European Championship Darts Tips & Prediction: Keith Deller backing 13/2 outsider to strike gold in Dortmund
Keith Deller MBE provides his pre-tournament tips and predictions for the 2026 European Championship in Dortmund this weekend.
European Championship Darts Winner Prediction
Luke Humphries finally got himself back on the winners podium with victory at the World Grand Prix recently, and there's no reason he can't make it two big TV titles in succession this week.
'Cool Hand' had gone almost 18 months without reigning supreme in one of the majors, and you had started to wonder whether he had lost the winning touch.
However, he was showed all the qualities that propelled him to the summit of the sport a couple of years ago in claiming his second World Grand Prix crown and he will now head to Germany in buoyant mood.
Luke Littler has proven to have had his number over the past 12 months, beating him in four TV finals, and he will be gunning for revenge if the pair are to contest yet another tournament decider in the coming days.
Of course, it's 'The Nuke' who has been installed as the heavy favourite, but I have serious reservations here because he has shown that he can struggle over those short format matches, and I just have a feeling he could come a cropper early on once more.
European Championship Darts Tips
- Jonny Clayton - To Reach the Final @ 12/1
- Wessel Nijman - To Win the European Championship @ 18/1 (Each-Way)
- Ross Smith - To Win the European Championship @ 22/1 (Each-Way)
- Forecast the Finalists - Luke Humphries & Jonny Clayton @ 60/1
There appears to be plenty of value to be found at the European Championship and I have picked out three big price suggestions that are, for me, somewhat overpriced.
The first being Jonny Clayton to reach the final.
Jonny has been in exceptional form this year, reaching two semi-finals and four semi-finals and I just sense he could improve that record yet further by lasting the full pace in Dortmund.
Of course, given I am predicting Humphries to win the event and feel that Clayton has a chance of reaching the final, I really like the 60/1 price on the two to contest Sunday's tournament showpiece.
In addition to this, there are a couple of outsiders I reckon could have deep runs in the event, and could defy their inflated pre-tournament prices.
There is a strong 32-player field heading to Germany and as well as Humphries and Clayton, two wildcards I really like the look of are Wessel Nijman and Ross Smith.
Ross is undoubtedly in the form of his life having won a couple of European Tour events this season as well as the World Series of Darts Finals.
If he can hold his nerve and continue playing in the same manner he has for the past three months, don't be surprised to see his 22/1 price come tumbling.
Another player I like this week, and who I have championed the claims of for quite some time, is Dutchman Wessel Nijman.
As we all know, he still hasn't made his big breakthrough on the TV stage yet, but his form on the floor has been sensational.
Like Ross, Wessel has got his hands on the top prize in two European Tour events whilst he has also prevailed in six Players Championship competitions.
So surely it's only a matter of time until that form translates to his game in these major events!
All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
