The European Tour events continue on the PDC darts circuit this weekend with the Swiss Darts Trophy from the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland.
Former world champion Luke Humphries, who won the World Grand Prix for a second time in Leicester last Sunday, is the headline attraction, chasing the £35,000 first prize, with the 16 first-round matches taking place on Friday.
There are eight second-round contests on Saturday, before a blockbuster Sunday comprising the third round, quarter-finals, semis and final.
With Luke Littler skipping the event, Humphries is top seed and a warm order. World Championship runner-up Gian van Veen is second seed, with the ever reliable Jonny Clayton in third.
James Wade is fourth seed, underlining what a renaissance the veteran left-hander has had, enjoying a status superior to Michael van Gerwen in Switzerland.
Humphries gets top billing in Basel and can be backed at 5/2 for glory, but Cool Hand will be fully aware that his first match will probably be a tough one. Kevin Doets is one of the most improved players on the PDC circuit and the Dutchman, if he defeats Nick Kenny in round one, will be waiting for Humphries in round two.
Van Veen will also have hoped for a more straightforward opener, with Niko Springer his likely opponent. Springer is a maximums machine who is well capable of matching the scoring power of Van Veen. The Giant is a 13/2 chance to win the tournament.
Clayton, 52, may be set for a battle of the veterans, with Raymond van Barneveld, 59, a potential second-round foe. Clayton is 14/1 for the title.
The first-round action starts at noon UK and Ireland time. Former world champions Michael Smith and Rob Cross are the biggest names who have to compete in round one. Smith faces Robert Owen, while Cross has drawn Mario Vandenbogaerde.
Swiss Darts Trophy Tips Summary
Best bet - Jonny Clayton each-way @ 14/1
Alternative bet - Chris Dobey each-way @ 28/1
Alternative bet - Kevin Doets each-way @ 28/1
Swiss Darts Trophy Prediction
Best bet: Jonny Clayton each-way @ 14/1
The man who ended Littler's bid to complete a 2026 clean sweep of all major titles was Clayton - and the experienced Welshman looks the best value option in the Swiss Darts Trophy.
Clayton thrashed Littler 10-4 in Amsterdam to further underline the fact that the Ferret is a match for anyone. His record of upsetting the big names is phenomenal and he is consistently underrated in the betting. More glory may be coming for the pride of Pontyberem in Basel on Sunday.
The only player who has been getting the better of Clayton in recent weeks is his compatriot Gerwyn Price, but the Iceman is not competing in Switzerland. Clayton should be too strong for either Raymond van Barneveld or Maik Kuivenhoven in his opener, with Luke Woodhouse or Rob Cross probably waiting in the third round.
There are no easy draws for anyone in this event, but Clayton's route to the quarter-finals appears more straightforward than most. He won the New Zealand Darts Masters in August and is well capable of lifting another trophy on Sunday.
Alternative bet: Chris Dobey each-way @ 28/1
The draw has been reasonably kind to Chris Dobey, who looks like a generous each-way price in Basel.
Like Clayton, Dobey is on the opposite side of the draw to tournament favourite Humphries, so does not have to worry about the best player in attendance until the final match, if at all.
Niels Zonneveld will probably be Dobey's first opponent. Zonneveld enjoyed a shock run to the quarter-finals of the World Grand Prix, but Dobey would still expect to defeat the Dutchman. With Stephen Bunting in wretched form, Dobey can get to the quarter-finals at least.
Alternative bet: Kevin Doets each-way @ 28/1
The best value in the top half of the draw is arguably Doets, who is well capable of beating Humphries in round two over such a short distance. The first four rounds are over best-of-11-legs, providing potential for upsets.
Doets won Players Championship 13 in May and the 28-year-old Dutchman has the self-belief to go far in Switzerland. If he overcomes Humphries, Doets may be difficult to stop.
Key Tournament Stats
Stephen Bunting is the defending champion
Bunting defeated Luke Woodhouse 8-3 in the 2025 final
This is the year's penultimate European Tour event
Luke Humphries is the top seed this year
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.
