2025 PDC WC Saturday Preview

Jamed Punt landed two winners from five bets last night, including a nice correct score wager in the Mansell v Goto borefest. We go again today, check out his 2025 PDC WC Saturday preview and tips below.

Karel Sedlacek vs. Rhys Griffin

Evil Charlie is making his fourth appearance at the Ally Pally, and he has won one of his previous first round matches. He averaged over 92 in all three. His recent form is below par, losing seven of his last ten matches. His consistency has been poor, with five sub 90 averages, and five 95+. He seems to have a 50% chance of playing well.

Rhys Griffin is making his debut and he was a surprise qualifier at the tour card holder qualifying tournament. He went into it on the back of six straight defeats but won his four matches to grab his spot.

His form is not good and in his last ten matches, he has hit seven sub 90 averages. His last TV appearance was in the World Series Finals, which he also went through the tour card holders qualifying tournament, where he lost his first round match 4-6 to Jeff Smith, averaging just 82.65.

In the last three months Sedlacek is averaging 93.92 and is 42% on the doubles, compared to 87.08 and 35% for Griffin.

Sedlacek is the 1.33 favourite, and his extra experience and better form should be enough to see him through. They have met twice before and Sedlacek won both, including a 6-4 win back in February.

2025 PDC WC Saturday Tip: 1 point Karel Sedlacek to win -1.5 sets @ 1.75 with Boylesports

Richard Veenstra vs. Alexis Toylo

Veenstra made his debut here last year and reached the third round. His recent form sees five wins from his last ten, and while he is not the most consistent of players, his three month average is 91.97, with 34% on the doubles.

Alexis Toylo is an Asian Tour qualifier, so we should assume that he will be a dangerous opponent. He has won seven of his last ten and hit a couple of 99 averages. The last three months have seen him average 85.71 with 34.5% on the doubles.

He has won no less than five Asian Tour titles in 2024 making him the OOM winner, finishing above Lourence Ilagan, Paolo Nebrida and Ryusei Azemoto. His best form was in the first half of the year, and it did tail off. His last tournament win was back in May.

Veenstra is the 1.25 favourite, Toylo 4.50. You have to respect the Asian players and while his form has dropped off a bit, he may get the lift he needs by making his debut at the Ally Pally. Veenstra is an unpredictable player, a bit of an underachiever and certainly not a 1.25 shot. This will be the last of the first-round matches, so hopefully we can end with a winner.

2025 PDC WC Saturday Tip: 1 point Alexis Toylo to win +1.5 sets @ 2.50 with Betfair

Brendan Dolan vs. Lok Yin Lee

Dolan is having his worst season since he got a tour card. His win rate is just 46% and most recently, he has lost seven of his last ten matches. His three monthly average is 89.22. he cannot be feeling confident going into his seventeenth World Championship.

He has won eleven first round matches here, and last year’s 3-2 win over Mansell was the first time he had an opening match that required a deciding set. Ten have only required three sets, win or lose.

Lok Yin Lee has had two days to come down off the ceiling after he beat Chris Landman 3-1 on Thursday. It was only an 84 average, and his win was at least partly down to Landman collapsing. Once Lee got a sniff, he stuck the boot in.

In the last ten years, eight Asian players have reached the second round. Only Asada made the third round back in 2020. All but one won at least one set. Given Dolan’s poor form, you have to think that Lee can get a set, maybe two, but he is bound to get ahead of himself, get a bit tight and out of form or not, Dolan has been around the block, knows the Palace like the back of his hand, and he should prevail.

Dolan is the 1.33 favourite, Lee 3.60. I’ll have a little go at the correct score.

2025 PDC WC Saturday Tip: 0.5 point Dolan to win 3-1 @ 3.60 with Fitzdares

Chris Dobey vs. Alexander Merkx

Merkx won the worst match of the first round when he beat Stephen Burton 3-0 yesterday, both players averaging in the 70s. He will need to play better than pub darts against Dobey, as it would be hard to drag him down to that sort of level.

Dobey is our pick to win the quarter and he should be able to justify odds of just 1.09. He has lost five of his last ten matches but remains in the top four highest scorers in the game.

This is not a betting opportunity as the odds about Dobey are too short, but Merkx makes no appeal whatsoever. He has made his £15k and can go home for Christmas happy. Dobey is odds on to win, hit the most 180s and have the biggest checkout, a sure sign that the match should be passed over. No bet.

2025 PDC WC Saturday Tip: No Bet

-JamesPunt