SKY BET MOBILE are to sponsor the World Matchplay, which will begin on Saturday July 16 at the Winter Gardens as World Champion Adrian Lewis competes on the opening night in Blackpool.
The 18th World Matchplay will take place from July 16-24, offering a £400,000 prize fund as 32 players battle for the prestigious £100,000 title, which has been won 11 times by Phil Taylor.
The PDC can confirm Sky Bet Mobile as the title sponsors for the Sky Bet Mobile World Matchplay, as the leading sports betting company return to the sport, having previously sponsored the World Grand Prix and UK Open.
"We're delighted to welcome Sky Bet Mobile back into darts as the sponsors of the World Matchplay," said PDC Chairman Barry Hearn.
"This tournament has developed a great history since it was introduced in 1994, and I believe the field of players for this year's Sky Bet Mobile World Matchplay is the finest we have assembled, with the world's top 16 joined by this year's form stars.
"While Phil Taylor remains the man to defeat on the stage he has made his own with 11 victories, the wins for Adrian Lewis, Gary Anderson and James Wade in other majors this year suggest we're in for an exciting nine days in Blackpool."
Sky Bet customers can now bet online or on mobile, using the quick and easy Sky Bet Mobile service, optimised for iPhone, iPad and Android.
Sky Bet Mobile offers odds on a full range of sports, including darts, with enhanced Live Betting. This gives customers more chances to bet in-play with instantly updated price changes and suspended markets.
"The World Matchplay is considered by many to be the best tournament of the year," said Richard Flint, Managing Director of Sky Betting & Gaming.
"Thanks to its unique qualifying rules, we can look forward to action from the current top 32 players in the world over the nine days, and this makes it the perfect springboard for our latest product, Sky Bet Mobile.
"As always, we'll be trading every match of the tournament live, so our customers can enjoy the enhanced Live Betting features of Sky Bet Mobile."
Reigning champion Phil Taylor is the 11/8 favourite for the tournament, with Gary Anderson the 11/2 second favourite and Adrian Lewis rated at 6/1.
Lewis, the reigning World Champion, will be in action on the opening night of this year's event next month, facing Kevin Painter in a mouth-watering first round contest.
Two-time World Matchplay finalist Terry Jenkins will play Steve Beaton in the opening match, Holland's Vincent van der Voort then faces Alan Tabern before Lewis plays Painter.
The opening night's final game will see two former World Champions collide, as Mark Webster take on resurgent John Part, the Canadian who has won two Players Championships this year and has twice previously reached the World Matchplay final.
2007 World Matchplay champion James Wade meets Jamie Caven on Sunday July 17, with Raymond van Barneveld - last year's runner-up who also hit a nine-dart finish in Blackpool - playing Steve Brown.
The second night will be opened by Paul Nicholson's meeting with Colin Osborne, while Mark Walsh takes on World Matchplay debutant Dave Chisnall, who was a quarter-finalist in the Speedy Hire UK Open recently.
Reigning champion Taylor plays Mark Hylton amongst Monday's four games, with the left-hander from Rugeley one of three Winter Gardens debutants in action on July 18.
Coventry's Scott Rand will play Wayne Jones and Taunton's Justin Pipe faces Mervyn King as they are rewarded for their form in the Players Championships held so far this year with qualification spots, while
Monday's play is concluded as Fleetwood's Wes Newton - the UK Open runner-up - meets Andy Smith.
Blackpool's Ronnie Baxter will play Denis Ovens in Tuesday's opening game, as the final four first round matches take place.
Premier League Darts champion Gary Anderson meets Andy Hamilton, 2010 semi-finalist Simon Whitlock takes on Lowestoft's colourful Peter Wright and 2005 winner Colin Lloyd plays Scottish newcomer John Henderson.
The second round will be played on Wednesday July 20 and Thursday July 21, before the quarter-finals are played across two sessions on Friday July 22.
The Sky Bet Mobile World Matchplay features the top 16 players from the PDC Order of Merit and the leading 16 qualifiers from the Players Championship Order of Merit, comprised of prize money won in the 14 Players Championships held so far in 2011.
Coverage of the tournament will be live in the UK through Sky Sports, whose HD coverage will also be accompanied by 3D broadcasts, while telecasts will also be shown live in Holland, Germany and Australia.
Tickets for some sessions of the Sky Bet Mobile World Matchplay are still available in person from the Winter Gardens Box Office or via Ticketmaster on 0844 856 11 11.
