The PDC World Darts Championship remains the pinnacle of the world's best darts players, with this year's tournament set to get under way on 15th December, 2023 with the final taking place on 3rd January, 2024.

There have been 30 previous editions of the tournament, with Michael Smith becoming the 11th different winner with his maiden success at the start of this year.

Although Bully Boy is towards the top of the betting at 5/1 to successfully defend his crown, he is not the favourite with three-time winner Michael van Gerwen holding that tagging at 10/3.

Nathan Aspinall won July's World Matchplay, defeating Jonny Clayton in the final, to suggest there is real a strength and depth in darts right now, and there looks to be at least potential for another new name to be etched into the World Championship record books.

Despite his success in Blackpool, the Asp doesn't even make the top six in the betting for the Alexandra Palace extravaganza at the end of the year.

We take a look at the players who are currently leading the betting...
 

Michael van Gerwen – 10/3

It is little surprise to see Michael van Gerwen at the top of the betting as he was seen as the heir apparent to the dominant Phil Taylor, with suggestions he could get somewhere close to The Power's whopping 16 world titles.

Things have not panned out that way, yet, but Mighty Mike is still second on the all-time list, being the only other player to have won the PDC world crown on three occasions - in 2014, 2017 and 2019.

He was also world number one from 2014 to 2021 but form and fitness issues, along with the progression of others, mean he is no longer the world's best - albeit now second in the rankings.

The Dutch ace was ranked third going into the last World Championship but powered his way to the final, only to succumb to a 7-4 defeat to Smith.

While he hasn't been as successful this year as 2022 perhaps, he still became the Premier League champion for a record seventh time to suggest he is not one to be taken lightly.
 

Gerwyn Price – 7/2

Gerwyn Price knows what it takes to win on the biggest stage of them all, having triumphed at Alexandra Palace in 2021, a success which saw him take the world number one ranking.

However, perhaps due to the strength of the competition, he is not quite as dominant as in the past. The Iceman did win the European Darts Open and International Darts Open, and made the Premier League final - only to lose to Van Gerwen. He also won the World Cup of Darts for Wales, playing with Jonny Clayton

However, his World Championship bid last year will be forever remembered for his decision to wear ear defenders in his 5-1 defeat to Gabriel Clemens as the crowd got on his back. 
 

Michael Smith – 5/1

Smith has been touted for success ever since he won the Youth World Championship back in 2013, and although it took a while, those premonitions finally came to be realised when he claimed his first title back in January in what was his third final, throwing a nine-darter along the way in that classy win over MVG.

His Ally Pally success made it a unique double as he is the only player to have won both the Youth World Championships and the World Championships.

He also claimed top spot in the rankings in the process, a position he still holds over van Gerwen going into the second half of the year.

Smith shed his previous nearly-man tag (eight runner-up finishes in ten major finals) with victory in the Grand Slam of Darts a month before his world triumph, and having reached the final in three of the last five years at Ally Pally, he is definitely one to watch.
 

Peter Wright – 18/1

Wright is one of six players to have won the world title on multiple occasions, with victories in 2020 and 2022 seeing him lying alongside Gary Anderson, Adrian Lewis and John Part with two wins - only Van Gerwen and Taylor have won more.

However, his title defence in 2023 never got going, despite a comfortable 3-0 win over Mickey Mansell, as he was dispatched 4-1 by Kim Huybrechts to fall in the second round.

Like the rest of the perceived established order, Wright has struggled for victories this year, although he has won both the Nordic Masters and Czech Open, as well as reaching the final of the World Cup of Darts.
 

Luke Humphries – 18/1

Similarly to Smith, Luke Humphries has been seen as one of the stars of the future since winning the Youth World Championships in 2019, and looks one of the most naturally gifted players on the circuit.

The 28-year-old's reputation continues to rise and he will be looking to crack one of the big ones and go deep. Cool Hand Luke will have been disappointed by a fourth-round exit last year, after making the quarter-finals in three of the previous four tournaments.

Reaching the last four of the Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals last year, as well as the World Matchplay in 2023, along with European Matchplay success, may just be giving him the confidence that he can compete on the biggest stage.
 

Jonny Clayton – 18/1

Jonny Clayton has been something of a late bloomer, having secured his first major titles, and plenty of them, in 2021 to announce himself as one of the big stars of the game.

The 48-year-old has not quite followed up that trophy-laden campaign in the subsequent two years, while he has yet to really stamp his mark on the World Championships.

His best finish at Ally Pally came earlier this year when he reached the quarter-finals, and a run all the way to the World Matchplay final in July might just be the boost he needs for a strong showing at the end of the year.