Sky Sports pundit shares predictions as Blackpool's Winter Gardens prepare to host the World Matchplay

Sky Sports pundit and former player Mark Webster admits he can’t look past some of the previous winners for this year’s World Matchplay at the Winter Gardens.

Darts returns to Blackpool on Saturday night when the first round gets underway, as the sport’s best fight it out to make the final on July 26.

In the last two years, the trophy has been lifted by the two Lukes, with Humphries winning the title in 2024 and Littler taking the crown 12 months ago.

“I’m not going to look beyond them two because they’re a step above the rest,” Webster said.

“That’s not a disservice to the other players because there's still some quality in the field.

“I expect there to be some action from Michael van Gerwen because there’s talk about his ranking dropping and he knows he’s defending a lot of prize money. I like the signs from him this year. There’s been a few dodgy displays, and the Premier League didn’t go to plan, but I expect him to have a decent run.

“Rob Cross, a former champion, is one to watch. He’s had to work really hard to qualify, and I think he’ll come here with a different outlook on the tournament.

“With it being played in leg format, if you start slowly, you’ve got no time to recover. We will see some upsets and some very one-sided ties. The cream generally rises to the top.

“You can’t get here on the back of one lucky one run, you’ve got to be consistent over the 12-month cycle, and these players have earned their spot.

“I love the event. I played in it a few times, and was never massively successful, but being part of it now on the punditry side is something I really enjoy; I think it’s brilliant.

“When I first started commentating, I missed events. Now, watching players be successful and react to defeat, it’s great to be part of it, and I get to stay until the end - which I never got to do as a player.

“It’ll be a brilliant nine days, because it’s a brilliant event with brilliant players. The people who don’t qualify are really upset, which shows how much it means to get here because it’s a great arena to play in.

“It’s massively popular, the tickets sell out in no time. There’s a huge demand for our sport in any venue, and Blackpool is no different.

“Every player makes it a priority to qualify for, which is hard to do, and when you get here, you want to make your impact.”

Prior to the start of the World Matchplay, Webster headed down to Q's Sports Lounge on Lytham Road as part of the PDC’s and Smart Energy’s Darts on Your Doorstep initiative.

“We’re just bringing darts to the community,” he explained.

“It’s trying to make it a bit more accessible at any level, and this is the perfect place to do it at the perfect time. We’re trying to get people playing.

“In any sport, you want to play in the best facilities, and that’s what they’ve done here with new boards. It keeps people interested - this is a great initiative.

“I started playing darts because I enjoyed watching it, so people will come here and give it a go. Darts is having a huge boom at the minute, and it’s not letting off. More people want to get involved, and we want to offer opportunities.”