2026 PDC WC Day 9 Preview

James Punt had to make do with just the one winner from four bets on Thursday. We go again on Friday. You can check out James’ 2026 PDC WC Day 9 preview and tips below.

Afternoon Session

Kevin Doets vs. Matthew Dennant

Kevin Doets has played in two previous World Championships. He has won both his first round matches and reached the fourth round last year. He has won five of his last ten matches and while his consistency leaves a bit to be desired, he is playing well on the whole.

Matthew Dennant is making his Ally Pally debut despite having a tour card for nearly ten years. He has won six of his last ten matches and has been playing some decent darts. His experience in Major Championships is limited to four UK Opens, in which he has won just three matches.

His struggles on the European tour are legendary. He has played twelve and won just three matches, but two of them were this season, so maybe he is getting a little more used to the stage.

They have never met before, which is a bit of a surprise. Doets is the 1.54 favourite, in from 1.62, and those odds are fair. Dennant is good enough to get something out of the game, but with such limited and poor stage form, it is hard to see much more than a set.

2026 PDC WC Day 9 Tip: 1 point Kevin Doets to win -1.5 sets @ 2.10 with Paddy Power

Ryan Meikle vs. Jesus Salate

Salate is an Argentinian player who qualified by winning the CDLC Tour series. That is the Latin America and Caribbean tour of which Salate won four of the six events. The last two players to come through this route were Rashad Sweeting last year and Norman Madhoo before him. Sweeting took a set off Jeffrey de Graaf last year while Madhoo lost 0-3 to Jim Williams.

Salate’s seasonal average is 82.69. He got a taste of the big time when representing Argentina in this year’s world Cup where they won their group, beating Finland and New Zealand, before getting thumped 8-1 by Australia.

Miekle has played in five previous World Championships and won his last three first round matches. The last two were 3-2 wins over Lisa Ashton and Fallon Sherrock respectively. He should find this a little easier, but the crowd will again be with his opponent.

Miekle is the 1.30 favourite, Salate 3.75. Salate may win a set and 3-1 Meikle is the favourite in the correct score market, but I will sit this one out.

2026 PDC WC Day 9 Tip: No Bet

Mickey Mansell vs. Leonard Gates

Mansell will be playing in his tenth World Championship and he has won his last four first round matches. His recent form saw Mansell winning five of his last ten matches and hitting six 95+ averages. He is dour but pretty consistent, and slow. His pace of play doesn’t suit everyone.

Leonard Gates, the popular veteran American player, has played here twice and won both his opening matches. Last year he beat a tormented Cameron Menzies 3-1 and in 2023 he beat Geert Nentjes 3-1. He has won seven of his last ten matches but this is a step up in class.

Mansell has been well backed as the 1.33 favourite, Gates 3.60. Mansell has been around the block a few times and the crowd being against him shouldn’t bother him.

2026 PDC WC Day 9 Tip: 1 point Mansell to win -1.5 sets @ 1.88 with Unibet

Josh Rock vs. Gemma Hayter

Rock is the 1.03 favourite in another first round mis-match.

Hayter averages 79.93 over the last 12 months but she played in some recent MODUS Super Series events and hit three 99+ averages against the men.

Rock has won six of his last ten matches and hit six 97+ averages. There have been a couple of sub-90s, but he won both those matches. He played Lisa Ashton in the Grand Slam, averaged 98.88 and won 5-0. That is what he needs to do here. Shut the crowd up and get on with it.

This is not a betting match in my mind. No bet.

2026 PDC WC Day 9 Tip: No Bet

Evening Session

William O’Connor vs. Krzysztof Kciuk

This will be O’Connor’s ninth consecutive World Championship and he has won six of his eight first round matches but lost 1-3 to Dylan Slevin last year. He has won five of his first round matches 3-0.

O’Connor’s recent form saw him reaching the final of PC33 and the semi-final of PC34, but he then lost a Grand Slam qualifier and in the first round at the Players Championship final, both with sub-90 averages. It is hard to be confident as to where exactly his game is.

Krzysztof Kciuk has played in two World Championships but has failed to get past the first round. He lost his tour card in 2013 and he came through the PDC Poland qualifier to earn his place here.

