The 2025 Ladbrokes UK Open gets underway on Friday, as Dimitri Van den Bergh prepares to begin his title defence amongst a bumper 158-player field at Butlin’s Minehead Resort.
The annual festival of darts - which takes place from February 28 to March 2 - will see Tour Card Holders competing against Amateur Qualifiers and top players from the 2024 Winmau Challenge and Development Tours.
Day One of the unique multi-board event will see all 158 players in action, as the first four rounds take place across eight stages, with Friday’s afternoon session getting underway from 1100 GMT.
The opening round will feature Tour Card Holders ranked 97-128, along with players from the 2024 Challenge and Development Tours, plus PDC Amateur Qualifiers and PDC in the Community Qualifiers.
The first round winners will be joined by Tour Card Holders ranked 65-96 in round two, while the third round will feature Tour Card Holders ranked 33-64, plus the 32 second round winners.
Friday evening’s fourth round will see the world’s top 32 enter the fray, with reigning champion Van den Bergh, world number one Luke Humphries and World Champion Luke Littler all set to star.
Former champions Michael van Gerwen, Nathan Aspinall, Peter Wright, Danny Noppert, James Wade, Gary Anderson and Andrew Gilding will also enter at the fourth round stage, with two-time winner Raymond van Barneveld set to kick off his campaign in round three.
Van den Bergh will be aiming to emulate Van Barneveld, Van Gerwen and Phil Taylor by becoming only the fourth player to retain the coveted title in this year’s extravaganza.
The Belgian edged out Humphries in a thrilling last-leg decider to clinch his second televised ranking crown 12 months ago, and is relishing his return to the unique multi-board event this weekend.
“I love the energy and the vibe around this tournament,” claimed Van den Bergh, who also made the UK Open semi-finals back in 2023.
“It’s an open draw; you never know who you’re going to play, but at least I can tell myself I’ve done it before, so there is no reason why I can’t do it again.
“It is one of my dreams to keep winning and keep being recognised as a major champion.
“I still have a lot of boxes to tick in my career, but defending a major title on the senior tour would be amazing!”
Van den Bergh defeated Damon Heta in last year’s semi-finals, and the Australian number one is eyeing another strong showing in his latest Minehead outing this weekend.
Former World Cup winner Heta defeated Simon Whitlock, Aspinall and Gian van Veen 12 months ago, before averaging 106 to deny Littler in a compelling quarter-final tussle.
“In the games against Nathan and Gian I had to come back from nowhere,” recalled Heta, the current world number ten.
“Knowing I can do that and fight back gives you a lot of belief, and I’m looking forward to some good results this weekend.
“I really enjoy this event, and once I get stuck into the tournament, I tend to play pretty well here.
“I’m feeling confident, and winning this title would be massive. It would mean a lot to know that all the hours I’ve been putting in have been paying off.”
Premier League star Chris Dobey will also be amongst the stars in fourth round action on Friday evening, as he looks to continue his terrific start to the year.
Dobey has featured in two of the year’s opening four Players Championship finals, and he subsequently secured his sixth ProTour title in Rosmalen earlier this month.
However, the Bedlington star has never progressed beyond the last 16 in ten previous UK Open appearances – a record he is hoping to rectify over the coming days.
“This is one of my favourite tournaments,” claimed Dobey, who made his UK Open debut as an Amateur Qualifier in 2014.
“It is always exciting, especially with the open draw. It feels like the FA Cup!
“Everybody knows how well I’ve been playing on the ProTour, it’s just about taking that next step and bringing that form on to the stage.
“I’m the only person who can do that, but I’ve been working hard and hopefully I can bring that top form this weekend.”
Two-time Women's World Matchplay champion Beau Greaves will headline Friday afternoon's action, as she takes on Switzerland's Stefan Bellmont in a fascinating first round tussle.
