2025 Swiss Darts Trophy R1 Preview

James Punt’s 2025 Swiss Darts Trophy R1 betting preview is below. You can check out his outright preview here.

Conor Scutt vs. Callan Rydz

Scutt has had a bad season with a win rate of just 44%, and most recently he has lost six of his last ten matches. On the Euro Tour he has played two first round matches and won one. His three Euro Tour matches all saw sub 90 averages.

Callan Rydz is in good form, winning seven of his last ten matches and hitting four ton plus averages and a further five 96+. Rydz hasn’t enjoyed his trips to Europe very much in 2025 as he has lost all five of his first-round matches. It must be said that he hasn’t turned up in such good form before.

Their H2H record extends to just one match on the Development Tour in 2018, which Rydz won 4-1.

2025 Swiss Darts Trophy R1 Tip: 1 point Callan Rydz to win -1.5 legs @ 2.15 with Boylesports

Niels Zonneveld vs. Dalibor Šmolík

Dalibor Šmolík is the Eastern European qualifier. He has played in two previous Euro Tour events and won one first round match, beating Richard Veenstra, back in 2023. His seasonal average is 82.59.

Zonneveld is in poor form, losing six of his last ten matches, but he plays at a higher level than Šmolík. It is a good draw for Zonneveld, but his B game would give the Czech player a puncher’s chance.

Zonneveld is the 1.20 favourite which makes no appeal given his less than stellar form. He will also be feeling a bit of pressure. He is just £5.5k short of the qualifying places for the World Grand Prix, so he must win this and reach the quarter finals, at least. He might get a bit tight.

2025 Swiss Darts Trophy R1 Tip: 1 point Dalibor Šmolík to win +2.5 legs @ 2.25 with Ladbrokes

Krzysztof Ratajski vs. Owen Bates

Much like Zonneveld, Krzysztof Ratajski is under pressure to get a result here. He will also be aware that he was knocked out in this event in the first-round last year, by a local qualifier. The Polish Eagle is fighting for his place in the European Championship and the World Grand Prix. Ratajski has lost five of his last ten matches and is showing a complete lack of consistency.

Owen Bates is very light on Euro Tour experience having played in just four events. In 2024 he lost two first round matches but did reach the last 16 once. He played in ET1 earlier this year and lost his first round match, 4-6 to Ritchie Edhouse, averaging 97.01. His recent form sees five wins from his last ten matches at senior level.

These two have met three times with Ratajski winning two, but Bates mastered the Polish Eagle when they last met in April, winning 6-5. All three matches were of a poor standard. Ratajski is the 1.40 favourite with Bates 3.10. The odds are about right, but betting on Ratajski matches is hard work. No bet.

2025 Swiss Darts Trophy R1 Tip: No Bet

Andrew Gilding vs. Cor Dekker

Gilding would like a win to secure his place in the European Championship and the World Grand Prix. He is in both provisional qualifying lists but could yet be overtaken by the likes of O’Connor and Barney. Gilding has lost eight of his last ten matches and he will be feeling the pressure. He could have got a tougher first round draw, but Dekker is no mug.

The Sherriff has won seven of his last ten matches. He took Barney to a deciding leg at the World Series Finals, took four legs off Noppert in the last Players Championship event and four legs of Van Duijvenbode in his only Euro Tour event of the year. Dekker has played in five Euro Tour events in total, and one just one first round match, and that was against a local qualifier in Budapest last year.

Their only previous match was a 6-3 win for Gilding back in April this year. Maybe, with Gilding really needing a win, Dekker can make it a closer match this time?

Gilding is the 1.50 favourite, which seems a bit short given his current form. He has lost four of his nine first round matches on the Euro Tour.

2025 Swiss Darts Trophy R1 Tip: 1 point Cor Dekker to win +1.5 legs @ 2.00 with Boylesports

Ryan Joyce vs. Rocco Fulciniti

Rocco Fulciniti came through the local qualifier yesterday, averaging 74.83. Before we dismiss him entirely, we should remember that two of the local qualifiers won their first round matches here last year and even the two losers each won three legs.

Ryan Joyce is probably safe in 30th place for the World Grand Prix qualifying list, but a win would make it much more secure. He has won five of his last ten matches but hit seven sub 90 averages.

What Joyce has done well is win his first-round matches on the Euro Tour, eight from ten and the last five in a row. He should win this, but odds of just 1.06 make absolutely no appeal. No bet.

2025 Swiss Darts Trophy R1 Tip: No Bet

Luke Woodhouse vs. Lukas Wenig

Woodhouse is the 1.67 favourite, Wenig 2.30. The German has won five of his last ten matches and he has put in some decent performances, such as beating Gary Anderson 6-5. On the Euro Tour, he has played five first round matches and lost four, his only win being against Niels Zonneveld. He lost 5-6 to Joe Cullen last weekend.

Luke Woodhouse has also won five of his last ten matches, but he is not in the kind of form he was in earlier in the year. He has done enough to get his place in the World Matchplay and European Championship, so this is not an important match for him. He has won nine of his twelve first round matches on the Euro Tour this year.

Their H2H record is 2-1 to Woodhouse and he won their last match 6-3 four weeks ago.

2025 Swiss Darts Trophy R1 Tip: 1 point Luke Woodhouse to win -1.5 legs @ 2.10 with Betfair, BET365

Ricardo Pietreczko vs. Oskar Lukasiak

Pietreczko is still able to qualify for the Grand Prix, but he needs a run to the semi-final here, minimum. His Euro Tour form in 2025 sees nine first round wins, but his overall recent form is losing six of his last ten. He averaged a ton+ in a 3-6 loss to Josh Rock in last week’s second round, and that is where he does most of his losing.

Oskar Lukasiak has only ever played one Euro Tour match and lost that earlier this year. His overall form sees six defeats in his last ten matches.

Ricardo is the better player but makes no appeal at odds of 1.50. No bet.

2025 Swiss Darts Trophy R1 Tip: No Bet

Mensur Suljovic vs. Martin Lukeman

Mensur got a late call up for this, his fifth Euro Tour event of 2025. He has won two of his four first round matches and overall, his recent form is six wins from his last ten. He is not the player he once was, but he can still play and had wins over Gilding and Cross in ET10, before losing 5-6 to Woodhouse and averaging 100.57.

Smash has not had a good 2025. Having reached the final of last year’s Grand Slam, he had hoped to kick on, but his win rate is just 58% and he has only won five of his last ten matches. Lukeman has lost three of his five first round matches on the Euro Tour in 2025.

They have met twice before and Lukeman has won both including a 6-3 win back in April.

I like to back Lukeman when his is in form, but he isn’t right now. Suljovic is the 1.80 favourite, Lukeman 2.20. I can see no value here. No bet.

2025 Swiss Darts Trophy R1 Tip: No Bet

-JamesPunt