The 2024 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts begins at Wolverhampton's WV Active Aldersley on Saturday, as world number one Luke Humphries bids to retain the iconic Eric Bristow Trophy.
The 18th staging of the unique event will see a 32-player field battling it out for £650,000 in prize money across nine days of action from November 9-17.
With the players split into eight groups of four in the initial round-robin phase, the tournament kicks off with a bumper double session on Saturday November 9.
Reigning champion Humphries will open his defence of the title against Austria’s World Cup runner-up Rowby-John Rodriguez, who returns to the Grand Slam stage for the first time since 2021.
Humphries will also face three-time finalist James Wade and debutant Mickey Mansell in Group A, as he aims to emulate Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price in winning back-to-back Grand Slam titles.
“I have great memories of playing on this stage. I always enjoy playing at the Grand Slam, and I’m really looking forward to it now,” declared the World Champion.
“James is always a really tough player to beat, and Rowby has not had his best season but when he’s been on the big stage he’s played well.
“Mickey is always dangerous. In my opinion he’s one of the most underrated players out there.
“I’m not going to take anything for granted. I know I will be the favourite, but that doesn’t mean anything, so I need to make sure I’m at the top of my game.”
Humphries will be among the star attractions in Saturday's evening session, as players in Groups A, E, F and G kick off their respective campaigns.
2022 champion Michael Smith will take centre stage in Group E, as the St Helens star opens his title challenge against Austrian veteran Mensur Suljovic.
Smith begins the event as the world number two, but with over £650,000 to defend on the two-year PDC Order of Merit over the coming months, his position in the world’s top ten could be in jeopardy.
“If I said I didn’t feel pressure I’d be lying, but I’ve been around this game long enough now to know what’s happening,” insisted Smith, one of three former champions in this year’s field.
“Yes I’m defending a lot of money; yes I’m not playing at the level I’d like to be, but I think in spells you’ve seen what I can produce.
“I know it’s there, it’s just not consistently there, and I think that’s down to last year where I only really played stage events. I lost a bit of confidence in my game.
“For the last five to six months I’ve been practising non-stop, so hopefully it all falls into place this week.”
Group E also features World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker, who begins his bid for a second TV title in as many months with a clash against European Championship finalist Jermaine Wattimena.
“I’m feeling more confident than ever before,” insisted De Decker, who defeated five televised title winners to triumph in last month’s double-start event.
“Winning the World Grand Prix gave me the belief that I can perform on the big stage, so hopefully I can do the same during the Grand Slam.
“I believe if I can bring my floor game entirely into TV tournaments then I can be very dangerous.
“There aren’t any easy draws anymore, and all the players in this tournament are very talented, so I will have to be at my best to get through the group.”
Three-time Grand Slam champion Michael van Gerwen headlines a fascinating Group G, which includes two-time runner-up Gary Anderson, World Grand Prix semi-finalist Ryan Joyce and debutant Noa-Lynn van Leuven.
Teenage sensation Luke Littler will also make his Grand Slam bow in Group F, as he prepares to take on UK Open champion Dimitri Van den Bergh and fellow newcomers Keane Barry and Lourence Ilagan.
The afternoon session sees players in Groups B, C, D and H commence their campaigns, as newly-crowned European Champion Ritchie Edhouse sets his sights on back-to-back televised titles.
Edhouse will play 2022 European Champion Ross Smith in an intriguing Group D opener, and he insists ‘anything is possible’ after his breakthrough victory in Dortmund.
I haven’t got any fears anymore,” claimed Edhouse, who has also been pitted against 2014 runner-up Dave Chisnall and Challenge Tour Order of Merit winner Connor Scutt.
“I always thought it was possible [to win a televised title] but I didn’t think it would happen so soon.
“I always come to tournaments believing I can win things, but that was a dream come true in Dortmund.
“The only way is up for me now. If I concentrate for the next couple of years, dig in and perform at the major tournaments, anything is possible!"
Elsewhere, 2023 Grand Slam runner-up Rob Cross and three-time finalist Peter Wright will star in Group C, as they take on Leonard Gates and Martin Lukeman in their respective openers.
