PDC World Cup Darts

Estimated reading time: 31 minutes

At times facing each other, at times side by side. That’s the PDC World Cup of Darts, a Nations Cup featuring the best two darters from each country.

When betting on darts, you have many tournaments from the PDC calendar to choose from. These include the PDC World Championship, the Premier League of Darts, the World Grand Prix and the Grand Slam of Darts. Now we will take a closer look at the format, history, betting markets and top matches of the PDC World Cup of Darts.

Format – PDC World Cup of Darts

The PDC World Cup of Darts is another wonderfully unique tournament on the PDC calendar. Normally, darts is a purely individual sport, but not at this tournament. The two best darters per country at the PDC represent their country at the PDC World Cup of Darts, in which 32 countries currently compete.

The ranking per country is based on the average ranking of the two participants. The top eight countries only enter later, the others play preliminary rounds first. In the early years, the format still fluctuated.

From preliminary round to group stage to knockout

In 2010, the format was impossible to gauge. In the first round, the 16 ‘lesser teams’ played a best of 11 legs in a doubles match. The team that lost the leg was allowed to start the next leg. The eight winners of that first round played a second round against the top eight countries, with the same best of 11 legs. This was followed by a group stage with two groups of four. Each match consisted of two singles matches (1 point per win) and a doubles match (2 points). The same happened in the semi-finals and finals.

In the second edition in 2012, the group stage was thrown out and everything became knockout. From the second round, it was again two singles matches for one point, and a doubles match for two points. In case of a tie, a sudden death leg followed for the doubles match. In the semi-finals came four singles and one doubles. And in case of a tie, of course, another sudden death leg. In 2013, there was a bizarre group stage with eight groups of three countries, with one seeded country in each group.

PDC World Cup of Darts with 32 countries

In 2014, the field of participants was increased from 24 to 32 countries. The top 16 countries were given a ranking and thus could not face each other in the first round. This year, the two points for doubles were also jettisoned. If a country won both singles matches, they were declared the winner. The doubles match was played only in a 1-1 tie. In the final, four singles matches and, if necessary, one doubles match were played. The only other change since then came in 2016, when only the top eight countries were given rankings again.

History – PDC World Cup of Darts

The tournament is still relatively young and was organised for the first time in 2010, just like the Women’s World Cup and the Under-21 World Cup, so the first edition started with 24 countries, with England (Phil Taylor and James Wade) placed first and the Netherlands (Raymond van Barneveld and Co Stompé) second. Remarkably, however, England lost to Spain as early as the second round.

The Netherlands took advantage and won the group stage with Australia, Canada and Austria. After winning against Spain in the semi-finals, the Netherlands faced Wales in the final. The Netherlands trailed 2-1 through two individual wins by Mark Webster. But Co Stompé beat Barrie Bates and then won the decisive doubles with Raymond van Barneveld.

Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis rock solid in World Cup of Darts

There was no edition in 2011, but in 2012 Phil Taylor was able to take his revenge for the early elimination in 2010. This time he had Adrian Lewis by his side, not necessarily his best friend. Raymond van Barneveld was joined by Vincent van der Voort. Taylor and Lewis struggled a lot in the tournament and even needed a sudden death leg against Canada. But they struggled through to the final. By contrast, the Netherlands went smoothly to the semi-finals, losing to Australians Simon Whitlock and Paul Nicholson. After an exciting match, Taylor and Lewis won in sudden death.

In 2013, Raymond van Barneveld got his third partner alongside him, Michael van Gerwen. But they were surprised by little Finland in the second round. Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis waltzed through the tournament fairly easily. In the final, they met Belgian brothers Kim and Ronny Huybrechts. Kim beat Adrian Lewis in a fine match, but the other three matches went to England, for their second World Cup of Darts.

Raymond van Barneveld and Michael van Gerwen for the first time

The wins by Taylor and Lewis made it 2-1 for England against the Netherlands. In 2013, however, the two teams tied their totals again. Michael van Gerwen gave Phil Taylor a 4-0 whitewash, Raymond van Barneveld did the same against Adrian Lewis. Van Gerwen then finished it off 4-2 against Lewis.

