Darts betting tips: Matt Hill’s four to follow at Players Championship 1
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Away from the glitz and glamour of Ally Pally and the Premier League, professional darts’ floor season gets going today with the first Players Championship event of the 2025 season taking place in Wigan.
All 128 tour card holders are invited to these one-day shootouts at regular intervals throughout the campaign, with a record 32 floor tournaments set to take place this year.
For punters, there is plenty of value to be unearthed as a chaotic format, unpredictable line-ups and a rapidly-changing draw structure make for difficult pricing conditions.
Each PC event of 2025, our arrows expert Matt Hill will be flagging up a few players to watch – and hopefully point you in the direction of some winners too.
Matt Hill's best bets for Players Championship 1
Gian van Veen - 40/1
Probably the best player not to have won a Pro Tour yet, Gian van Veen certainly knocked on the door once again in 2024 and I’m struggling to see how he doesn’t break his duck in 2025.
The Dutch ace is one of several with huge potential but crucially, he now has ample experience to go with it. In 67 Pro Tour events, he has reached the last eight on 12 occasions, the semi-finals six times and twice found himself a runner-up.
He had a bit of a flat end to 2024 but looked in great nick at the Masters qualifiers when beating countryman Wessel Nijman before losing a classy affair with Cammy Menzies.
Quotes of 40/1 are one of the most appealing at the upper end of these markets currently.
Jermaine Wattimena - 50/1
Wattimena has really turned a stuttering career around in the last 12 months or so, having had a career-best year in 2024 – the highlight of which was a first major televised final at the European Championship
The Machine Gun has always been a power scorer but had become increasingly erratic on his doubles, until an equipment change last term that is, which seems to have made all the difference.
Averages of 98, 99 and 97 at Ally Pally were a perfect example of the 36-year-old’s renewed confidence and new-found consistency which should make him a dangerous man again this year.
He hasn’t made a Pro Tour final since November 2020 but I honestly do believe he’s operating at an even better level now than he was then – so 50/1 looks a stonking each way bet in these early 2025 events.
Ryan Joyce - 125/1
Ryan Joyce is a top 16 player on his day and to be honest, he might be the most overpriced player in these fields at 125/1.
The World Grand Prix semi-finalist has been in the semi-finals of six of the last 42 Pro Tour events (a remarkable 14% strike rate), which makes a mockery of the 25/1 place terms on offer for him to do so again at PC1.
Relentless is a master doubler who seems to bring the same level of consistency and quality to the table regardless of his surroundings, which is more than can be said for many of his peers.
He was a set away from knocking Luke Littler out of the World Championships at Christmas and it would be no surprise to see Joyce enjoy another stellar year in 2025.
Niko Springer - 200/1
I was hoping Niko Springer would have a quiet time of things against Scott Williams at Ally Pally to protect his odds for these kind of events – and while he did quite the opposite, the price has remarkably held firm.
Anyone who follows my content knows I rate this young German as one of the best prospects around and his explosive scoring was on full show over Christmas, hitting seven 180s in a 3-1 loss to the equally devastating Shaggy.
And yet, bookies are still happy to float enormous prices about Springer causing a scene on his Pro Tour debut. I think that’s a call they may come to regret.
Quotes of 200/1 for this lad simply will not exist in three months time. Let’s hope he can cop some place money (at least) before the inevitable chops commence.
Players Championship darts best bets - February 10, 2025
- 2pts EW - Gian van Veen - 40/1
- 2pts EW - Jermaine Wattimena - 40/1
- 1pt EW - Ryan Joyce - 100/1
- 1pt EW - Niko Springer - 200/1
*All each-way bets are 1/4 odds, four places with Star Sports*
Meet the Author
Head of Content
Matt has now been operating in the sports content and betting space for the best part of a decade, including extended stints with industry giants Betfred and LiveScore.
A qualified journalist, he began his career reporting on his beloved Carlisle United FC as a teenager and still follows the Blues avidly to this day, as much as life allows.
One of the keenest punters around, Matt is never shy of an opinion and builds the bulk of his betting portfolio around antepost football markets and PDC darts events.