Ladbrokes UK Open predictions and darts betting tips: Dobey to put on a Hollywood performance

Where to watch the Ladbrokes UK Open

ITV4, midday & 7pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Best bets

Chris Dobey to win the UK Open
1pt each-way 25-1 general

Rob Cross to win the UK Open
1pt each-way 25-1 Betfair, BoyleSports, Paddy Power 

Gian van Veen to win the UK Open
1pt each-way 80-1 bet365

Michele Turretta to beat Rob Grundy
1pt 8-5 Coral, Ladbrokes

Patrick Geeraets to beat Christian Kist
1pt 6-5 Hills

Ladbrokes UK Open predictions

Seven different winners in the last seven years, culminating in Andrew Gilding’s 200-1 stunner 12 months ago, illustrates once again what a blank canvas is being presented to punters ahead of the 2024 Ladbrokes UK Open.

Nearly 160 arrowsmiths go to post at Butlin’s Minehead on Friday, most of them thinking they can go far, several of them believing they can go all the way, while a handful have already been there and got the T-shirt having previously lifted the trophy.

It’s wide open because there are no seedings, just an open draw at every stage from round four onwards when the world’s top 32 enter the competition.

The Premier League eight have hot-footed it from Exeter to await their turn, among them three-time winner Michael van Gerwen, former finalist and world champion Luke Humphries and boy wonder Luke Littler.

They are the big three in the betting, although any number of others will be have their supporters. And Rob Cross, Chris Dobey and Gian van Veen are a trio with as good a chance as any if the draw falls their way.

Cross has started the year steadily, if unspectacularly, but finished 2023 in sparkling form with a run to the final of the Grand Slam and the semis at Alexandra Palace.

He’s a former UK Open finalist - he was beaten by Nathan Aspinall five years ago - and as an elite player will feel he has every chance of going the distance.

Cross, a quarter-finalist again in Minehead last year, needs a bit of luck with the draw as they all do. Last year’s fourth-round draw, for example, pitted Cross against Raymond van Barneveld, Michael van Gerwen against Dave Chisnall, Luke Humphries against Damon Heta, Peter Wright against Stephen Bunting and so on. Those ties just don’t happen in a typical draw bracket.

Dobey wound up playing Ryan Searle - another all top-32 affair which Hollywood won - and he’s fancied to go well again.

Last year’s Masters winner has already reached a Pro Tour final this year, whitewashing Van Gerwen on his way to a final defeat at the hands of Heta.

Van Veen is another player shining on the Pro Tour and is worth keeping an eye on, and perhaps a small interest on at 80-1. The 21-year-old Dutch youngster has won on the Development Tour and is currently seventh on the Players Championship Order of Merit.

Rounds one, two and three are a bunfight, played out across eight different stages, featuring all Pro Tour card holders (below the top 32), and qualifiers, both professional and amateur.

A couple stand out at decent prices, among them Italy’s Q-School graduate Michele Turetta who caused quite the stir at his Players Championship debut earlier this month when he beat first Dave Chisnall and then Joe Cullen.

He has to fancy he can land the odds against Robert Grundy, who is played four, lost four on tour thus far.

Patrick Geeraets, another Q-School alumni, is throwing steadily enough on his first year on Tour to suggest he’s a big price against the ever-injured Christian Kist.

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