2025 Dutch Darts Masters R1 Tips

James Punt fired in a lovely double at the Bahrain Darts Masters, his only bet of the weekend. He is hunkered down in Storm Eowyn this evening and he’s hoping to cause the bookies even more heartache. Check out his 2025 Dutch Darts Masters R1 Tips below.

Rob Cross vs. Richard Veenstra

There has to be some value in opposing Rob Cross. He has lost his last four matches, albeit over the course of three months. Out in the first round of the Players Championship finals, his first match in the World Championship and the first round of the Bahrain Masters. That made him the first PDC pro to lose a first round match in Bahrain.

Tonight he faces Dutchman Richard Veenstra, a mercurial player who can delight and frustrate in equal measure. Another unblinking Dutch player, Veenstra is 2-0 against Cross, both floor matches played in 2024 and 2023. Veenstra has also lost his last three matches but this is more about opposing Cross, who lost to Raymond van Barneveld in the first round here last year.

2025 Dutch Darts Masters R1 Tip: 1 point Richard Veenstra to win +1.5 legs @ 2.00 generally available

Nathan Aspinall vs. Kevin Doets

Doets has had some time to come down off the mountain that was his World Championship fourth round. Like Veenstra, blinking seems to be optional for Doets and he is an intense player. He has a good H2H record vs. Aspinall, winning three of their last four matches, including the last three in a row. The last was late last season and three of their four required over 9.5 legs.

Aspinall is playing well, better than Doets scoring wise, and I suspect he will win, but Doets’ averaged 98 in his first round win over Peter Wright here last year. That H2H record suggests that we could well see a close match.

2025 Dutch Darts Masters R1 Tip: 1 point over 9.5 legs @ 2.10 with Betfair, Betfred, Skybet

Stephen Bunting vs. Gian van Veen

Bunting didn’t put a foot wrong when winning the Bahrain Darts Masters last weekend. He has won eight of his last ten matches, reached the semi-final at Ally Pally, and has started the season well in past years. He did lose his last match against Gian Van Veen, a 1-5 defeat in the Grand Slam, but he did average 104.

Van Veen averaged 114 in that last match with Bunting, on his way to the quarter final. He had been playing some great stuff in the run up to the World Championship but bombed out against Pietreczko. It was an unexpected dip in form, but he had never beaten Pietreczko before and is now 0-4 against his Nemesis.

His record against Bunting is better at 3-4. However, their matches have no real pattern to them. A close match would be no surprise, but they have played a lot of one sided affairs. Plenty of 180s? Their past matches have not been overblessed in that department.

Bunting is the 1.67 favourite, Van Veen 2.30. I can’t see any angle here.

2025 Dutch Darts Masters R1 Tip: No Bet

Chris Dobey vs. Raymond van Barneveld

Dobey had one of his off games when losing 0-6 to a very good Stephen Bunting last weekend. That remains his weakness, the stinker waiting to happen.

Barney is much the same, too many stinkers, but his A-game is not as good. He has lost five of his last ten matches, but he is on home ground here. He beat Rob Cross in last year’s first round, and only narrowly lost to MVG in the quarter final.

Their H2H record is 4-3 to Dobey. Their last four best of eleven leg matches have been under 9.5 legs, and the one before that was a 10-2 win for Dobey. They have not had a close match since 2017. Maybe because both players are guilty of dropping their heads a bit too easily?

2025 Dutch Darts Masters R1 Tip: 1 point under 9.5 legs @ 1.80 with SpreadEx

Gerwyn Price vs. Danny Noppert

Price blew hot and cold last week, but reached the final, losing 4-8 to Bunting. His checkout performance remains poor. In his last ten matches, of which he has won six, his checkout % has been under 33% five times, and only above 37% twice.

Danny Noppert hasn’t played since his first round exit in the World Championship. It is hard to say where his form is at as it was a bit indifferent at the end of 2024. He has struggled against Price and their H2H record is 12-5 to the Welshman, but he has won two of their last three.

Price is 1.73 to win, Noppert 2.25. Price is tempting, but his double troubles are enough to make this a no bet match.

2025 Dutch Darts Masters R1 Tip: No Bet

Luke Humphries vs. Jermaine Wattimena

Humphries lost last week’s semi-final to Bunting but he didn’t do too much wrong. He has won eight of his last ten matches and remains in good form. He has had a lot of dental work since last week. What is it with darts players and their gnashers these days?

Wattimena was one of my fancies to have a good run at Ally Pally, but he suffered a surprise loss to Peter Wright, as did Humphries in the following round. Wattimena has won seven of his last ten matches and while he is not as consistent as Humphries, he impressed for much of 2024. On Home soil, he is a tough draw.

Their H2H record is 6-4 to Humphries, but it was Wattimena who won their last match, a 10-4 win in the European Championship. Humphries is the 1.33 favourite, but I think Wattimena will have a say in the match.

2025 Dutch Darts Masters R1 Tip: 1 point Jermain Wattimena to win +2.5 legs @ 1.83 with Fitzdares

Michael van Gerwen vs. Dirk van Duijvenbode

MVG is the defending champion and comes here well rested since losing the World Championship Final to Luke Littler. He played very well at Ally Pally and he will want to throw down a marker before the season proper starts next weekend.

Dirk lost the semi-final of the Players Championship finals and then lost his opening match at Ally Pally. He is easily frustrated and when he has a good run, but fails to win, he does tend to have a bit of a huff. He has had time off to move on, but his problem here is that his H2H record vs. MVG is 2-10.

MVG is the 1.44 favourite, Dirk 2.90. I suspect if MVG wins, he will do so well, but the -1.5 leg handicap is a reasonable price.

2025 Dutch Darts Masters R1 Tip: 1 point MVG to win -1.5 legs @ 1.73 with Betfred, Boylesports, Livescorebet

Luke Littler vs. Dimitri van den Bergh

Littler did look a bit off in Bahrain, at least in his first round match, but he averaged 105 when losing 2-6 to Gerwyn Price, as he usually does.

Van Den Bergh had funny 2024, winning a major but than going right off his game.

Their H2H record is 3-0 to Littler and he is the 1.18 favourite to win again. No bet.

2025 Dutch Darts Masters R1 Tip: No Bet

-JamesPunt