2026 World Grand Prix Thursday Preview – JP
2026 World Grand Prix Thursday Preview
James Punt landed just one winner from four bets on Wednesday but it was a correct score bet so we are still nicely ahead for the week. Check out his 2026 World Grand Prix Thursday preview and tips below.
Wednesday Reflections
It was just the one winner last night, but still a small +0.25 point profit on the night. We lost Ross Smith, who was very flat in a 0-3 loss to Price, so that is 1 point lost from the two outright selections. The other, James Wade plays this evening. Last night’s matches were very one sided, three 3-0 wins and a 3-1. Hopefully we will see a bit more competition tonight.
Niels Zonneveld vs. Gary Anderson
Zonneveld played well in his 2-1 win over Josh Rock in round one. Rock didn’t do a lot wrong at all and hit the third highest average of the first round. Zonneveld has won seven of his last ten matches and has found a bit of good form.
Anderson got a 2-1 win over the cursed Damon Heta. It was written in the stars that the Aussie would lose 1-2….again. Anderson started by losing his throw and then the first set. Heta started to buckle in the second set, losing his throw in the deciding leg. That was enough to break Heta’s spirit and Anderson cleaned up with a 3-0 third and deciding set. It was a decent performance, if a little slow to get going. The longer format should suit him more.
Anderson has played twelve second round matches in the Grand Prix and has won seven. He too has won seven of his last ten matches. Their H2H record is 3-1 to Anderson and he won their only match in 2026, 3-2 at the Masters. Their other TV match was at the 2021 World Series Finals, which Anderson won 6-4.
Flying Scotsman Fav
Anderson is the 1.44 favourite, Zonneveld 2.80. Anderson is vastly more experienced at this level than Zonneveld. The Dutchman has played in 21 ranked majors and his best result was a 5th round at the 2022 UK Open.
He is lowest ranked player in the tournament but by winning his first-round match, he moved up three places and into 32nd in the PDC O.O.M.. That is an important step as it gives him a leg up in various tournaments. He will be feeling good about that and he has never been a top 32 player before.
Niels still lacks a title at senior level and we are not talking about the next Gian Van Veen here, but he is a contemporary of the likes of Van Veen, Doets and Nijman. They are all making waves, and he will think he can too.
Anderson’s experience should be enough to get him through, but Zonneveld is playing well enough to get a set.
2026 World Grand Prix Thursday Tip: 0.5 point Gary Anderson to win 3-1 @ 4.00 with Betfred
James Wade vs. Stephen Bunting
Wade was very poor on the doubles in round one but managed to beat Joe Cullen 2-1. He can’t be as bad as that again, hopefully. His scoring was good enough to keep him in the game, but he should have won the match at a canter. He has won twelve of his last thirteen matches and is in top form. Wade has played nine second round matches in the event and won seven.
Bunting beat Andrew Gilding 2-1 in round one. He too wasn’t great on the doubles. Bunting has won four of his last ten matches, and he will have been very relieved to have got a win under his belt in what has been a lean spell. Bunting has lost five of his seven second round matches at the Grand Prix. He has not got past the last 16 stage in any of the majors in 2026.
Their H2H record is 8-6 to Bunting and he beat Wade 3-1 at this stage of the tournament in 2021. Wade won their last match 6-5 in a World Series event.
Wade is the 1.57 favourite, Bunting 2.50. The money is going down on Wade. We are on him outright and after his wobble in round one, I am not in any hurry to back him again at a short price, but he should justify the odds. No bet.
2026 World Grand Prix Thursday Tip: No bet
Luke Humphries vs. Jermaine Wattimena
Humphries was far from his best in round one. He beat Chisnall 2-0, but Chisnall was dreadful. Any other player would have made things much more difficult for Humphries. But a win is a win, he is the second round and with Littler gone, Humphries will be sensing the chance to get another major title under his belt. #
A bit like Wade, you would think that Humphries can’t be that bad again. He has won seven of his last ten matches and is not at his best, but his record here is fantastic, reaching the last three finals.
Machine Gun Firing
Jermaine Wattimena beat Chris Dobey 2-0 with a solid display. He has won ten of his last twelve matches and has played some very good darts. He played Humphries in the World Series finals and lost that 4-6.
Their H2H record is 10-5 to Humphries, he has won their last three, all in 2026, including the final of PC17. Wattimena has played two second round matches here and won one.
Humphries is the 1.33 favourite, Wattimena 3.50. That may be a bit dismissive of Wattimena given that he is in good form, but Humphries deserves favouritism. He has won his last two second round matches 3-1, and Wattimena is good enough to get a set on the board.
2026 World Grand Prix Thursday Tip: 0.5 point Luke Humphries to win 3-1 @ 3.40 with SpreadEx
Gian van Veen vs. Ryan Searle
Van Veen is playing his first second round match in the Grand Prix. He beat Dirk van Duijvenbode 2-0 in round one, and he played OK. It wasn’t a great match, both players were not great on the doubles and Dirk was dire in the first set, losing his throw twice and the set 0-3.
He took the second set to a decider but Van Veen prevailed to win his eighth match from his last ten. I wouldn’t say he is right back to his best, but he is getting more wins.
Inconsistent Searle
Ryan Searle has won five of his last ten matches, which reflects his level of consistency. He beat William O’Connor 2-1 in round one. O’Connor was arguably the better player, but Searle the better finisher. It was a close match and it could have gone either way.
Searle has played two second round matches in the Grand Prix, winning one. He has never really played well in the tournament. Maybe he is one of those players who just doesn’t enjoy the format?
Their H2H record is 5-4 to Searle and he won their only match in 2026. That was in late May and Van Veen was still suffering post gallstone operation.
Van Veen has the higher ceiling, he is the better player and playing better. Searle has won at least one set in his two previous second round matches here.
