2025 World Masters Darts Tips: Back Bunting To Retain Title
The 2025 World Masters is upon us with 32 of the world’s best darts players set to battle it out to become champion.
Taking place at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes, for the first time the tournament is a ranking event and has switched from leg play to set play.
Defending titlist Stephen Bunting is out to continue a fine run of form of late, though world champion Luke Littler and world number one Luke Humphries will feel they have something to say about that.
A strong lineup includes previous winners Michael Smith, Chris Dobey and Peter Wright as the players engage in set play, the format of which is below.
- First round: Best of five sets
- Second round: Best of seven sets
- Quarter-finals: Best of seven sets
- Semi-finals: Best of nine sets
- Final: Best of 11 sets
All rounds are best of three legs per set
As always BetMGM has you covered with all the key darting details – including dates, times and where to watch the Masters as well as tips to consider during the final major before the start of the 2025 BetMGM Premier League Darts campaign.
When is the World Masters and where to watch
- Location: Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes
- Dates: Thu 30th January – Sun 2nd February
- Times: 7pm each day w/ 12.45pm sessions Sat & Sun
- Format: Set play
- How to watch: Live on ITV4
2025 PDC World Masters Tips
Tip 1 – Stephen Bunting to win the World Masters @ 10/1
The defending Masters champion, Stephen Bunting is producing some of his best-ever darts and enters this one having enjoyed a fine start to 2025 already.
A semi-final appearance in the PDC World Championship was followed by victory in the Bahrain Masters, beating fellow BetMGM Premier League competitor Gerwyn Price in the final and whitewashing another, Chris Dobey, in the early rounds with a huge 111.33 average.
The Dutch Darts Masters saw Bunting make the final once more – although this time he lost out to another BetMGM Premier League rival in Rob Cross – but an impressive win over Luke Littler in the semi-final, despite the world champion averaging over 107, really saw ‘the Bullet’ lay down a marker.
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The man from St Helens was victorious here 12 months ago and faces a battle to defend his title with a potential semi-final against Humphries on the horizon as the competition changes from leg to set play for the first time.
Bunting’s form over recent months – he also made the showpiece in four of the final six Players Championship events he competed in at the end of 2024 – makes him a formidable opponent for anyone, especially having beaten Littler already this year.
Defending a title is always tough but the 10/1 for him to win the tournament outright for the first time looks excellent for a man who has recently returned to the BetMGM Premier League.
Tip 2 – Damon Heta to win the World Masters E/W @ 28/1
World number eight Damon Heta is chasing a first PDC major win and enjoyed a strong 2024, winning two Players Championship events and making the semi-final of the UK Open.
The Australian thrower has always threatened on the big stage without ever turning it into major success, though he did lift the 2022 World Cup of Darts alongside Simon Whitlock.
The Masters could be where that all changes for him – there have been four different winners across the last four editions of this event and all four of those players were lifting their maiden PDC major. It is a proven launchpad.
Heta’s flashes of brilliance make him a captivating watch – just look at his nine-darter in the third round of the PDC World Championship in a match he went on to lose to Luke Woodhouse.
‘The Heat’, though, is a very fine player on his day. He made the quarter-final here last year, averaging over 100 in his first two matches before falling to Dimitri van den Bergh.
If he plays as he has shown he can in the Players Championship then Heta at 28/1 looks like an interesting price, especially each way. He was in the top 10 for averages for the 2024 calendar year, sitting in eighth place with 96.55, behind seven of the eight BetMGM Premier League players plus Gary Anderson.
Heta faces Ross Smith in the first round, a player he hasn’t beaten since 2020. Smith, though, has never been past round two at the Masters and was humbled 3-0 in the worlds by qualifier Paolo Nebrida.
Price could be next up if he makes it through, which won’t be easy, but if Heta is to win a major he will need to beat the best when it really matters. He is capable of doing it, but can this be the time it really shows it?
Explore the 2025 BetMGM Premier League Darts Hub throughout the tournament for all the latest news, previews, tips, specials and more.
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change