Greaves has enjoyed a sensational start to 2025, claiming a brace of Challenge Tour, Development Tour and Women's Series titles to occupy top spot on each of the respective Orders of Merit.
The 21-year-old will now make her highly-anticipated UK Open debut in Minehead, with her opening tie against Bellmont selected for Main Stage action.
“I’m really excited," declared Greaves, also a former Grand Slam of Darts and World Darts Championship qualifier.
“I have been playing really well in patches, and I’m looking forward to testing myself on the Main Stage. I just want to enjoy it.
“I’ve had some great results this year, especially on the Challenge Tour and the Development Tour; it’s been really good for my game and my confidence as well.”
Following the conclusion of Friday afternoon’s third round, an open draw will be made live on the Main Stage for round four, with further draws to be made following each subsequent round.
The action will continue on Saturday March 1 with the fifth and sixth rounds across two sessions, before the Main Stage plays host to the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final on Sunday March 2.
Main Stage matches across all three days will be broadcast live on ITV4 and ITV3 for UK viewers, through the PDC's international broadcast partners, including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV for Rest of the World Subscribers.
Stage Two action on Friday and Saturday will be streamed exclusively for all PDCTV Subscribers worldwide, with commentary from Paul Nicholson and Dan McCarthy.
In addition, matches from Stages Three to Eight on Friday and on Stages Three & Four on Saturday afternoon will be broadcast exclusively on PDCTV.
NB: Tim Wolters has withdrawn from the 2025 Ladbrokes UK Open due to medical reasons, while Jeffrey de Graaf has withdrawn due to family reasons.
Wolters' scheduled second round opponent Danny Lauby therefore receives a Bye through to the third round, while Adam Hunt, Maximilian Czerwinski or Maik Kuivenhoven receive a Bye through to round four.
Following the withdrawals, an additional game will be moved onto Stage Two on Friday afternoon, which will be confirmed in due course.
2025 Ladbrokes UK Open
First Round
Darryl Pilgrim v Chris Hartrey
Wesley Plaisier v Cam Crabtree
Adam Lipscombe v Marc Dewsbury
Paul Rowley v Karel Sedlacek
Greg Ritchie v Jamie Kelling
Marvin van Velzen v Tom Bissell
Simon Stevenson v Jules van Dongen
Dennie Olde Kalter v Andy Boulton
Christopher Wickenden v Nathan Girvan
Oskar Lukasiak v Thomas Lovely
Danny van Trijp v Henry Coates
Cor Dekker v Niko Springer
Tommy Lishman v Kai Gotthardt
John Henderson v Graham Usher
Danny Jansen v Dominik Gruellich
Jimmy van Schie v Adam Paxton
Tavis Dudeney v Graham Hall
Christian Kist v Daniel Perry
Maximilian Czerwinski v Maik Kuivenhoven
Derek Coulson v Darius Labanauskas
Mike Gillet v Rusty-Jake Rodriguez
Leon Weber v Alexander Merkx
Owen Roelofs v Tom Sykes
Jurjen van der Velde v Tytus Kanik
