MonthlyJoyride

Netherlands look like great candidates here to lift the World Cup of Darts for the 5th time, led by Michael van Gerwen, who was back in the winners' enclosure in the recent Nordic Darts Masters. He will be motivated to win this for the first time without van Barneveld by his side. He is partnered by beaten World Championship finalist Gian van Veen for the first time. While van Veen has had a difficult 2026 after some health issues, he looks to be getting back to his usual levels. This is an event where the slower pace can suit him, as well as the likely ability of this Netherlands side to get a couple of games as heavy favourites to work their way into the event.

Scotland have been a finalist in 5 of the last 11 iterations of the World Cup of Darts and are now looking to win their 3rd title. It is a new pairing with previous winner Gary Anderson partnered by Cameron Menzies. I think this is a good pairing with both power scorers who could potentially simply blast most pairings off the board, with England really the only match for them in that regard. Menzies' infectious enthusiasm could bring the best out of Anderson as well, so I think it could be a good weekend for the Scots.

Beau Greaves is now a PDC title holder and looks set to further establish herself as a mainstay on the tour for years to come. Not only did she make history by winning the Players Championship 11, but she did so in spectacular fashion, beating three former PDC World champions in the quarter-final, semi-final, and final as she dispatched Rob Cross, Gary Anderson, and Michael Smith. As we speak now in April, she has a further eight months until the latter stages of the World Championship to get more stage and TV experience. If she can do that, she will make these odds look silly come December.

Rob Cross is showing signs of getting back to his old self, and the multiple major winner could make these odds look silly if he gets his TV game back before the end of the year. He is a previous winner, having won on debut in 2018, and in two of the last three World Championships it has been Luke Littler who has knocked him out. I think Cross could make a deep run in a major and maybe even win one in the next six months. If he does, he could go off as low as 20/1 to pick up his second World Championship.