"Cool Hand" Luke Humphries is the hot favorite to win the BoyleSports-sponsored World Cup of Darts Grand Prix. This unique competition requires each player to start and end each round with a double score—adding suspense and precision to each match. The event has now kicked off and will continue at the Morningside Arena in Leicester until October 13th.
As players enter, the roar of the crowd is deafening. Darts fly towards the bullseye like lightning, and every deviation from a double score heightens the tension. The birth of legends is thrilling, and this is also an excellent stepping stone towards the December Paddy Power World Cup of Darts Championship. Who will etch their name in the annals of darts history?
In November, the Machineseeker European Championship will be held in Dortmund. This will be followed by the Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton and the Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals at Butlin’s Minehead Resort, concluding this year's darts events.
Day One: 'Nuke' Fizzles Out
In the first day's competition, Rob Cross unexpectedly defeated teenage sensation Luke "The Nuke" Littler 2-1. Before the match, Cross had said, "When he (Littler) decides to heat up, you need a fire extinguisher to cool him down!" Indeed, Cross "upped the voltage" with a stunning victory.
However, all eyes then turned to another Luke—the defending champion "Cool Hand" Luke Humphries, who after losing five consecutive games, staged a dramatic comeback to win 2-1. His resilience under pressure proved why he is the bookmakers' favorite.
Humphries expressed his displeasure at the audience singing and taunting his favorite football team, Leeds United. Although this might have distracted him, as the defending champion, he knew he could not let it affect his focus. With the audience dressed up, singing, and shouting, Humphries needed to stay true to his nickname "Cool Hand" and keep his cool amidst the noise to successfully defend his title.
Day Two: Van Gerwen and Smith Out
The second day's competition brought together many star players, including six-time World Cup Grand Prix winner Michael van Gerwen, who was shockingly shut out by Northern Ireland's 2017 champion Daryl Gurney. This was Van Gerwen's first time in thirteen years not winning a single game on live television.
Two-time world champion Peter "Snakebite" Wright, known for his colorful mohawk and unique attire, lost 1-2 to 2007 World Cup Grand Prix champion "Machine" James Wade. Another heavyweight matchup was between high-scoring, fast-paced former world champions Michael Smith and Gary Anderson, with Anderson clinching the final game to win 2-1.
Bookmakers' Favorite Humphries
As the event moved into its third day, Luke Humphries, as the defending champion, was listed by bookmakers as the hot favorite to win due to his excellent form and resilience under pressure. As the October 13th finals approach, bettors speculate: will a new champion emerge, or is Luke Humphries still the best bet? In the sport of darts, double scores can bring unexpected changes.
No one should underestimate former world champion Rob Cross, who has shown significant improvement this year and won the 2024 American Darts Masters. 'Iceman' Gerwyn Price is listed as the third favorite to win, while Gary Anderson, the 2024 NEO.bet European Darts Grand Prix champion, is the second favorite, also hoping to advance through the competition.
Surge in Darts Betting
Since the pandemic, the darts betting market in the UK and Europe has seen significant growth, mainly due to the shift to online gambling. Although overall gambling participation in the UK has slightly declined post-pandemic, the trend of consumers moving to online platforms has accelerated, especially in sports like darts with a strong betting community.
As darts' television viewership in Europe, particularly in the UK, has increased, the betting market around darts has benefited from this growth and the convenience of online platforms. With the ongoing digital transformation and darts becoming a mainstream televised sport, darts betting in the UK and Europe is expected to continue growing, with more consumers opting for convenient mobile betting and online platforms.
A record 4.8 million viewers watched the 2024 PDC World Cup of Darts Championship finals, a 143% increase from the 2023 finals. Audience numbers in Germany and the Netherlands also set records, with 2.86 million viewers in Germany for the 2024 finals. This trend is not limited to Europe; darts' television broadcasts have expanded globally, with substantial viewership in Australia and New Zealand as well.
Watching a broadcast is one thing, but experiencing it live is another. The late famous darts commentator Sid Waddell once succinctly described the immense pressure of the sport before his death in 2012: "The atmosphere is so tense, if Elvis walked in with a plate of fish and chips, you could hear the vinegar sizzling on the fish."
While watching a major darts event may be on many people's bucket lists, Luke Humphries hopes to add more trophies to his recently impressive achievements. Although Littler is on the rise, it's hard not to favor Humphries in this event and the upcoming World Championship.