Sky Bet Mobile are giving fans the chance to win VIP tickets to the Sky Bet Mobile World Matchplay Final
Click Here for full information & to enter their exclusive competition
Sky Bet Mobile World Matchplay - Schedule of Play
Saturday July 16
First Round
7.10pm - Terry Jenkins v Steve Beaton
8.00pm - Vincent van der Voort v Alan Tabern
9.00pm - Adrian Lewis v Kevin Painter
10.00pm - Mark Webster v John Part
Sunday July 17
7.10pm - Paul Nicholson v Colin Osborne
8.00pm - Mark Walsh v Dave Chisnall
9.00pm - James Wade v Jamie Caven
10.00pm - Raymond van Barneveld v Steve Brown
Monday July 18
7.10pm - Wayne Jones v Scott Rand
8.00pm - Mervyn King v Justin Pipe
9.00pm - Phil Taylor v Mark Hylton
10.00pm - Wes Newton v Andy Smith
Tuesday July 19
7.10pm - Ronnie Baxter v Denis Ovens
8.00pm - Colin Lloyd v John Henderson
9.00pm - Gary Anderson v Andy Hamilton
10.00pm - Simon Whitlock v Peter Wright
Wednesday July 20
Second Round
7.10pm - Jenkins/Beaton v Webster/Part
8.20pm - Lewis/Painter v van der Voort/Tabern
9.30pm - van Barneveld/Brown v Nicholson/Osborne
10.40pm - Wade/Caven v Walsh/Chisnall
Thursday July 21
7.10pm - Whitlock/Wright v Baxter/Ovens
8.20pm - Anderson/Hamilton v Lloyd Henderson
9.30pm - Taylor/Hylton v Jones/Rand
10.40pm - Newton/Smith v King/Pipe
Friday July 22
Quarter-Finals
1.10pm
3.00pm
7.10pm
9.00pm
Saturday July 23
Semi-Finals
7.10pm
9.00pm
Sunday July 24
Final
7.10pm
Format
First Round - Best of 19 legs
Second Round - Best of 25 legs
Quarter-Finals - Best of 31 legs
Semi-Finals - Best of 33 legs
Final - Best of 35 legs
All games must be won by two clear legs.
First Round Draw Bracket
Phil Taylor (1, ENG) v Mark Hylton (ENG)
Wayne Jones (16, ENG) v Scott Rand (ENG)
Wes Newton (8, ENG) v Andy Smith (ENG)
Mervyn King (9, ENG) v Justin Pipe (ENG)
Simon Whitlock (5, AUS) v Peter Wright (ENG)
Ronnie Baxter (12, ENG) v Denis Ovens (ENG)
Gary Anderson (4, SCO) v Andy Hamilton (ENG)
Colin Lloyd (13, ENG) v John Henderson (SCO)
Adrian Lewis (2, ENG) v Kevin Painter (ENG)
Vincent van der Voort (15, NED) v Alan Tabern (ENG)
Terry Jenkins (7, ENG) v Steve Beaton (ENG)
Mark Webster (10, WAL) v John Part (CAN)
Raymond van Barneveld (6, NED) v Steve Brown (ENG)
Paul Nicholson (11, AUS) v Colin Osborne (ENG)
James Wade (3, ENG) v Jamie Caven (ENG)
Mark Walsh (14, ENG) v Dave Chisnall (ENG)
Sky Bet Pre-Tournament Odds
Phil Taylor 11/8
Gary Anderson 11/2
Adrian Lewis 6/1
James Wade 9/1
Simon Whitlock 12/1
Raymond van Barneveld 14/1
Paul Nicholson 25/1
Mark Webster 25/1
Terry Jenkins 33/1
Mervyn King 40/1
Vincent van der Voort 50/1
Wes Newton 50/1
John Part 50/1
Dave Chisnall 50/1
Ronnie Baxter 66/1
Colin Osborne 80/1
Colin Lloyd 80/1
Wayne Jones 80/1
Steve Beaton 80/1
John Henderson 80/1
Mark Walsh 100/1
Kevin Painter 100/1
Jamie Caven 100/1
Denis Ovens 100/1
Steve Brown 100/1
Alan Tabern 125/1
Andy Smith 125/1
Peter Wright 125/1
Andy Hamilton 125/1
Justin Pipe 150/1
Mark Hylton 150/1
Scott Rand 250/1
Odds courtesy SkyBet.com and correct on June 20 2011.
Sky Bet First Round Match Odds
Terry Jenkins 4/9 v Steve Beaton 13/8
Vincent van der Voort 4/7 v Alan Tabern 5/4
Adrian Lewis 1/4 v Kevin Painter 11/4
Mark Webster 4/7 v John Part 5/4
Paul Nicholson 4/9 v Colin Osborne 13/8
Mark Walsh 11/10 v Dave Chisnall 2/3
James Wade 2/9 v Jamie Caven 3/1
Raymond van Barneveld 1/3 v Steve Brown 9/4
Wayne Jones 1/2 v Scott Rand 3/2
Mervyn King 4/11 v Justin Pipe 2/1
Phil Taylor 1/25 v Mark Hylton 8/1
Wes Newton 8/13 v Andy Smith 6/5
Ronnie Baxter 2/3 v Denis Ovens 11/10
Colin Lloyd 8/11 v John Henderson 1/1
Gary Anderson 1/6 v Andy Hamilton 7/2
Simon Whitlock 1/7 v Peter Wright 4/1
Odds courtesy SkyBet.com and correct on June 20 2011.