The PDC's European Tour action heads for Belgium this weekend with action from the Flanders Darts Trophy in Antwerp.
World number one Luke Littler has opted against defending a title he won in 2025, the Nuke fresh from defeating Luke Humphries in the Czech Darts Open decider on Sunday in Prague.
That win means Littler is now assured of his place in the European Championship in Dortmund next month and Kim Huybrechts is the beneficiary in getting a place in the Antwerp field.
Littler won the event last year, beating Josh Rock 8-7 in the final. A field of 48 competitors will descend on the Antwerp Expo on Friday.
The first four rounds will be played in a best of 11 legs format, the semi-finals in a best of 13 legs format and the final in a best of 15 legs format, with the quarter-finals, semi-finals & final all taking place on Sunday evening from 19:00.
Flanders Trophy Tips Summary
Best Bet – Gerwyn Price to win @ 13/2
Alternative Bet – Josh Rock to win @ 18/1
Flanders Trophy Prediction
Best Bet: Gerwyn Price to win @ 13/2
World number four Gerwyn Price could be the man that takes the title in Littler's Antwerp absence. The Iceman lost an epic Premier League semi-final to the world champion in May and has since had a good summer.
It was highlighted by a run to the World Matchplay final in Blackpool where Littler was too strong but Price averaged 104.97 over 27 legs in the Winter Gardens.
He beat Callan Rydz, Cameron Menzies and Ross Smith en route to the Prague final last week and averaged over 100 in three of his four games.
That included the semi-final against Humphries where Price had the scoring edge with a 102.16 average but he was just 36 per cent on checkouts.
The 2021 world champion is enjoying a consistent year on the oche and it will be no shock should Gezzy land himself a major television title this winter. He's throwing with confidence, looks hungry for success and is a big danger in Antwerp.
Alternative Bet: Josh Rock to win @ 18/1
Northern Ireland's Josh Rock reached the final in Antwerp last year but even a three-figure average wasn't enough to topple Littler.
Rocky was excellent as he dismissed Stephen Bunting, Luke Woodhouse and James Wade on his path to that final and his overall body of work last season earned him a Premier League spot for the first time.
It is fair to say he endured a tough debut season amongst the elite eight-man field but it will only serve to instil hunger in the Northern Irishman.
He was beaten last month at the Australian Masters by Price and then lost to Chris Dobey on the ProTour in Budapest. In Prague he lost an all-Irish scrap with William O'Connor 6-5 last weekend.
Rock also lost a quality encounter with Dobey in Antwerp in the 2024 edition of this event before Hollywood was ousted in the semi-finals by Chisnall.
The world number eight is capable of rapid scoring when he finds his slot and if he has a good weekend on the outer ring he can conjure another strong effort in Antwerp.
Key Tournament Stats
- Luke Littler is the defending champion at the Flanders Trophy after beating Josh Rock 8-7 in the final 12 months ago but has opted out of this year's event
- Dave Chisnall won the inaugural staging in 2024, beating Ricardo Pietreczko 8-6 in the final
- Former world champ Luke Humphries will headline the field alongside Gian van Veen, Jonny Clayton, James Wade, Michael van Gerwen, Gerwyn Price and Stephen Bunting
- Price was a semi-finalist on the ProTour last weekend, losing 7-6 to Luke Humphries in Prague
- Rock reached the final here last year and won the Austrian Darts Open in May after a testing first season in Premier League
- Ross Smith leads the European Tour Ranking with the top 32 jostling for positions at the European Championship in Dortmund in October
Read more darts betting tips and predictions on site.
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
