European Championship Darts starts this Thursday! Who is the current champion? Who is favourite? Who are we betting on? Let's find out below.
Who is the current European Championship Darts title holder?
Peter Wright currently holds the Machineseeker European Championship title. He beat James Wade 11-6 in the 2023 final, held in Dortmund. If he is successful in defending his title, this will be his third European Championship.
Wright's first match of the 2024 tournament will be against Jermaine Wattimena.
Who is playing in the European Championships?
The Machineseeker European Championship will feature the top 32 players of the 2024 European Tour Order of Merit. The full list is below:
Martin Schindler
Luke Humphries
Luke Littler
Dave Chisnall
Michael van Gerwen
Josh Rock
Rob Cross
Ryan Searle
Ross Smith
Peter Wright
Danny Noppert
Stephen Bunting
Gian van Veen
Ricardo Pietreczko
Chris Dobey
Gerwyn Price
Daryl Gurney
Jonny Clayton
Damon Heta
Ritchie Edhouse
Gary Anderson
Joe Cullen
Jermaine Wattimena
Luke Woodhouse
Raymond van Barneveld
James Wade
Mike De Decker
Gabriel Clemens
Michael Smith
Andrew Gilding
Nathan Aspinall
Dirk van Duijvenbode
What are the key fixtures in the first round of the tournament?
With sixteen matches in the first round of the competition, there are is a lot of choice with many close pairings. We will be betting on three players in the first round. In our opinion, the games to watch are the following:
Dave Chisnall (11/10) v Michael Smith (11/14)
Here we have World Ranking no.5 v World Ranking no.2. With that in mind, Smith is fav going into this match which makes sense as he is in slightly better form. But could there be some value in backing Chizzy here?
Josh Rock (10/11) v Mike De Decker (10/11)
Here we have a very closely priced matchup between the Northern Irish youngster and the newly crowned World Grand Prix Champion.
Rock is an up and coming player in great form. He had a strong day in the Players Championship last week, defeating Jonny Clayton in the process. Whilst Mike De Decker caused an upset during the World Grand Prix, beating World No.1 Luke Humphries in the final. This should be a very close game!
Stephen Bunting (6/5) v Gary Anderson (4/5)
They are 11 places apart in the world rankings but the prices suggest this will be a close game. Both players were knocked out of the World Grand Prix by eventual finalists. With Gary Anderson losing to Mike De Decker, does this mean there is room for another underdog to strike? With that said, Stephen Bunting is not much of an underdog. He has more than enough experience to pull off a win. In our opinion, this is a match that could easily go either way but we will be backing Gary Anderson.
Who is the favourite for the tournament?
Luke Humphries is the favourite to win the tournament. He is currently priced at 7/2. Considering the form he is in, we believe it is worth an outright bet. Click below for the best offers on Machineseekers European Championship betting.
Who is Luke Humphries set to face in the first round of the tournament?
Luke Humphries is facing Nathan Aspinall in the first round. This will be an entertaining matchup that we expect to set the tone for the tournament. Luke Humphries will surely go into this as favourite based on his current form. Just this past weekend he won his second Czech Open title. Nathan Aspinall's current form has been a bit shaky, but he remains a solid player and we expect him to put up a fight.
Where is this years Darts European Championship being held?
The 2024 European Championship will again be held at Westfalenhallen, Dortmund.
When will the Machineseeker European Championship take place?
The action starts on Thursday 24th October and it will last until Sunday 27th October. First round matches will begin on the Thursday and will continue onto Friday.
When will the semi-finals and final be played during the tournament?
The Quarter-finals, semi-finals and Final of the European Championship will all be held on Sunday 27th October. Below are the following times:
Quarter-finals - 12:45
Semi-finals - 19:10
Final - 21:30
What is the prize fund for the Machineseeker European Championship?
The prize money breakdown for the Machineseeker European Championship, totalling £600,000, is as follows:
Winner (1 player): £120,000
Runner-up (1 player): £60,000
Semi-finalists (2 players): £40,000 each
Quarter-finalists (4 players): £25,000 each
Second round (8 players): £15,000 each
First round (16 players): £7,500 each
Where can I watch the tournament?
Viewers in the UK can watch the Machineseeker European Championship live on ITV. You will also be able to stream it on ITVX.
Where do I go for Machineseeker European Championship Betting?
Check out our darts page for the top ranked bookmakers and welcome offers available.