PDC World Darts Championship 2022 - Two favourites and a dark horse to win £500k prize

The World Darts Championship kicks off at London’s Alexandra Palace on Wednesday night, a 16-day darting extravaganza that will end with one lucky darter lifting the title and taking home £500k.

A tournament too often dominated by huge legends of the sport such as Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, a World Championship victory can help start, reinvigorate or further a career.

With a field of 96 professional darters from day one, there are a number of huge success stories that could possibly occur.

Could Raymond van Barneveld become a three-time World Champion in his first year back from retirement? Could Jonny Clayton cap off a highly successful year by winning the big one?

Anything is possible in the World Darts Championship - so who are two favourites and one dark horse heading into this year’s event?

THE FAVOURITES

Gerwyn Price (10/3)

World Ranking: 1

For totally understandable reasons, Gerwyn Price is LondonWorld’s main favourite to retain his World Championship trophy.

The Iceman is currently number one in the world and is fresh off his third Grand Slam triumph in Wolverhampton a month ago.

What is different this time around is that Ally Pally will be full to the brim of jeering fans, who Price already has a tumultuous relationship with - but he has proven time and time again to be successful despite a frosty reception.

But the 36-year-old is coming into Ally Pally in good form and he has some vital experience of being the best of the rest when he toppled Gary Anderson in last year’s behind closed doors final.

There is a very good chance that Price and LondonWorld’s second favourite will meet each other in what could be one of the best World Darts Championship conclusions of all time.

Michael van Gerwen (4/1)

World Ranking: 3

2020 and 2021 might not have been the best years of Michael van Gerwen’s career - with the Dutchman struggling to adapt to the sport during Covid and having to get used to new equipment - but Mighty Mike looks as close to his best as he has in a long time.

His power scoring and high quality finishing is not far off the levels that won him three previous World Darts Championship titles, and he is looking back to his confident and assured self.

The 32-year-old has only managed to lose recently whenever his opponent plays the game of their lives, with last year’s Worlds a testament to that when Dave Chisnall averaged 107.34 in a surprising 5-0 demolition job - so if anyone does beat van Gerwen this year, they need to play well.

Van Gerwen will also be motivated by the fact that winning this year’s tournament will mark his return to the top of the Order of Merit.

THE DARK HORSE

Joe Cullen (50/1)

World Ranking: 13

LondonWorld’s dark horse for the World Darts Championship 2022 is Joe Cullen.

The Bradford-born darter has been getting a lot closer to winning his first televised major title for a while.

An effortless throw allows him to score heavily and his finishing is consistently solid, all Cullen lacks is experience in the big matches and decisive moments.

His furthest spell in the competition was achieved last year when he reached the fourth round, before getting knocked out in a stellar game of arrows by Michael van Gerwen.

A Worlds win would not only break his trophyless spell, but will act as a catapult that will shoot him into the darting stratosphere.