UK Open Darts 2024 Odds: Gerywn Price one of six for glory at Minehead

One of the most exciting tournaments in the darting calendar returns at the weekend (1st-3rd March), as the UK Open Darts takes place in Minehead. As always, we've asked our darts expert Sean Rafferty to preview this one and give us his outright predictions for victory. 

History, Location and Format

The 2024 UK Open is the 22nd running of this major ranking event and carries one of the largest prize funds in the sport.

The tournament was originally held at the Reebook Stadium in Bolton for the first ten years of its existence but has been held at the Butlins Minehead Resort since 2014, with this year's event running from the 1st-3rd March 2024.

The format is an unusual one with 160 players taking part and a unique unseeded draw after each round, leading the tournament being referred to as the 'FA Cup of Darts', due to the potential of big upsets in the early rounds.

The draw sees a staggered entry depending on the Tour Card Holder's world ranking, with the top 32 on the PDC Order of Merit entering the tournamwent at the 4th round stage.

There have been several multiple UK Open champions, with Phil Taylor leading the way (five times), as well as Michael van Gerwen and James Wade (three) and Raymond van Barneveld (two).

Andrew Gilding is the defending champion, after defeating Michael van Gerwen 11-10 in the 2023 final, to pick up his first major title.

Prize Money

There is a total prize fund of £600,000 on offer to the 160 participants.

Draw

2.5 pts win only Gerwyn Price - 10/1

I wanted to pick someone from the “Top 5” in the market as the headline selection and I think Gezzy fits the bill as a good value punt from the top end of the betting list. I touched on it in my Premier League night 5 article that I think Price is playing better than results would suggest and a big run is just round the corner.

This is as good a chance as any, as it’s one of his preferred majors - despite not winning it yet, he made the QF stage or better six years on the spin from 2017-2022, the sort of consistency others crave for in this wide open tournament.

Although he hasn’t got the job done here on a Sunday yet, another advantage for him over others is his fitness/stamina which can come in to play on a Sunday if you’re to go all the way.

You need to win a total of 32 legs on the Sunday to lift the title as you will play a best of 19 leg match in the afternoon, then a pair of best of 21 leg matches in the evening. This is more suited to Price than most so if he can make it to the Sunday, then I feel he has a strong chance of winning.

1.25 pts win only Ryan Searle - 18/1

'Heavy Metal' has had a cracking year so far on the Pro Tour - reaching three finals and a QF from the four events played so far, picking up one title in the process.

Searle hasn’t got the best record in UK Open - a last 16 in 2022 his best effort to date but I’m not sure he’s ever played better than this. He’s averaged 101+ in four of his last five matches, which tells you how well he’s playing of late.

The 36-year-old recently made the switch from Loxley to Harrows as his darts equipment manufacturer and the new darts seem to be paying off for him. His ability to play his best in the latter stages of big tournaments is questionable, as he still vies for his first big PDC title but I certainly feel he can be in the mix.

1.25 pts win only Chris Dobey - 20/1

Dobey was a bit of an auto pick for me here.I feel like a really big title for Hollywood is on the horizon, to add to his Masters title he won last year.

'Hollywood' is yet to reach a Sunday here but has made the last 16 in three of the last four years so is on the brink and showing decent consistency at the tournament. He sits 6th on the averages list for the past 12 months, showing he’s right up there with the elite now.

The 33-year-old looked back to his best when reaching the final of PC4 last week, where he ran into an absolute barrage from Damon Heta, losing 8-4 but averaged above 106 himself. The run to the final also included a 6-0 win over Michael van Gerwen.

He can beat anyone on tour now so I'll be on Dobey for most majors now until his form changes.

1 pt win only Peter Wright - 33/1

If you’d told me a month or so ago I’d be backing Peter Wright for the UK Open, I’d have told you you’re barking mad, but it really has been a surprising upturn in form for Snakebite.

He seems to have used the Pro Tour events to rediscover a bit of his confidence and get back into the habit of winning matches - he reached the QFs or better in the last three Pro Tour events.

The Scot somehow didn’t beat Luke Littler last week in Premier League but was averaging close to 110 for most of that and looked like the Peter Wright of old. He has reverted back to his most reliable setup equipment wise and he always plays better with this set of darts.

The 53-year-old won the UK Open in 2017 and made three finals in a row from 2015,  yet hasn’t been close to winning it since despite still making the last 16 in three of the last four years. He won the European Championship last year off the back of some very indifferent form and I think he’s playing well enough now to do similar this weekend.

0.5 pts e/w (1/4, 4 places) Callan Rydz - 100/1

It's been a  couple of years that have been inconsistent to say the least for The Riot but he looks to be finding his feet again.

Rydz has made a SF and QF so far this year on the Pro Tour, averaging 100+ in 50% of his last 14 matches, so the power game is there. We already know he isn’t phased by the big stage/crowd as he’s made a QF in both the World Championship and World Matchplay in recent years.

The likeable Geordie made the last 16 here in 2022 and he’s very much a confidence player, so if he could stay on the smaller stages in the earlier rounds and gather a bit of momentum, then he could be a threat come the latter stages. His potential 3rd round opponents are fairly weak, so he should get into 4th round unscathed. Potentially a big week for Rydz.

0.5 pts e/w (1/4, 4 Places) Brendan Dolan - 100/1

I'm very rarely a backer of the History Maker but I feel like Dolan is quietly coming back into some good form. He made a pair of QFs from the opening four PC tournaments and having watched a fair bit of him at PC4 I was suitably impressed - averaging 102+ in three of his last five matches which he isn’t exactly renowned for, usually being a steady finisher on the doubles.

This form is all off the back of a very impressive World Championship from him, where he made the QFs, beating Price and Anderson on that run. Dolan made the QF here back in 2014 and reached the last 16 twice since 2021.

The 50-year-old always goes fairly under the radar, as he’s not a flashy player but he could sneak his way into contention here if he keeps up his form and has the experience to cope with it.

You can find all Sean's latest Darts Betting Tips on our main Darts Insights content hub.