Lee Cocks v Stefaan Henderyck
Scott Baker v Andreas Harrysson
Beau Greaves v Stefan Bellmont
Adam Warner v Tommy Morris
Sebastian Bialecki v Viktor Tingstrom
Shaun Fox v Max Hopp
Charlie Manby v Aden Kirk
Pero Ljubic v Jim Long
Players 1-32 - Enter in Fourth Round
1. Luke Humphries
2. Luke Littler
3. Michael van Gerwen
4. Rob Cross
5. Stephen Bunting
6. Jonny Clayton
7. Dave Chisnall
8. Chris Dobey
9. Gerwyn Price
10. Damon Heta
11. Nathan Aspinall
12. Peter Wright
13. Danny Noppert
14. James Wade
15. Gary Anderson
16. Dimitri Van den Bergh
17. Josh Rock
18. Ryan Searle
19. Ross Smith
20. Michael Smith
21. Andrew Gilding
22. Martin Schindler
23. Joe Cullen
24. Mike De Decker
25. Daryl Gurney
26. Dirk van Duijvenbode
27. Gian van Veen
28. Ritchie Edhouse
29. Ryan Joyce
30. Ricardo Pietreczko
31. Krzysztof Ratajski
32. Brendan Dolan
2025 Ladbrokes UK Open
Friday February 28
Afternoon Session (1100-1700 GMT, ITV4 on-air from 1145 GMT)
Main Stage (1200 GMT onwards)
2x First Round, 4x Second Round, 3x Third Round
Mike Gillet v Rusty-Jake Rodriguez (R1)
Beau Greaves v Stefan Bellmont (R1)
William Borland v Brett Claydon (R2)
Darren Beveridge v James Hurrell (R2)
Thibault Tricole v Roelofs/Sykes (R2)
Jelle Klaasen v Lipscombe/Dewsbury (R2)
Scott Williams v Wessel Nijman (R3)
Ricky Evans v Gabriel Clemens (R3)
Henderson/Usher/Gillet/Rodriguez v Raymond van Barneveld (R3)
Stage Two
4x First Round, 3x Second Round, 3x Third Round
Cor Dekker v Niko Springer (R1)
Wesley Plaisier v Cam Crabtree (R1)
Sebastian Bialecki v Viktor Tingstrom (R1)
Shaun Fox v Max Hopp (R1)
Radek Szaganski v Benjamin Reus (R2)
Manby/Kirk v Haupai Puha (R2)
Chris Landman v Kist/Perry (R2)
Jermaine Wattimena v Florian Hempel (R3)
Madars Razma v Ryan Meikle (R3)
Wenig/Rowley/Sedlacek v Kim Huybrechts (R3)
Plus one game TBC
Stage Three
5x First Round, 4x Second Round, 4x Third Round
Darryl Pilgrim v Chris Hartrey (R1)
Paul Rowley v Karel Sedlacek (R1)
Adam Lipscombe v Marc Dewsbury (R1)
Greg Ritchie v Jamie Kelling (R1)
Danny van Trijp v Henry Coates (R1)
George Killington v Owen Bates (R2)
Weber/Merkx v Wickenden/Girvan (R2)
Coulson/Labanauskas v Mario Vandenbogaerde (R2)
Joshua Richardson v Van Velzen/Bissell (R2)
Callan Rydz v Alan Soutar (R3)
Tricole/Roelofs/Sykes v William O'Connor (R3)
Jose de Sousa v Van Schie/Paxton/Stevenson/Van Dongen (R3)
Ian White v Klaasen/Lipscombe/Dewsbury (R3)
Stage Four
5x First Round, 4x Second Round, 4x Third Round
Simon Stevenson v Jules van Dongen (R1)
Dennie Olde Kalter v Andy Boulton (R1)
Christopher Wickenden v Nathan Girvan (R1)
Oskar Lukasiak v Thomas Lovely (R1)
Marvin van Velzen v Tom Bissell (R1)
Steve Lennon v Dom Taylor (R2)
Martijn Dragt v Dudeney/Hall (R2)
Fox/Hopp v Justin Hood (R2)
Berry van Peer v Van Trijp/Coates (R2)
Rob Owen v Niels Zonneveld (R3)
Keane Barry v Van der Velde/Kanik/Brooks (R3)
Kevin Doets v Warner/Morris/Ritchie/Kelling (R3)
Manby/Kirk/Puha v Landman/Kist/Perry (R3)
Stage Five
