2025 European Championship Sunday Preview

Now, it is time for James Punt’s 2025 European Championship Sunday preview. Our 40/1 outright bet James Wade dumped Luke Littler out last night and Gian Van Veen is still alive too. Hopefully one of them goes all the way.

Ryan Joyce vs. Gian Van Veen

It was another superb performance from Gian in yesterday’s second round. He thrashed Ryan Searle 10-2, averaging 109.92. You had to feel sorry for Searle. It was like watching somebody being hit over the head with a cricket bat for 30 minutes.

Ryan Joyce was more workman like in his 10-7 win over Martin Schindler. The German was very poor on his doubles and that allowed Joyce to just pick him off. It wasn’t a great display and Joyce will likely need to up his game considerably if he isn’t to get the same kind of treatment handed out to the other Ryan.

Relentless is in decent form, winning seven of his last ten matches, so this is not done and dusted just yet. They have met on TV before, in the 2024 Grand Slam, which Van Veen won 10-2. Their H2H record is 2-0 to Van Veen, both wide margin wins.

Van Veen is the 1.25 favourite and it is hard to find any value in this match. We are on the Dutchman outright. So, fingers crossed that he can progress to the semi-final, and get over that hurdle. I can’t face another semi-final defeat!

2025 European Championship Sunday Tip: No Bet

Michael van Gerwen vs. Daryl Gurney

These two have had a few real ding dongs in the past. Their H2H record is 27-12 to MVG but in their last ten, 6-4 to Gurney. They last met in the 2024 Grand Prix and Gurney won that 2-0.

MVG has been the better of the two players so far. He averaged 100.76 in a 10-5 win over Chris Dobey yesterday and 97.83 in his first-round win over Wessel Nijman. He really should have lost that match, but Nijman just bottled it.

Superchin hasn’t really played well at all, but he came up against an out of sorts Gerwyn Price in round one and a really out of sorts Ross Smith in round two. It was like somebody holding the door open for him to walk through and he did. There were some good finishes from Gurney in the latter part of his win over Smith yesterday, but Smudger just couldn’t hit a double in the first half of the match and it was a very poor game of darts.

Feeling Good

Gurney was adamant that he felt really good going into his match with Smith. He had practiced with Van Veen beforehand and said that he was hitting everything. When he got on stage, he said his hands were cold and that is why he didn’t fire up.

Gurney’s two averages so far were 90.51 and 92.54, so he is lucky to have made the quarter finals. Of course, he may be due a stronger performance, and MVG could have one of his off days. Their H2H record does suggest that Gurney is in with a chance.

MVG is the 1.30 favourite, Gurney 3.90. Understandable based on their play so far, but this is being priced up like MVG in his prime, and he has not been in his prime in 2025.

I am just going to have a contrarian bet on Gurney. He has absolutely nothing to lose and he is no mug player.

2025 European Championship Sunday Tip: 1 point Daryl Gurney to win @ 3.90 with Livescorebet

Danny Noppert vs. Ricardo Pietreczko

Noppert might start getting a bit tight as he gets closer to the final. So far, he has been faultless in a 6-3 win over Dirk van Duijvenbode and a 10-7 win over the in-form Nathan Aspinall. Two ton plus averages and he has won seven of his last ten matches.

Pietreczko beat the much fancied Jermaine Wattimena 10-6 yesterday. Wattimena was nowhere near his best, it must be said, and Pietreczko got his win with a decent 95.44 average. He was in no sort of form coming into this tournament and he shouldn’t have the fire power to match Noppert. Pikachu has won five of his last ten matches and his last quart final was on the euro tour back in May.

Their H2H record is 2-1 and their last meeting was in last year’s quarter final, which Noppert won 10-9. Both of Noppert’s wins required a deciding leg.

Noppert is the 1.36 favourite, Pietreczko 3.50. It would seem like there is only likely winner here, but you cannot forget that Noppert has lost four major quarter finals.

To be fair, he has lost many more semi-finals (seven) but he does tend to get tight in the latter stages of events. Pietreczko is free rolling and has the advantage of home support. This could be closer than the odds suggest.

2025 European Championship Sunday Tip: 1 point over 16.5 legs @ 2.00 with Hills, Skybet, Betfair

James Wade vs. Luke Humphries

James Wade was the 10-7 winner vs Luke Littler last night. He didn’t need crowd’s help as he was just the better player, putting Littler under pressure for the whole match and it got to him. He was ground down and Wade’s love affair with the European Championship continues. Wade has won six of his last ten matches and is in good form. He will be no pushover.

 Humphries struggled to get past Cameron Menzies last night. He won it 10-9 but he always struggles against Menzies. It was a 103.64 average, a step down from his 109.98 in his first-round win over Ratajski.

Their H2H record is 14-7 to Humphries and they met at this stage of the tournament in 2023, which Wade won 10-6. Their last long format match was a 10-9 win for Wade in this year’s UK Open quarter final.

Humphries is the 1.33 favourite and Wade 3.60. Humphries deserves favouritism, but by that margin?

2025 European Championship Sunday Tip: 1 point James Wade to win +3.5 legs @ 1.73 with Boylesports

That is all from me until the Grand Slam of Darts in two week’s time.

-JamesPunt