Overview, order of play, way to watch and predict

The main event

Two-time world champion Gary Anderson begins 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 get plenty of vocal support from the Alexandra Palace crowd against Dutchman De Graaf.

The flying Scot has won three tournaments this season, but it was the defeat that gave him the inner belief that he can mount a challenge at world tournaments.

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

LITTLER WINS THE CLASSIC! 🤯

IT IS SIMPLY AWESOME!

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

Sensational from both players! 👏

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

— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) November 17, 2024

He told The Daily Record: “It really got me going, real play, four legs on him, I had to hold the throw once and I made a mess.

“I even watched afterwards when Luke was beating me, you could see the relief on his face, so I went, I pushed you. It’s good, it gives me a little buzz and it gives you that shimmer. Little things change me a little and I need that to continue. There are some top darts players out there and it’s still nice to play against them.

“If you look at his games in the semi-finals and the final, he was taken all the way by an old 54-year-old. I like that kind of thing, I like to see, can I still play at their standard? My finish that night was great, my scoring wasn’t too much.”

De Graaf is ranked 81st in the world and defeated 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 opening act, also in action in the evening session.

Order of play

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

Evening session (from 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 watch

The PDC World Championship is shown on Sky Sports in the UK.
You can watch the afternoon session on Sky Sports Darts from 12:30 GMT. The evening slot is on Sky Sports Darts at 19:00 and Main Event from 1915.

Predictions

Anderson should be too good for De Graaf, as should Van den Bergh against Slevin.
The closest fight could be between Rydz and world number 22 Schindler. Rydz has a game that will blow anyone away and is to be admired despite being the underdog against the German.
Elsewhere, there should be wins for Searle, Van Duijvenbode, Nijman, Edhouse and Smith.