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New York Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Luke Littler vs. Ryan Searle preview: PDC World Matchplay odds, picks for Sunday
Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards for more information. The biggest star in darts, Luke 'The Nuke' Littler, will begin his campaign at the World Matchplay with a match against Ryan 'Heavy Metal' Searle in the Round of 32 on Sunday. Littler looked like he couldn't be stopped in the beginning of the year. He captured the 2025 World Championship in January, and then followed that up with his first ever UK Open title. The teenage sensation was the favorite to win the 2025 Premier League, and he captured the top seed for the playoffs, but fell to Luke Humphries in the final. Since then, Littler has come off the boil a bit. Luke Littler in action at the World Cup of Darts. Getty Images The 18-year-old has not been shy about the rigorous schedule he's had to play this year, and it does seem like fatigue could be catching up to him. Littler is just 5-3 since losing to Humphries in the Premier League, and he's played tournaments in Germany, Denmark, New York City, and Poland in the last six weeks. There's still no reason to doubt that Littler is one of the best two players in the world along with Humphries right now, but you do have to wonder if he'll be vulnerable as a massive favorite against Searle on Sunday. At his best, Littler is consistent and doesn't let his opponents have a leg off. He'll need to bring that game with him to the stage on Sunday, because Searle is a terrific scorer who can get white hot in a moment's notice. The price is right on Heavy Metal to pull the upset on Sunday. The Play: Ryan Searle +475 (DraftKings) Why Trust New York Post Betting Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Two-time world champion, 40, to make emotional darts return after over TWO YEARS away for live TV event
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ADRIAN LEWIS will next month make his return to televised darts – after a near two-and-half year absence. The two-time world champion last threw competitive darts in front of the cameras at the PDC's UK Open in 2023 at Butlin's Minehead. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Adrian Lewis is set to make his darts comeback next month Credit: Getty 3 It's been two long years since the ace was on the oche Credit: Getty Yet after that tournament, he decided to walk away from the sport – and eventually lost his professional tour card – for family reasons and having fallen out of love with the game. Lewis' wife Sarah has 'an incurable kidney disease' and his son 'has autism and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)', which has meant his full-time concentration and care. However, SunSport can now reveal he plans to make a comeback at the MODUS Super Series in Portsmouth at 10pm on Thursday August 28. It will be shown live and free on the MODUS Super Series Darts Channel on Pluto TV READ MORE IN DARTS LUKE OUT Littler aiming to join elite group of just four darts legends The Stoke star, 40, will represent Team England in a special 'International Pairs' week alongside Steve Beaton, 61, the 1996 Lakeside world champion. The finals night will be on Saturday August 30 provided the English duo qualify. It sees Lewis, a four-time World Cup of Darts champion, represent his country for the first time since 2017. And he will also be reunited with his old sparring partner and mentor Phil Taylor, the 16-time world champion, for a special event. BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS Should he rediscover his form in the coming months, then there is a chance he may wish to return to the pro ranks but it would have been through Qualifying School in January 2026. Darts supremo Barry Hearn does not plan to give him a special wildcard entry even though Lewis is a decorated and popular figure within the sport. Adrian Lewis doesn't hesitate naming the three darts stars who are bigger villains than him 3 Lewis will be reunited with old foe Phil Taylor Credit: Getty Lewis said: 'The MODUS Super Series is the perfect platform for me to gauge where my game is at. 'I've been practicing well and have played well in a lot of exhibitions. 'It will be something very different for me but I've been watching the MODUS Super Series on Pluto TV and the standard is incredible. 'There are some brilliant players and I don't expect it to be easy. Nothing is easy in darts these days. 'I've taken time out to focus on my family life. I told Barry Hearn back when I made that decision that I don't expect any freebies if I do decide to make a comeback. 'I'm willing to work for it and maybe this can be the first step. 'It hasn't been easy over the last few years. My wife has to live with an illness and my son has autism and ADHD. 'I found myself travelling to events but not wanting to be there and wanting to be at home with them instead. 'I think I lost a bit of love for the game. I wasn't happy and my performances suffered as a result. 'I'm not making any long-term plans but I still have a lot to give and if this goes well then we'll take the next step at the right time. 'The main thing is I'm happy and looking forward to playing competitive darts on my own terms, in my own time, without the demands of the tour, for now at least.'