These two played twice back in 2022 and 2023, with O’Connor winning both 6-5. If O’Connor can find the form he had in the last two Players Championship events of the season, he should win this with something in hand. He is the 1.20 favourite and 2.60 to win 3-0. He should win 3-0 but he is not really banker material. No bet.

2026 PDC WC Day 9 Tip: No Bet

Daryl Gurney vs. Beau Greaves

The most anticipated match of the first round by some way. Beau Greaves goes into it as the market’s 1.75 favourite with Daryl Gurney the 2.20 outsider. I wasn’t expecting that. I would have to flip those odds around.

Beau Greaves is very good but she could have hoped for a better draw. Gurney is a very experienced player and a Major Champion. He has played in twelve previous World Championships and won eleven of his opening matches.

Superchin comes here on the back of a Players Championship quarter final and a European Championship quarter final. On the negative side, Gurney has lost six of his last ten matches and only hit one 94+ average.

Grand Slam

Greaves was last seen playing against the men at the Grand Slam where she beat Niko Springer 5-3, but lost to MVG and Gary Anderson. She hit ton plus averages against MVG and Anderson but still lost both 4-5. Greaves then lost the World Youth Championship final 3-6 to Gian van Veen. She did beat Luke Littler 6-5 in the semi-final and averaged 105 in that one, but that was on the floor.

Clearly, Greaves’ A-game can beat anyone and she is picking up more experience of playing against the men on stage. Her first attempt was in the 2024 World Championship, but she lost her first round match 0-3 to William O’Connor.

Greaves won one match at the 2023 Grand Slam, one match at the 2024 Grand Slam, three matches in this year’s UK Open and the one match in this year’s Grand Slam. Her two ton plus averages against MVG and Anderson stand out as her two best averages in her career to date in TV majors.

Grip Change

Gurney says that he has made a small change to how he grips the dart. He was finding that his darts were going into the board very flat and blocking the bed. By moving his fingers slightly, he says that is getting them to stand up a bit more, to open the target up and he is now hitting more 180s. Practice is one thing, the Ally Pally stage another.

Gurney has played in many big matches and has more experience at this level. Greaves now has the favourite’s tag around her neck and that brings its own pressure.

I don’t think either player offers any great value, Gurney is a bit too big in my book, but I would want to see if Gurney’s new grip is paying dividends. However, I can see it being close.

2026 PDC WC Day 9 Tip: 1 point over 4.5 sets @ 2.80 with Unibet

Nathan Aspinall vs. Lourence Ilagan

Aspinall is the 1.11 favourite and Ilagan 8.00. The Asp is playing well and loves the big stage. He is a two-time semi-finalist here and reached the quarter finals last year. He was runner up at the recent Players Championship finals. Nathan also won the final Euro Tour event of the season, his third of the year. Aspinall is throwing a lot of big numbers and he should blow Ilagan away.

Ilagan has played in nine World Championships and won just two matches. He is in good form, winning the Asian Championship and Korean Open in September. He does have a ton plus A-game but he has hit just one 90+ average here and lost that match 1-3 to Vincent van der Voort.

Aspinall is just 2.20 to win 3-0, which is what he should do, but this is another match without much appeal betting wise.

2026 PDC WC Day 9 Tip: No Bet

Keane Barry vs. Tim Pusey

Australian qualifier, Tim Pusey has not been allowed to use his nickname of ‘The Magnet’, Joining Owen ‘The Master’ Bates on the PDC’s naughty step. He might be disappointed by that, but he will have been lifted to see his roomie, Joe Comito beating Niko Springer 3-1 on Tuesday night.

Pusey is a seven-time DPA Pro Tour title winner, including two in 2025, and three Australian Darts Association titles, also this year. He lost the semi-final of the Australian Premier League last month and has lost five of his last ten matches. Pusey’s seasonal average is just 82.91 so he needs his A game if he is going to compete.

Keane Barry has played in six previous World Championships and won three first round matches. He has won six of his last ten matches and had a run to the quarter final of the final Players Championship event of the year. Half of his last ten matches have seen sub 90 averages, so he could be vulnerable if Pusey finds his A game.

Barry is the 1.40 favourite and Pusey 3.25. Can Pusey grab his chance and join his mate in the second round? Going with the ‘inspiration by association’ factor, I will back the Aussie.

2026 PDC WC Day 9 Tip: 1 point Tim Pusey to win @ 3.25 with SpreadEx

-JamesPunt