2026 European Darts Trophy Sunday Preview

Saturday was an evening to forget but we at least have two ante-post interests involved. James Punt’s 2026 European Darts Trophy Sunday preview and tips are below.

R2 Reflections

Last night was a wipeout, all four bets lost and we are -6.40 for the tournament bets. We still have two outright bets running. Kevin Doets and Dirk van Duijvenbode are now both 17.00 as they try and make into the quarter finals. Fingers crossed!

Ryan Searle vs. Richard Veenstra

This is Veenstra’s second ever appearance in a Euro Tour third round match. He lost his first one 1-6 back in 2024. His 97.11 average yesterday was his second highest in a Euro Tour event. Can he keep it up?

Ryan Searle beat Daryl Gurney 6-3, with Gurney missing a double to land our overs bet in that one. Searle was very comfortable and the knowledge that he nearly always beats Gurney kept him relaxed. He doesn’t have the same luxury with Veenstra. They have played four times, with two wins each. One of those matches was on the Euro Tour and Searle edged that one 6-5. All four matches have been over 9.5 legs.

Searle is the 1.57 favourite with Veenstra 2.63. Searle is the better player, and while he is no Euro Tour specialist, he has played thirty two 3rd round matches on the Euro Tour, of which he has won fourteen.

2026 European Darts Trophy Sunday Tip: 1 point over 9.5 legs @ 2.08 with Livescorebet

Niels Zonneveld vs. Jermaine Wattimena

It was a big statement win for Zonneveld when he thrashed MVG 6-2 last night. Van Gerwen averaged 107 but was basically a spectator for much of the match. This will be just his fifth Euro Tour third round match, and he has won just one.

Wattimena averaged 99.19 in his 6-5 win over Lukas Wenig and he hit an incredible eight 180s. Wattimena is very inconsistent right now. He has won five of his last ten matches and hit four sub 90 averages and five 96+. Which Wattimena will we get today?

Zonneveld will have to guard against mental letdown after beating MVG. He has won seven of his last ten matches but not with any great consistency.

H2H

Their H2H record is 6-2 to Wattimena but Zonneveld beat him 4-3 in their most recent meeting. That ended a run of five successive wins for Wattimena.

Wattimena is the 1.80 favourite, with Zonneveld 2.10. Picking the winner between these two is too hard for me, but I will have go with an overs bet on the 180s. They hit thirteen between them yesterday and I see plenty of legs in this match, so plenty of opportunity to hit maximums.

2026 European Darts Trophy Sunday Tip: 1 point over 5.5 180s with Ladbrokes

Josh Rock vs. Chris Dobey

Rock got a welcome 6-4 win over German Paul Krohne last night but it was no more than that. He has lost half of his last ten matches, but that is mostly in the PL.

Dobey thrashed Woodhouse 6-1, averaging 98.35, as his great run of form continues. Dobey has won seven of his last ten matches and hit just one sub 97 average in that run.

There is no doubt that Dobey is playing the better darts and it is still early enough in the tournament for him not to be thinking about winning it. He has played eleven third round matches in the last two Euro Tour seasons and won six, but he was four from five last season.

2026 European Darts Trophy Sunday Tip: 1 point Chris Dobey to win @ 1.80 generally available

Gian van Veen vs. Wessel Nijman

The second all-Dutch clash of the third round. These two have met fifteen times and Van Veen has won eleven, including the last five in a row. They last met in the quarter final of the Poland Darts Open a couple of weeks ago and Van Veen won that 6-2. That was their second Euro Tour match up and Van Veen won the other 6-2 back in 2024.

Nijman has won seven of his last ten matches and is playing a little better than Van Veen but is the 2.20 outsider. Given their H2H record Nijman is hard to back but Van Veen has not been his consistent self of late. No bet.

2026 European Darts Trophy Sunday Tip: No bet

Niko Springer vs. Ross Smith

Smith landed our two pointer yesterday, but only just. Chizzy decided to play well and it was a hard-fought win by Smith, who prevailed 6-4. It wasn’t a great display by Smith but it is never easy playing against a mate.

Springer played well to beat Stephen Bunting 6-5, but Bunting had to put up with a lot of whistling from the crowd, who it must be said have been terrible. The PDC need to address the issue, it is affecting match results, but they couldn’t care less. All the security goons at these events are work dodgers. Getting paid to look hard, but they do sweet FA.

Similar Treatment

No doubt Smith will get the same treatment, although the Sunday crowds tend to be less pissed. Springer has not been playing well recently and it was hard to see that performance coming.

Smith is the better player and has been in good form recently. He has lost half of his last 18 Euro Tour third matches and he is not banker material.

These two have met twice, with one win each. Smith beat Springer 6-2 three weeks ago. Both matches were on the floor and this is a stage match, in Germany.

Smith is the 1.50 favourite, Springer 2.80. Given the venue, hostile crowd etc, I have to go with Springer at the odds.

2026 European Darts Trophy Sunday Tip: 1 point Niko Springer to win @ 2.80 with Livescorebet

Kevin Doets vs. Damon Heta

Our outright selection, Kevin Doets would have been a very short priced favourite to win this 24 hours ago, but Heta suddenly found some form yesterday. He had had five consecutive second round Euro Tour defeats, but he hit a 101.50 average in a 6-3 win over Labanauskas. Heta has lost five of his last ten matches, so maybe yesterday was a flash in the pan, but I have seen this movie before.

Doets backed his 117.12 average from round one up with a 6-4 win over Crabtree. He showed flashes of the first-round form, but he was never going to repeat it.

Doets has been playing well recently and he needs to get his game head on, forget about that huge average and try and make his first ever Euro Tour quarter final.

Their H2H record is 4-4 but there has been no real pattern to their matches. No bet.

2026 European Darts Trophy Sunday Tip: No bet

Gerwyn Price vs. Danny Noppert

It was 106.70 average for Price yesterday in a 6-2 thrashing of Joe Cullen. Cullen was in the match but started missing doubles and folded like a cheap suit.

Noppert only averaged 85.85 but that was enough to beat Ricky Evans 6-1.

Noppert has the game to beat anyone but he doesn’t have the stones. He is 6-14 with Price and 2-2 on the Euro Tour, so he not without a chance, but I would always fancy Price to beat Noppert.

2026 European Darts Trophy Sunday Tip: 1 point Price to win -1.5 legs @ 1.98 with Livescorebet

Mensur Suljovic vs. Dirk van Duijvenbode

Dirk is our other outright selection and the 1.50 fav to win this one. The problem is that Suljovic will play this at a snail’s pace. Dirk is a fast player and he will boil over. He struggled with Super Mario in round one and Suljovic is a whole different level of slow.

Their H2H record is 9-6 to Suljovic which tells the story. Dirk is the better player, but he won’t be allowed to play his game. I fear this one hits the buffers, at super slow speed. No bet.

2026 European Darts Trophy Sunday Tip: No Bet

That is it for this week. Back with the Belgian Darts Open next weekend.

-JamesPunt