Scottish Sun
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘Pretty certain' – Darts legend, 61, tipped for instant return to the sport just months after retirement
The PDC has revealed changes to the World Darts Championship format DARTS U-TURN 'Pretty certain' – Darts legend, 61, tipped for instant return to the sport just months after retirement Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DARTS hero Steve Beaton has tipped to come out of retirement months after laying down his arrows. Beaton, 61, began on the professional circuit in 1991 - competing against the likes of Dennis Priestley and Bob Anderson - before calling it quits last year. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Steve Beaton has tipped to come out of retirement Credit: Getty Beaton is a former Lakeside World Champion and semi-finalist in the UK Open and World Grand Prix. The "Bronzed Adonis" played in his 33rd consecutive PDC World Darts Championship last year, seeing off Dutchman Wessel Nijman 3-1 in the last 96. Beaton, who holds the record for 33 World Darts Championship appearances, brought the curtain down on his three-decade-plus stint on the main tour at the end of 2024. He currently competes on the MODUS Super Series alongside the seniors circuit - which Phil Taylor used to feature in after retirement. But Matthew Edgar, 38, has backed Beaton to make a remarkable comeback to the PDC this year. Edgar reckons the huge investment into the sport, combined with the expanded World Darts Championship format coming to Ally Pally later this year, will prove irresistible for the Coventry ace. Edgar told the Love The Darts podcast: "With the increased ranking money next year, if you're going to have a bad year and miss the big events, you can get away with it. "Because you can make it back up again in the previous year and the following year when you're not defending anything, you've got this heightened prize money, you can make the jump quite significantly. 2 Matt Edgar believes Beaton's run in the PDC isn't over Credit: Getty CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS "You're guaranteed the UK Open so realistically you think, 'Well, if I just have an okay season I should be in three potentially big events." Sky Sports presenter Abigail Davies then guessed that Beaton could be among those players motivated to return, to which Edgar boldly declared: "I think he does, I'm calling it now. Darts fans hail 'greatest thing I've ever seen' as star lands extremely rare triple-bullseye checkout "I think Steve Beaton's at Q School this year. I am pretty certain of it." Q School is a qualifying tournament for players who compete against each other to earn a PDC Tour Card, which allows them to play on the professional circuit. The World Championship is expanding to 128 players for the 2025/26 edition, with a total prize fund of £5 million, including £1 million for the winner. Despite Edgar's prediction, it was only last month that Beaton revealed it was time for him to step back from such a demanding darts schedule. He said: ""You've got to move on. I'm 61 now. I can't keep playing darts all the time. "I do watch them and I feel for them you know, they're on the clock all the time. It's great when you're younger. But once you get older it's harder."