The 2015 and 2016 editions were again a triumph for the English. In the final, Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis were too strong for Scottish super duo Peter Wright and Gary Anderson. Those had beaten Barney and Mighty Mike in the semi-finals. In 2016, it was again England – Netherlands in the final. After three games, the Netherlands were still on 2-1. But then Van Barneveld lost a super match against Taylor 4-1 (both 105 average). And Michael van Gerwen fell through against Lewis, who also won 4-1.

UK and Dutch up top, finally other winners

The other countries had to wait a few more years for the win not to go to England or the Netherlands. In 2017 and 2018, Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld played the final again. Perhaps that was also because Phil Taylor was no longer competing. In 2017 it was Lewis and Dave Chisnall, in 2018 Rob Cross and Chisnall. In 2017, the Netherlands won the final from Mark Webster and Gerwyn Price of Wales. And a year later, they won over Gary Anderson and Peter Wright from Scotland, their second lost final.

In 2019, it was three strikes for Scotland. They won in the final from tiny Ireland, who were too strong for the Netherlands (Van Gerwen and Jermaine Wattimena) in the semi-final. In 2020, Wales became the third British country to win the PDC World Cup of Darts, featuring Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton. In the final, they beat English duo Michael Smith and Rob Cross. Peter Wright won his second title in 2021, this time with John Henderson. And in 2022 there was the first non-European final victory: Simon Whitlock and Damon Heta won for Australia, Wales was a losing finalist.

Statistics – PDC World Cup of Darts

As you could guess from history, the Netherlands and England are the most successful in the PDC World Cup of Darts. England won four editions, each time with Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis. The Netherlands also won four: Raymond van Barneveld all times, once with Co Stompé and three times with Michael van Gerwen. Peter Wright won twice with Scotland, Wales and Australia won once.

In terms of average per match, Raymond van Barneveld and Michael van Gerwen take the crown. They have the best three averages and further two entries in the top ten best averages. Like Phil Taylor, both Dutchmen have also thrown an average of 100+ ten times. The best individual average is in the name of Kim Huybrechts with 121.97.

12 editions, 43 countries, many players

The teams have changed over the years. Especially for big countries, where competition is strong. In total, only four players have participated in all 12 editions. Brendan Dolan for Northern Ireland, William O’Connor for Ireland, Mensur Suljovic for Austria, and Simon Whitlock for Australia. Kim Huybrechts from Belgium only missed the first edition.

Betting markets – PDC World Cup of Darts

When betting on darts, there are often a number of odds (betting markets) to choose from. We explain a few that you can choose from at most, if not all, bookmakers.

Betting on PDC World Cup of Darts – outright winner

Over the past five years, there have been seven different countries in the final of the PDC World Cup of Darts and five different winners. With relatively short matches, the chances of surprises are high. Will you correctly predict the final winner?

Betting on PDC World Cup of Darts – pre-match betting

As mentioned, there are quite a few stunts at this tournament. When Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld lose even once to Finland, a lot can happen. A small bet on one or more matches can always yield some fun.

Betting on PDC World Cup of Darts – progression per country

If you are good at predicting which team is strong, you can also bet on their progression. For example, do you see a country reaching at least the semi-finals, or will a big country go down early?

Historic matches – PDC World Cup of Darts

2010 final – Van Barneveld/Stompé vs Webster/Bates

Of course, we love watching The Matchstick, Co Stompé. In 2010, he and Raymond van Barneveld won the very first PDC World Cup of Darts. In the final, they went all the way in the decisive doubles match.

2012 final – Taylor/Lewis vs Whitlock/Nicholson

In 2012, Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis won their first of four editions of the PDC World Cup of Darts. Against Simon Whitlock (The Wizard) and Paul Nicholson. They needed a nerve-wracking sudden death leg.

2022 final – Whitlock/Heta vs Price/Clayton

Simon Whitlock’s revenge is too good to pass up. In 2012 he lost the final, partly by missing match darts himself. Ten years later, he and Damon Heta beat Belgium and England, among others, before they faced Wales in the final. In that final, he also missed a match dart in doubles to win the tournament. But Heta then came to the rescue in his singles match.