4x First Round, 4x Second Round, 5x Third Round
Tommy Lishman v Kai Gotthardt (R1)
Christian Kist v Daniel Perry (R1)
Maximilian Czerwinski v Maik Kuivenhoven (R1)
Jimmy van Schie v Adam Paxton (R1)
Lukas Wenig v Rowley/Sedlacek (R2)
Baker/Harrysson v Jansen/Gruellich (R2)
Henderson/Usher v Gillet/Rodriguez (R2)
Andy Baetens v Plaisier/Crabtree (R2)
Jim Williams v Martin Lukeman (R3)
Lennon/Taylor v Cameron Menzies (R3)
Dennant/Olde Kalter/Boulton v Lukasiak/Lovely/Cocks/Henderyck (R3)
Griffin/Greaves/Bellmont v Mickey Mansell (R3)
Fox/Hopp/Hood v Beveridge/Hurrell (R3)
Stage Six
4x First Round, 4x Second Round, 4x Third Round
Tavis Dudeney v Graham Hall (R1)
John Henderson v Graham Usher (R1)
Danny Jansen v Dominik Gruellich (R1)
Derek Coulson v Darius Labanauskas (R1)
Lishman/Gotthardt v Michele Turetta (R2)
Adam Hunt v Czerwinski/Kuivenhoven (R2)
Van der Velde/Kanik v Bradley Brooks (R2)
Ljubic/Long v Nathan Rafferty (R2)
Van der Wal/Pilgrim/Hartrey v Danny Lauby (R3)
Grundy/Bialecki/Tingstrom v Luke Woodhouse (R3)
Weber/Merkx/Wickenden/Girvan v Matt Campbell (R3)
Szaganski/Reus v Baetens/Plaisier/Crabtree (R3)
Stage Seven
4x First Round, 4x Second Round, 4x Third Round
Leon Weber v Alexander Merkx (R1)
Adam Warner v Tommy Morris (R1)
Jurjen van der Velde v Tytus Kanik (R1)
Lee Cocks v Stefaan Henderyck (R1)
Dekker/Springer v Patrick Geeraets (R2)
Matthew Dennant v Olde Kalter/Boulton (R2)
Lukasiak/Lovely v Cocks/Henderyck (R2)
Rhys Griffin v Greaves/Bellmont (R2)
Nick Kenny v Baker/Harrysson/Jansen/Gruellich (R3)
Dragt/Dudeney/Hall v Borland/Claydon (R3)
Mensur Suljovic v Ljubic/Long/Rafferty (R3)
Van Peer/Van Trijp/Coates v Connor Scutt (R3)
Stage Eight
4x First Round, 4x Second Round, 4x Third Round
Scott Baker v Andreas Harrysson (R1)
Owen Roelofs v Tom Sykes (R1)
Charlie Manby v Aden Kirk (R1)
Pero Ljubic v Jim Long (R1)
Jitse van der Wal v Pilgrim/Hartrey (R2)
Robert Grundy v Bialecki/Tingstrom (R2)
Van Schie/Paxton v Stevenson/Van Dongen (R2)
Warner/Morris v Ritchie/Kelling (R2)
Dekker/Springer/Geeraets v Dylan Slevin (R3)
Lishman/Gotthardt/Turetta v Stephen Burton (R3)
Richard Veenstra v Coulson/Labanauskas/Vandenbogaerde (R3)
Richardson/Van Velzen/Bissell v Killington/Bates (R3)
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Fourth Round
8x Stages, 4 Matches per board
Saturday March 1
Afternoon Session (1245 GMT)
Fifth Round
4x Stages, 4 Matches per board
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Sixth Round
2x Stages, 4 Matches per board
Sunday March 2
Afternoon Session (1245 GMT)
Quarter-Finals
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Semi-Finals & Final
Format
First Round-Third Round: Best of 11 legs
Fourth Round-Quarter-Finals: Best of 19 legs
Semi-Finals & Final: Best of 21 Legs
Prize Fund
Winner: £110,000
Runner-up: £50,000
Semi-finalists: £30,000
Quarter-finalists: £15,000
Last 16: £10,000
Last 32: £5,000
Last 64: £2,500
Last 96: £1,500
Last 128: £1,000
Total: £600,000