The Irish Sun
08-07-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘Pretty certain' – Darts legend, 61, tipped for instant return to the sport just months after retirement
DARTS hero Steve Beaton has tipped to come out of retirement months after laying down his arrows. , 61, began on the professional circuit in 1991 - competing against the likes of Dennis Priestley and Bob Anderson - before 2 Steve Beaton has tipped to come out of retirement Credit: Getty Beaton is a former Lakeside World Champion and semi-finalist in the UK Open and World Grand Prix. The "Bronzed Adonis" played in his 33rd consecutive PDC World Darts Championship last year, seeing off Dutchman Wessel Nijman 3-1 in the last 96. Beaton, who holds the record for 33 World Darts Championship appearances, brought the curtain down on his three-decade-plus stint on the main tour at the end of 2024. He currently competes on the MODUS Super Series alongside the seniors circuit - which Phil Taylor used to feature in after retirement. READ MORE DARTS NEWS But Matthew Edgar, 38, has backed Beaton to make a remarkable comeback to the PDC this yea r. Edgar reckons the huge investment into the sport, combined with the expanded World Darts Championship format coming to Ally Pally later this year, will prove irresistible for the Coventry ace. Edgar told the Love The Darts podcast: "With the increased ranking money next year, if you're going to have a bad year and miss the big events, you can get away with it. "Because you can make it back up again in the previous year and the following year when you're not defending anything, you've got this heightened prize money , you can make the jump quite significantly. Most read in Darts 2 Matt Edgar believes Beaton's run in the PDC isn't over Credit: Getty CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS "You're guaranteed the UK Open so realistically you think, 'Well, if I just have an okay season I should be in three potentially big events." Sky Sports presenter Abigail Davies then guessed that Beaton could be among those players motivated to return, to which Edgar boldly declared: "I think he does, I'm calling it now. Darts fans hail 'greatest thing I've ever seen' as star lands extremely rare triple-bullseye checkout "I think Steve Beaton's at Q School this year. I am pretty certain of it." Q School is a qualifying tournament for players who compete against each other to earn a PDC Tour Card, which allows them to play on the professional circuit. The World Championship is expanding to 128 players for the 2025/26 edition, with a total prize fund of £5 million, including £1 million for the winner. Despite Edgar's prediction, it was only last month that Beaton revealed it was time for him to step back from such a demanding darts schedule. He said: ""You've got to move on. I'm 61 now. I can't keep playing darts all the time. "I do watch them and I feel for them you know, they're on the clock all the time. It's great when you're younger. But once you get older it's harder."
Wales Online
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Welsh darts legend admits he's 'skint' in bluntly honest post-match interview
Welsh darts legend admits he's 'skint' in bluntly honest post-match interview Richie Burnett, the former world darts champion, reached the semi-finals of the Modus Super Series on the World Seniors Darts tour this past weekend - and he had a very honest reason for his return Richie Burnett made it to the semi-finals of the Modus Super Series (Image:) Richie Burnett admitted his motivation for returning to the oche was financial, stating he was "skint" after making it to the semi-finals of the Modus Super Series. The darts star, nicknamed the 'Prince of Wales', featured in the World Seniors Darts tour over the last weekend, as fans enjoyed his return to the televised event. The 58-year-old's most recent success in darts was at the 2023 UK Open, where he overcame the then-world number two Peter Wright to advance to the quarter-finals. His appearances on the tours have been sporadic since then, but his victory in the PDC Challenge Tour in 2024 was momentous. This past weekend, the former world champion competed in the Super Series event, where he defeated Simon Whitlock and John Henderson to reach the semi-final. During his post-match interview, Burnett revealed the stark reality that propelled his competitive return. He said: "Yeah, I mean look, it's hard. You're going to have good legs and bad legs, but I'm digging in there and I want to win because I'm skint, you know. I need to win." Content cannot be displayed without consent Article continues below His frank admission evoked some laughter from the audience, even as the seasoned star downplayed his own successful performance en route to the semis. Burnett added: "Like I say you know, years go past and you should get better as the tournament goes on but I'm not saying nothing. I'll leave it at that please, thank you." The Welsh darts legend has returned to televised darts (Image:) Sadly, the Welsh darts icon was knocked out in the semi-final by Richie Howson, with a 6-4 defeat seeing the Englishman progress to the final against eventual champion Ross Montgomery. Burnett's participation in the World Seniors Darts tour would have been a welcome sight for many supporters who have followed his career over the past 27 years. Throughout his nearly three-decade-long darts career, Burnett has competed across various tours, clinching victories at the World Masters and Dutch Open in 1994 under the British Darts Organisation banner. A year later, the 'Prince of Wales' became the King, winning the World Championship title with a 6-3 victory over Raymond van Barneveld in the final. Richie Burnett returned to televised darts this weekend (Image: Tom Shaw/ALLSPORT ) In 1999, Burnett transitioned from BDO to the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), where he spent the remainder of his career. Article continues below During this period, he triumphed in several tournaments, including the Challenge Tour and the Players Championship, and also participated in the World Darts Federation tour.
