2026 European Darts Open Sunday Preview – JP
2026 European Darts Open Sunday Preview
Check out James Punt’s 2026 European Darts Open Sunday betting preview below.
R2 Reflections
It was another mixed bag of results last night, losing -0.12 points to leave the tournament tally at +1.65. In the outright market we have lost 2 points but still have Nijman and Woodhouse in the running.
Ryan Joyce vs Jermaine Wattimena
Joyce has been no more than OK so far and he hasn’t had too much coming back at him with even Bunting only managing a 87.50 average last night. He is capable of winning matches with low averages, but he will get found out at some stage. Joyce is getting used to having good runs on the Euro Tour and this is his seventh third round match in 2026. Of the previous six he has won three, including a 6-5 win over Wattimena in ET7.
Wattimena kicked his weekend off with an easy 6-0 win over somebody dressed up as Kim Huybrechts. Wattimena played OK, but Huybrechts managed just a 79 average. Wattimena has played six third round matches in 2026 and won just one.
Their H2H record is 8-7 to Wattimena. They have met three times on the Euro Tour and Joyce has won the lot. Of their thirteen best of eleven leg matches, eight have been over 9.5 legs, including seven of the last eight.
2026 European Darts Open Sunday Tip: 1 point over 9.5 legs @ 1.95 with Bresbet
Jonny Clayton vs. Luke Woodhouse
Clayton played well to beat Sedláček 6-1, averaging 99.44. Both players doubling left something to be desired, but the scoring was high from them. Clayton’s overall form is decent, if a little inconsistent. He has played four third round matches in 2026 and won two.
Woodhouse had a very easy 6-0 win against Horvat yesterday and it was a no contest, in reality. He has won eight of his last ten matches and two of his three third round matches.
Their H2H record is 4-1 to Clayton, but Woodhouse won their only match in 2026 6-2 in May. That was the quarter final of PC18, which Woodhouse went on to win. That was his first PDC title and he backed it up by winning his first Euro Tour title the following weekend. He reached the final of PC24 on Tuesday.
Clayton is the 1.67 favourite, with Woodhouse 2.30. I will stick with the form horse.
2026 European Darts Open Sunday Tip: 1 point Luke Woodhouse to win @ 2.30 with BET365, Hills
Dirk van Duijvenbode vs. Wessel Nijman
Dirk won the battle of the underachievers, beating Dobey 6-2 last night. Beating Dobey on the Euro Tour stage is no big deal. Dirk has now won five of his last ten matches and on the Euro Tour, he has lost one of his two third round matches.
Nijman beat Bradley Brooks 6-0 and he is in imperious form. He has won five of his six third round matches. Their H2H record is 3-1 to Nijman, including a 6-5 win on the Euro Tour in 2025.
Nijman is the 1.47 favourite, Dirk 3.00. I’ll take Nijman on the handicap.
2026 European Darts Open Sunday Tip: 1 point Nijman to win -1.5 legs @ 1.84 with Livescorebet
MVG vs. Damon Heta
MVG is employing his secret weapon this weekend. He has his daughter in attendance. The last time that was the case, we won the World Series Finals last year.
Heta beat Robert Owen in a scrappy affair. Owen was missing a lot of doubles. Heta has won five of his last ten matches and on the Euro Tour, he has won two of his three third round matches. However, he is up against two Van Gerwens today.
Their H2H record is 11-7 to MVG,1-1 on the Euro Tour but MVG won their last match 6-3 in ET7 in May. I expect something similar today.
MVG is the 1.50 favourite, Heta 2.63. I will take MVG on the handicap.
2026 European Darts Open Sunday Tip: 1 point MVG to win -1.5 legs @ 1.86 with Livescorebet
Sebastian Bialecki vs. Kevin Doets
An interesting match. Bialecki is very understated, unfashionable, but improving and talented. Doets is a heavy scorer, a bit more flashy and also improving and talented.
Doets has won seven of his last ten matches and three of his six third round matches in 2026. He is the more experienced player at this level.
Bialecki may not have the fire power of Doets, but he hit a 98.77 average when beating Danny Noppert 6-3 yesterday. He has won six of his last ten matches but lost his only third round match 3-6 to Jimmy van Schie in May.
These two have played twice, but not since 2022, with one win each. Both are much improved plyers now.
Doets is the 1.47 favourite, Bialecki 2.75. This is likely to be about scoring. If Bialecki can repeat his scoring of round two, he can win, but that was very much his A game and will be hard to repeat.
2026 European Darts Open Sunday Tip: 1 point Kevin Doets to win -1.5 legs @ 1.80 with BET365
James Wade vs. Jan Schmidt
Schmidt is in dreamland after beating Menzies and De Decker. His win over Menzies was remarkable, but his 6-5 win over De Decker was dire. A poor match from both players and I feel that Schmidt has run out of luck.
Wade wasn’t great against Kuivenhoven, winning 6-4 with an 89.58 average. He has won six of his last ten matches but lost three of his four third round matches. He is the 1.20 favourite to win this and Wade knows how to get things done against an unfancied opponent, but huge home crowd favourite.
It isn’t a great betting opportunity. No bet.
2026 European Darts Open Sunday Tip: No Bet
Nathan Aspinall vs. Ross Smith
Aspinall and Smith are good mates but that will be parked for 30 minutes today, if it takes that long. The Asp brought out his A game last night, averaging 107.23 in a 6-1 win over Micky Mansell. Hopefully he won’t be too hungover after staying up to watch the England game last night, or else he’ll hope that Smith is in the same shape.
Smudger averaged 100.24 in his 6-1 win over Niels Zonneveld in round two. He has won six of his last ten matches and is lacking consistency, but he has played his best stuff on the Euro Tour, winning one title, runner up in another and was a semi-finalist last time out. Of course, Aspinall has also won on the Euro Tour in 2026.
Their H2H record is 7-5 to Smith and he beat Aspinall 6-4 in the quarter final of ET4 this year. On the Euro Tour it is 2-2 overall, with three over 9.5 legs.
2026 European Darts Open Sunday Tip: 1 point over 9.5 legs @ 1.89 with Livescorebet
Gian van Veen vs. Krzysztof Ratajski
Van Veen was back to his best in a 6-3 win over Niko Springer. The German averaged 102.84 and got a beating. Ratajski beat Max Hopp 6-3 in an forgettable match, except for Hopp missing six darts to win his fourth leg and landing our bet. But I am not bitter.
Their H2H record is 2-1 to Van Veen, including a 6-1 win in ET2 earlier this year.
Van Veen is the 1.57 favourite, Ratajski 2.88. Both Van Veen’s wins were by a comfortable margin and so long as he plays something like his best, can do so again. He has been looking like his form is returning and when he is on it, there are many any better than Van Veen.
