Littler enjoys dream Madison Square Garden debut

World Series of Darts

Luke Littler enjoyed a dream debut on the opening night of the 2024 bet365 US Darts Masters, as Jeff Smith continued his New York love-affair with victory over former champion Michael Smith.

Darts stars support Garden of Dreams Foundation with New York activity

World Series of Darts

The Garden of Dreams Foundation will receive a boost from the US Darts Masters' return to New York this week with support from some of the sport's top names.

2024 bet365 US Darts Masters - Tournament preview

World Series of Darts

The 2024 bet365 US Darts Masters gets underway in New York on Friday, as the biggest names in world darts return to Madison Square Garden.

PDC & Lucra confirm partnership ahead of US Darts Masters

News

PDC superstars. North American challengers. Madison Square Garden. For the third consecutive year, the US Darts Masters is set to return to the iconic arena with the world’s best players.

Reigning champion Van Gerwen faces Lauby at bet365 US Darts Masters

World Series of Darts

Michael van Gerwen will begin his defence of the bet365 US Darts Masters against American star Danny Lauby on Friday, with the draw and schedule for this weekend's World Series of Darts event now confirmed.

Littler bidding to replicate sporting royalty ahead of MSG debut

World Series of Darts

Luke Littler will follow in the footsteps of sporting royalty when he makes his Madison Square Garden debut at this weekend’s bet365 US Darts Masters.

Humphries determined to return to winning ways in New York

World Series of Darts

Luke Humphries is determined to return to winning ways as he prepares to headline this weekend’s bet365 US Darts Masters in New York.

Win The Best Seat in the House at MSG with bet365!

World Series of Darts

American fans can win the Best Seat in the House at the bet365 US Darts Masters and North American Championship through an exclusive bet365 competition.

Humphries & Littler to headline star-studded line-up Down Under

World Series of Darts

World number one Luke Humphries and teenage superstar Luke Littler will headline a star-studded line-up when the World Series of Darts returns to New Zealand and Australia in August.

2024 Australian Darts Masters
Friday August 9
First Round

Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-1 Jeremy Fagg
Gerwyn Price 6-2 Brenton Lloyd
Michael Smith 6-2 Stuart Coburn
Luke Humphries 6-1 Joe Comito
Luke Littler 6-2 Rob Modra
Peter Wright 6-1 Simon Whitlock
Damon Heta 6-0 John Hurring
Rob Cross 6-5 Haupai Puha

Saturday August 10
Quarter Finals
Luke Littler 6-4 Michael Smith
Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-2 Luke Humphries
Peter Wright 6-4 Rob Cross
Gerwyn Price 6-4 Damon Heta

Semi-Finals
Luke Littler 7-6 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Gerwyn Price 7-6 Peter Wright

Final
Gerwyn Price 8-1 Luke Littler

Draw Bracket
(1) Luke Littler v Rob Modra
Michael Smith v Stuart Coburn
(4) Luke Humphries v Joe Comito
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Jeremy Fagg
(2) Rob Cross v Haupai Puha
Peter Wright v Simon Whitlock
(3) Gerwyn Price v Brenton Lloyd
Damon Heta v John Hurring

Format
First Round - Best of 11 legs
Quarter-Finals - Best of 11 legs
Semi-Finals - Best of 13 legs
Final - Best of 15 legs

 

Gerwyn Price stormed to his second World Series of Darts title of 2024 with a stunning 8-1 victory against Luke Littler in Saturday's Australian Darts Masters final.

Price – also a winner in June’s Nordic Darts Masters – delivered a stellar display in Wollongong to pocket the £20,000 top prize and deny Littler an eighth title in as many months.

The Welshman produced a blistering barrage to seize control of Saturday’s showpiece, storming 4-0 ahead with a 112 average.

Littler had no answer to Price’s sustained brilliance, and although the Warrington wonderkid opened his account in leg six, Price won the next three legs to cap off a darting demolition Down Under.

“Luke is playing fantastic darts at the moment, and that probably kicked me into gear,” conceded the 2021 World Champion, who averaged 99.42 and converted 53% of his attempts at double.

“I know I need to play well against every player, but especially against this young talent, so I was right up for this game.

“I haven’t been playing well over the last couple of months, but I really wanted to win this one.

“We can all hit nine, ten, 11, 12-darters, but the game is all about confidence, and this will give me the big confidence boost that I needed.”


Price brushed aside Brenton Lloyd in Friday’s first round, before overcoming Australian number one Damon Heta and a resurgent Peter Wright to advance to his third World Series final in as many months.

The 39-year-old recovered from 4-3 adrift to sink birthday boy Heta, and he overturned a 3-0 deficit against Wright, conjuring up a clinical 106 checkout to triumph in a last-leg shoot-out.

Price built on that momentum in the opening exchanges against Littler, reeling off four consecutive legs in 15, 14, 11 and 14 darts to establish control of the contest.

Littller overcame his woes on the outer ring with a 12-darter in leg six, but this failed to spark a stirring fightback, as Price responded with another three-leg burst to take the title.

“Fair play to Gezzy. I couldn’t keep up with him there,” admitted the 17-year-old.

“He didn’t miss much [in the final] and he deserved the win.

“There’s no excuses. I was poor in that final, but hopefully I can carry my form from my first two games into New Zealand.”


Littler was bidding to join Phil Taylor and Gary Anderson in claiming a hat-trick of World Series titles in the same calendar year, winning through high-quality ties against Michael Smith and Dimitri Van den Bergh.

The Premier League champion fired in successive 104 averages in the process, following up a 6-4 success against Smith with an epic 7-6 victory against Van den Bergh.

The pair registered 14 maximums between them in a contest littered with quality, but the Belgian paid the price for squandering two match darts in a dramatic decider, succumbing with a 103 average.

Earlier in the day, Van den Bergh also averaged 103 in his quarter-final win over Luke Humphries, defying a brace of ton-plus finishes from the World Champion to run out an emphatic 6-2 winner.

Wright, meanwhile, dumped out last year's winner Rob Cross to advance to his first big stage semi-final in ten months, landing five 180s on his way to a 6-4 win.

Drawboard