Preview, order of play, how to watch and predictions

The main event

Two-time world champion Gary Anderson kicks off his campaign against Jeffrey de Graaf tomorrow night.

Anderson, winner in 2015 and 2016, remains one of the most popular players in the game and will receive plenty of vocal support from the Alexandra Palace crowd against Dutchman De Graaf.

The Flying Scotsman has won three events this season, but it was a defeat that gave him the inner conviction that he can pose a challenge in the world.

Anderson took teenage sensation Luke Littler to a penalty shoot-out in the final leg of the Grand Slam of Darts semi-finals and although he lost 16-15, he won big in that clash in Wolverhampton last month.

THE LITTLE ONE WINS A CLASSIC! 🤯

THAT’S JUST EXTRAORDINARY!

Luke Littler comes back from the brink to defeat Gary Anderson 16-15 in an EPIC Grand Slam semi-final in Wolverhampton!

Sensational on the part of both players! 👏

📺 https://t.co/lkfAqflnXa #GSOD | S.F. pic.twitter.com/ldSbWCnxfj

– PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) November 17, 2024

He told The Daily Record: “It really got me going, proper game, four legs more than him, I had to hold my shot once and I messed it up.

“Even afterwards, I saw when Luke hit me and you could see the kind of relief on his face, so I went and pushed you. It’s good, it gives me a little buzz and gives you that glow. The little things give me a little change and I need it to move forward. There are some excellent darts players and it’s still nice to get involved in playing against them.

“If you look at his matches in the semi-finals and the final, it was a 54-year-old man who took him to the end. I like this kind of stuff, I like to see, can I still play at their level? My finishing that night was great, my scoring wasn’t too good.”

De Graaf is world number 81 and beat Rashad Sweeting 3-1 in the first round.

World number 11 Dimitri van den Bergh follows Anderson on stage with Callan Rydz, so impressive in his first match, also in action in the evening session.

Order of play

Afternoon session (starting at 12:30 GMT)
Ryan Searle vs. Matt Campbell (R2)
Dirk van Duijvenbode vs. Madars Razma (R2)
Joe Cullen vs. Wessel Nijman (R2)
Ritchie Edhouse vs. Ian White (R2)

Afternoon session (starting at 19:00 GMT)
Martin Schindler vs. Callan Rydz (R2)
Ross Smith vs. Paolo Nebrida (R2)
Gary Anderson vs. Jeffrey de Graaf (R2)
Dimitri Van den Bergh vs. Dylan Slevin (R2)

how to look

The PDC World Championship is broadcast on Sky Sports in the UK.
You can watch the afternoon session on Sky Sports Darts from 12:30 GMT. The night session is on Sky Sports Darts at 1900 and the Main Event from 1915.

Predictions

Anderson should be too good for De Graaf, as should Van den Bergh against Slevin.
The closest contest could be between Rydz and world number 22 Schindler. Rydz has the game to leave anyone speechless and should like it despite being the outsider against the German.
Elsewhere, Searle, Van Duijvenbode, Nijman, Edhouse and Smith should win.