The 2026 World Grand Prix gets underway in Leicester on Monday evening, with Luke Littler, Gerwyn Price and Michael van Gerwen among the headline names beginning their campaigns at the Mattioli Arena.
Eight first-round matches are scheduled on the opening night, with play beginning from 6pm BST. The opening round is played over the best of three sets, while the World Grand Prix's distinctive double-in, double-out format means players must hit a double before they can begin scoring in every leg.
For Monday's betting tips, we've put together a four-fold featuring Luke Littler, Gerwyn Price, Jonny Clayton and Wessel Nijman to win their respective matches, priced at around 4/1 based on the odds available at the time of writing.
World Grand Prix Darts Monday Schedule
Monday's first-round order of play is:
| Approx. time | Match |
|---|---|
| 18:15 | Danny Noppert vs Niko Springer |
| 18:45 | Ross Smith vs Cameron Menzies |
| 19:15 | Nathan Aspinall vs Kevin Doets |
| 19:45 | Jonny Clayton vs Krzysztof Ratajski |
| 20:15 | Gerwyn Price vs Sebastian Bialecki |
| 20:45 | Michael van Gerwen vs Ryan Joyce |
| 21:15 | Luke Littler vs Luke Woodhouse |
| 21:45 | Wessel Nijman vs Rob Cross |
The PDC schedule confirms all eight matches form part of Monday's opening session, although individual start times remain approximate depending on the duration of earlier games.
World Grand Prix Darts Monday Odds
| Time | Player 1 | Odds | Player 2 | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18:15 | Danny Noppert | 3/4 | Niko Springer | 5/4 |
| 18:45 | Ross Smith | 4/7 | Cameron Menzies | 13/8 |
| 19:15 | Nathan Aspinall | 4/5 | Kevin Doets | 15/13 |
| 19:45 | Jonny Clayton | 33/50 | Krzysztof Ratajski | 16/11 |
| 20:15 | Gerwyn Price | 1/3 | Sebastian Bialecki | 11/4 |
| 20:45 | Michael van Gerwen | 4/7 | Ryan Joyce | 6/4 |
| 21:15 | Luke Littler | 2/9 | Luke Woodhouse | 4/1 |
| 21:45 | Wessel Nijman | 11/13 | Rob Cross | 11/10 |
World Grand Prix Betting Tips: Monday Four-Fold
- Jonny Clayton to beat Krzysztof Ratajski
- Gerwyn Price to beat Sebastian Bialecki
- Luke Littler to beat Luke Woodhouse
- Wessel Nijman to beat Rob Cross
Four-fold odds: Around 4/1
Jonny Clayton to beat Krzysztof Ratajski
Jonny Clayton looks an appealing starting point for the accumulator as the Welshman returns to a tournament in which he has already enjoyed considerable success.
Clayton won the World Grand Prix in 2021, beating Gerwyn Price 5-1 in the final, demonstrating his ability to adapt to the unique double-start format. More recently, he produced another reminder of his big-stage credentials by beating Luke Littler 10-4 at the World Series Finals.
Krzysztof Ratajski is an experienced and dangerous opponent, particularly over such a short first-round distance, but Clayton's combination of current form and proven World Grand Prix pedigree makes him our preference.
Gerwyn Price to beat Sebastian Bialecki
Gerwyn Price is the shortest-priced selection in the four-fold and looks capable of providing its strongest foundation.
Price is a former World Grand Prix champion, having lifted the trophy in 2020, while he also reached the final again three years later. His 2026 seasonal average of 99.16 places him among the strongest scorers in the field heading into Leicester.
Sebastian Bialecki has enough scoring power to cause problems if Price struggles to find his starting doubles, particularly in a best-of-three-set contest. However, Price's superior experience in this competition and sustained performance level make him difficult to oppose.
Luke Littler to beat Luke Woodhouse
Defending champion Luke Littler is unsurprisingly another cornerstone of the accumulator.
Littler won this event for the first time in 2025, producing a dominant 6-1 victory over Luke Humphries in the final. That success removed any lingering questions about how well his game translates to the World Grand Prix's double-in format.
Luke Woodhouse has enjoyed an impressive 2026 campaign and cannot be dismissed in such a short format, but Littler's ceiling remains considerably higher. Given the volatility created by the double-start rule, we'll stick to the outright match win rather than asking the defending champion to cover a set handicap.
Wessel Nijman to beat Rob Cross
Wessel Nijman provides the bigger-priced leg of Monday's four-fold and could be the selection that makes the accumulator worthwhile.
The Dutchman has established himself as one of the PDC's most dangerous emerging players and has collected eight titles during 2026. He also responded to disappointment at the World Series Finals by producing several 100-plus averages on the ProTour ahead of this tournament.
Rob Cross brings significantly greater major championship experience and therefore represents a serious first-round test. However, Nijman's current scoring level makes this look much closer than reputation alone might suggest, and he is our value selection to complete the four-fold.
