as a colossal 160-player field battles for the 2026 UK Open title.

With its multi-board structure, open draw, and a gruelling format that ranges from a best-of-11-leg sprint to a best-of-21-leg marathon in the final, this tournament remains a true test of tungsten nerve.

The field is a fascinating mix of the world's elite, qualifiers and ambitious newcomers, all starting their campaigns at different stages based on their PDC Order of Merit ranking.

The top 32, including defending champion Luke Littler, enter in the fourth round but the random draw means their path to glory is entirely unknown.

We've crunched the numbers and identified where the smart money might lie for the occasion…

When is the 2026 UK Open darts & where to watch

  • Location: Butlins Minehead Resort, Somerset
  • Dates: Fri 6th March – Sun 8th March
  • Format: Leg play (first three rounds best of 11; fourth, fifth, sixth and quarter-finals best of 19; semi-finals & final best of 21)
  • How to watch: Live on ITV4
  • Defending champion: Luke Littler
  • Markets: Click here

Tip 1 – Manby, Van Schie, King & Greaves all to win @ 5/1

This four-fold focuses on players who hold a clear statistical or experiential advantage in their opening encounters.

Rising star Charlie Manby faces Swiss number one Stefan Bellmont. While Bellmont is a capable performer, Manby's numbers over the past year are simply on another level.

An average of 90.11 to Bellmont's 85.91 tells its own story but it’s Manby’s explosive starts – reflected in a 99.70 first-three-dart average – and his superior scoring power, which has seen him fire in 521 maximums to Bellmont's 160, that could build an insurmountable lead.

Next, we look to reigning WDF world champion Jimmy van Schie to overcome Tom Bissell.

Van Schie has already beaten Bissell once this year and, while their averages over the last 12 months are close, the Dutchman's maximum-hitting is in a different stratosphere; his tally of 444 over the past year dwarfs the 215 managed by his opponent.

Crucially Van Schie possesses a winner’s instinct, prevailing in over 62% of legs played and an impressive 51% when throwing second. His ability to break throw could be invaluable.

Darting veteran Mervyn King is our third pick, facing Aden Kirk. The King has a 2-0 head-to-head record against Kirk and the statistics point towards a third.

King boasts a four-point advantage in their main averages and has hit almost three times as many 180s. However, the key here is King's clinical edge; while not an inspiring number in and of itself his checkout percentage of over 37% is almost six points higher than Kirk's, a vital advantage in a best-of-11 format.

Win a trip to Vegas

Finally, we’re backing Beau Greaves for a measure of revenge against Darryl Pilgrim.

Though Pilgrim has won their two previous meetings, Greaves' form and scoring potential are immense.

She recently hit a spectacular nine-darter at Players Championship 6 and her 180 count of 684 in 2025 was second only to Littler, who she eliminated from youth title contention at the tail end of the year.

Lest we forget her performances at the Grand Slam in a group containing Gary Anderson and Michael van Gerwen, too.

Another potentially decisive factor is her break-of-throw prowess; winning nearly 60% of legs when throwing second is a staggering statistic that should see her overwhelm Pilgrim, especially with a passionate Minehead crowd behind her.

BETMGM’S 5/1 UK OPEN ACCA

Tip 2 – Soutar-Veenstra over 9.5 legs, Sedlacek to beat Van Barneveld, Evans-Dolan over 9.5 legs & Merk highest checkout vs Beeton @ 8/1

This combination targets Friday value outside of solely the match winner markets.

The third-round clash between Alan Soutar and Richard Veenstra has 'long match' written all over it.

They sit just five places apart on the order of merit and over 9.5 legs has landed in every single one of their previous encounters.

A similar story unfolds for Ricky Evans and Brendan Dolan, separated by only two ranking spots. Over 9.5 legs feels a solid play, given that four of their five matches have gone beyond 8.5 legs.

The only match winner pick on this four-fold is Karel Sedlacek to defeat the legendary Raymond van Barneveld.

Sedlacek vs RVB

Form points decisively to the Czech player, who is on a five-match winning streak against Barney.

Sedlacek has been firing on the floor, reaching the semis of Players Championship 5, while Van Barneveld has struggled for consistency in 2026 and has opted to skip some qualifiers for exhibition events.

For the anchor leg, we dip into the first round for a highest checkout market.

Arno Merk has proven he can produce spectacular finishes against the very best, landing the highest checkout against both Van Gerwen and Peter Wright at the World Championship.

Against fellow UK Open debutant James Beeton, he is capable of delivering another show-stopping finish.

BETMGM’S 8/1 UK OPEN ACCA

Tip 3 – Jonny Clayton to win the UK Open (E/W) @ 22/1

For our outright selection, we’re siding with Welshman Jonny Clayton.

The Ferret is in scintillating form, having reached the World Championship quarter-finals before a blistering start to the BetMGM Premier League, which has included four semi-finals appearances and a nightly win as well as a couple of notable triumphs over Littler.

While the UK Open title has so far eluded him, his record at this Minehead venue is formidable with two UK Open semi-finals and three further semi-final appearances in the Players Championship Finals.

He enters the tournament in the fourth round as world number five and without having fallen out of the year-end top 10 for five straight years.

UK Open Winner Odds

Clayton's underlying stats are what truly set him apart as a contender.

An astronomical first-nine-dart average of 104.95 demonstrates his ability to seize control of matches from the outset, a crucial weapon in the multi-board structure.

He also boasts an 81.16% success rate when an 18-darter is on and a remarkable 58.33% win rate in deciding legs, proving he has the mettle for the high-pressure moments.

The open draw is a lottery but Clayton has the class, the form and the nerve to finally get his hands on this coveted trophy – covering him each-way given his strong odds only adds to the appeal.

Each Way terms: 1/2 1-2

Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change

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