World Darts Championship Quarterfinal Predictions – Day 18
David Connelly
Host · Writer
World Darts Championship quarterfinal predictions for Day 18 with FanDuel odds, expert betting analysis, matchup breakdowns, and picks from SportsGrid.
Where to Watch Ryan Searle vs. Jonny Clayton
- Arena: Alexandra Palace
- Location: London, England
- Date: Thursday, January 1st
- Where to Watch: Peacock
- Time: 7:45 a.m. ET
- Moneyline: Searle -138 | Clayton +112
- Total: Over 7.5 (-118) | Under 7.5 (-112)
The New Year’s Day slate of quarterfinal matchups kicks off with a belter between two elite players, each seeking their first World Championship title. Ryan Searle enters as the only remaining player in the tournament to have not lost a set yet, going a combined 14-0 in his opening four matches. Jonny Clayton will enter a bit more battle-tested, allowing opponents to win six sets in three matches. As for experience, this may be the biggest match of Searle’s career. Clayton is a winner at the World Masters, World Series Finals, Premier League, and the Grand Prix. He has experience in high-pressure moments and in longer formats, something that may show as we get deeper into this match. We believe Clayton should be the narrow favorite, so back him at this plus-money price.
The Pick: Jonny Clayton ML (+112)
Where to Watch Gary Anderson vs. Justin Hood
- Arena: Alexandra Palace
- Location: London, England
- Date: Thursday, January 1st
- Where to Watch: Peacock
- Time: 9:15 a.m. ET
- Moneyline: Anderson -215 | Hood +174
- Total: Over 7.5 (-110) | Under 7.5 (-122)
Justin Hood has become one of the biggest Cinderella stories we have ever seen at Ally Pally in recent memory. Entering the tournament at 86th in the world, the Englishman had qualified for just two of 14 European Tour events across 2025. He had made just one quarterfinal in the calendar year on the Pro Tour, and had made just £39,750 in prize money this year after earning his tour card back in January. He has racked up £100,000 for his run at this tournament alone, and is now set to face an all-time legend in Gary Anderson. The Flying Scotsman has been on fire, and we believe his current form will become a bit too much for Hood to handle at this stage of the tournament. Back Anderson to cover his set spread and comfortably get through to the semifinals.
The Pick: Gary Anderson -1.5 (-126)
Where to Watch Luke Littler vs. Krzyzstof Ratajski
- Arena: Alexandra Palace
- Location: London, England
- Date: Thursday, January 1st
- Where to Watch: Peacock
- Time: 2:15 p.m. ET
- Moneyline: Littler -2500 | Ratajski +1380
- Total: Over 5.5 (-205) | Under 5.5 (+150)
It’s becoming impossible to pick against Luke Littler before the final at any tournament right now. The 18-year-old has become a worldwide phenom and the king of the sport, rocketing to the top of the world rankings in less than two years and becoming the sport’s top player by a wide margin. He faces Krzyzstof Ratajski as a hefty favorite, making the moneyline untouchable in this matchup. That being said, Ratajski has shown strong consistency throughout his run to the quarterfinal, posting averages above 96 in three of his four matches. While we don’t believe this will be close, we will take this match to go over 5.5 sets, meaning the Polish Eagle will have to nick a set for us to cash. Given this steep price, it may be worth parlaying with another pick or two to reduce the vig.
The Pick: Over 5.5 Sets (-205)
Where to Watch Luke Humphries vs. Gian van Veen
- Arena: Alexandra Palace
- Location: London, England
- Date: Thursday, January 1st
- Where to Watch: Peacock
- Time: 3:45 p.m. ET
- Moneyline: Humphries -164 | van Veen +134
- Total: Over 7.5 (-112) | Under 7.5 (-118)
This is the main event of the quarterfinal session. Arguably two of the top three players in the world right now, we saw these two meet in the final at the European Championship, a match that went to a last-leg decider where Gian van Veen took out a stunning 100 checkout with his final dart in hand to claim his first-ever major. It was a massive stepping stone in his career, and it has clearly catapulted him into believing he can become a world champion based on his performances thus far. We believe these two are on an equal playing field as things stand, so getting a hefty plus-money price on van Veen to down Luke Humphries again feels like some solid value. Back the Dutchman to find a way through to the semifinal in a tight one on New Year’s Day.
The Pick: Gian van Veen ML (+134)
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