Dutch number two Danny Noppert kicks off his campaign against Women’s World Matchplay winner Beau Greaves, with German number one Martin Schindler and Scottish star Cameron Menzies completing the Group B line-up.
Masters champion Stephen Bunting will play Development Tour Order of Merit winner Wessel Nijman in his first Group H assignment, as 2023 quarter-finalist Josh Rock and emerging Dutchman Gian van Veen also go head-to-head.
The group stage action continues on Sunday as Saturday’s winning players collide, while the losing players also lock horns before the final round-robin games take place across Monday and Tuesday.
The top two players from each group will progress to the knockout stage, with the last 16 action getting underway on Wednesday November 13 and running through to the semi-finals and final on Sunday November 17.
The Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK, through the PDC's worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV (excluding UK, Germany, Austria & Switzerland based subscribers).
2024 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts
Group A
(1) Luke Humphries
James Wade
Mickey Mansell
Rowby-John Rodriguez
Group B
(8) Danny Noppert
Martin Schindler
Cameron Menzies
Beau Greaves
Group C
(4) Rob Cross
Peter Wright
Martin Lukeman
Leonard Gates
Group D
(5) Dave Chisnall
Ross Smith
Ritchie Edhouse
Connor Scutt
Group E
(2) Michael Smith
Mike De Decker
Jermaine Wattimena
Mensur Suljovic
Group F
(7) Dimitri Van den Bergh
Luke Littler
Keane Barry
Lourence Ilagan
Group G
(3) Michael van Gerwen
Gary Anderson
Ryan Joyce
Noa-Lynn van Leuven
Group H
(6) Stephen Bunting
Josh Rock
Gian van Veen
Wessel Nijman
Schedule of Play
Saturday November 9
Afternoon Session (1300-1700 GMT)
Group Stage x8 – Groups B-C-D-H First Matches
Stephen Bunting v Wessel Nijman (H)
Josh Rock v Gian van Veen (H)
Dave Chisnall v Connor Scutt (D)
Danny Noppert v Beau Greaves (B)
Martin Schindler v Cameron Menzies (B)
Rob Cross v Leonard Gates (C)
Peter Wright v Martin Lukeman (C)
Ross Smith v Ritchie Edhouse (D)
Evening Session (1900-2300 GMT)
Group Stage x8 – Groups A-E-F-G First Matches
James Wade v Mickey Mansell (A)
Gary Anderson v Ryan Joyce (G)
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Lourence Ilagan (F)
Michael Smith v Mensur Suljovic (E)
Michael van Gerwen v Noa-Lynn van Leuven (G)
Luke Littler v Keane Barry (F)
Luke Humphries v Rowby-John Rodriguez (A)
Mike De Decker v Jermaine Wattimena (E)
Sunday November 10
Afternoon Session (1300 GMT)
Group Stage x8 - Groups B-C-D-H Second Matches
Saturday’s winning players in each group meet, and Saturday’s losing players in each group meet.
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Group Stage x8 - Groups A-E-F-G Second Matches
Saturday’s winning players in each group meet, and Saturday’s losing players in each group meet.
Monday November 11 (1900 GMT)
Group Stage x8
Groups A-D Final Matches
Tuesday November 12 (1900 GMT)
Group Stage x8
Groups E-H Final Matches
Wednesday November 13 (1900 GMT)
4x Second Round
Thursday November 14 (1900 GMT)
4x Second Round
Friday November 15 (1900 GMT)
2x Quarter-Finals
Saturday November 16 (1900 GMT)
2x Quarter-Finals
Sunday November 17
Afternoon Session (1300 GMT)
Semi-Finals
Evening Session (1930 GMT - please note amended start time)
Final
Format
Group Stage - Best of Nine legs
Second Round - Best of 19 legs
Quarter-Finals - Best of 31 legs
Semi-Finals - Best of 31 legs
Final - Best of 31 legs
Prize Fund
Winner - £150,000
Runner-Up - £70,000
Semi-Finalists - £50,000
Quarter-Finalists - £25,000
Second Round Losers - £12,250
Third in Group - £8,000
Fourth in Group - £5,000
Group Winner Bonus - £3,500
Total - £650,000