Darts tipster Henry Hardewicke is backing Germany to become World Cup of Darts winners for the first time as the pairing of Martin Schindler and Gabriel Clemens eye up success in Frankfurt.

Damon Heta and Simon Whitlock took Australia to the trophy at the same venue last year and the Aussie pair will be back to defend their crown. 

Henry Hardwicke’s World Cup of Darts Tips

Germany to win the World Cup - 20/1
Philippines to win Group I - 13/5
Latvia to win Group K - 8/11

Odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and subject to fluctuation.
 

Setting the scene….

A new format will be introduced in this year’s renewal of the event, with the competition expanded to include 40 teams. 

The top-four ranked teams (England, Netherlands, Wales and Scotland) will be seeded and automatically placed in the second-round, while the other 36 nations will compete in a group-stage of twelve sections of three, with one qualifying from each pool. 

It’s also worth noting that all rounds will be a single-match played in doubles format, removing singles matches, which had been a part of the previous staging of the event, entirely.

The Welsh pair of Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton are the 6/5 favourites to regain the crown they won in 2020, but there looks to be better value further down the list and we take a look at the best bets in Germany. 
 

Germany to win the World Cup @ 20/1

Germany will have home advantage in Frankfurt, and while that will bring extra pressure, they will be guaranteed the full support of a vociferous crown. 

Martin Schindler and Gabriel Clemens make up the German team this year and it’s a duo that took the European side to the quarter-finals of this competition last year. 

Schindler and Clemens are putting up excellent numbers on the Pro Tour and they are both in the top-30 performers when it comes to three-dart averages this term. The Wall is developing into a dangerous performer and Schindler showed that when reaching the quarter-finals of the UK Open earlier this year. 

Clemens made the semi-finals of the World Championship at the turn of the year and the German Giant appears to be back at the peak of his powers.

Henry Hardwicke’s Tip:

The duo look to have a good relationship on the board, they should be well-suited to the pairs format and they can cruise through a group containing Japan and Hong Kong, who don’t have a single tour card in their ranks. 

The pair are 20/1 to reign on home solid this time around and they look worth a bet. 
 

Philippines to win Group I @ 13/5

Christian Perez and Lourence Ilagan make up the Filipino pair in Germany and they look a capable outfit. 

Perez made his debut on the Pro Tour in the Players Championship 13 event earlier this week and it was a seriously impressive maiden effort.

The Titan beat Rob Cross, Jamie Hughes, Luke Woodhouse and World Cup group-stage rival Karel Sedlacek on his way to the last-eight in Hildesheim and that sort of form would make the Philippines hard to beat in this event. 

Ilagan is a heavy-scoring arrowsmith, who beat Rowby-John Rodriguez in the first-round of the World Championship at the turn of the year and the Filipino pair appear to have a strong chance of upsetting a Czech side that have never been past the first-round of this competition. 

Henry Hardwicke’s Tip:

The Czech Republic are the 1/2 favourites to win Group I, but that looks a pretty short price and at 13/5 like the better value can be found by backing the Philippines to top Group I.
 

Latvia to win Group K @ 8/11

Prolific Nordic & Baltic Pro Tour, 2022 World Grand Prix quarter-finalist and main tour card holder Madars Razma heads the Latvian team and Razmatazz is likely to be the outstanding performer in this section. 

Partner Dmitrijs Zukovs is averaging 80.27 across 52 matches on the Nordic & Baltic Pro Tour this term and that looks good enough to make a useful contribution for his nation. 

Ben Robb is a strong player, but paired with Warren Parry it looks a tough task for the New Zealand duo. 

Robb is averaging 84.29 on the Dart Players New Zealand Pro Tour, Parry is down at 78.21 and the Kiwi’s chances look to have been overplayed by the prices. 

Henry Hardwicke’s Tip:

Bahrain make their World Cup debut in Frankfurt and Bassim Mahmood and Abdulnaser Yusuf look one of the weakest pairs in the competition. 

That leaves Group K looking like two-way battle between Latvia and New Zealand, and at 8/11, the European outfit look the bet. 
 

Henry Hardwicke’s World Cup of Darts Tips

Germany to win the World Cup - 20/1
Philippines to win Group I - 13/5
Latvia to win Group K - 8/11

Odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and subject to fluctuation.