Womens Matchplay
Women’s World Matchplay 2026 Predictions: Darts Betting Tips & Odds
Beau Greaves heads to Blackpool as William Hill News’ dominant favourite to reclaim the Betfred Women’s World Matchplay crown, but there is real depth and value behind her in the eight‑player field.
William Hill make Greaves 1/7 for the title, with defending champion Lisa Ashton 12/1, Gemma Hayter 18/1, Fallon Sherrock 18/1 and the rest of the pack at bigger prices.
Prediction
- Main pick: Beau Greaves to win – the most likely champion, and the cornerstone of tournament multiples.
- Value outright: Lisa Ashton at 12/1 – defending champion with proven Blackpool pedigree and the best chance of toppling Greaves.
- Each‑way options: Fallon Sherrock (18/1) and Gemma Hayter (18/1) – consistent TV performers well‑placed to reach the final from their halves of the draw.
Event format and prize money
The fifth staging of the Women’s World Matchplay takes place on Sunday July 26 at the Empress Ballroom, Winter Gardens, with all action live on Sky Sports.
It is a £40,000 tournament: £15,000 to the winner, £8,000 to the runner‑up, £4,500 to semi‑finalists and £2,000 to quarter‑finalists.
Matches are played over short formats – best of nine legs in both the quarter‑finals and semis, and best of 11 in the final – which increases the chance of momentum swings and upsets if favourites start slowly.
The champion also secures places at the Grand Slam of Darts and the 2026/27 World Darts Championship, so there is plenty on the line beyond prize money.
Seedings and key quarter‑finals
The field is comprised of the top eight on the Women’s Series rankings race:
Quarter‑final draw:
- (1) Beau Greaves v (8) Kirsi Viinikainen
- (4) Gemma Hayter v (5) Vicky Pruim
- (2) Lisa Ashton v (7) Rhian O’Sullivan
- (3) Fallon Sherrock v (6) Deta Hedman
Greaves’ opener against Viinikainen is a repeat of last year’s first‑round tie, which Beau dominated on her way to back‑to‑back titles in 2023 and 2024.
Ashton begins her defence against Rhian O’Sullivan, making her third Matchplay appearance, while Sherrock meets debutant Deta Hedman in arguably the pick of the quarter‑finals.
Hayter v Pruim completes the bracket in a clash of two players who have turned consistent Women’s Series campaigns into Blackpool debuts.
Outrights
The outright prices show just how heavily the market leans towards Greaves:
Beau Greaves – 1/7
Greaves is favourite for good reason. She has dominated the Women’s Series with an unprecedented 114‑match winning run between April 2025 and March 2026, and she has already lifted this title twice. Her scoring power, doubling and composure under TV lights are unmatched at this level. At 1/7, though, she is more a banker for accas than a standalone outright bet.
Lisa Ashton – 12/1
Ashton arrives as defending champion and No.2 seed, having beaten Sherrock in last year’s final. Her four‑time world champion pedigree and experience at the Winter Gardens make 12/1 a very appealing price if you think Greaves is even slightly vulnerable in a short format. Ashton’s first‑round tie with O’Sullivan is tricky, but if she comes through it, her scoring should carry her deep again.
Fallon Sherrock & Gemma Hayter – 18/1
Sherrock has reached three of the four finals in this event’s history (champion in 2022, runner‑up in 2024 and 2025) and remains one of the most reliable TV performers in women’s darts. At 18/1, she is a strong each‑way option, particularly if she gets past Hedman in a high‑class quarter‑final. Hayter, meanwhile, has quietly pieced together a very consistent 2026 – multiple finals and semi‑finals on the Women’s Series – and her 18/1 quote reflects genuine upset potential from the four‑seed.
Live outsiders
Rhian O’Sullivan (20/1) and Deta Hedman (20/1) both bring deep experience, while Kirsi Viinikainen (33/1) and Vicky Pruim (50/1) are more speculative long‑shots. Pruim’s recent Women’s Series title and runner‑up finish in Event 13 show she is trending upwards, making her an interesting big‑price option if you expect multiple shocks in a best‑of‑nine format.
With £15,000 to the winner and Grand Slam and World Championship spots on the line, Sunday’s Women’s World Matchplay should deliver a high‑quality, high‑pressure afternoon where the favourites are rightly expected to dominate – but the short race‑to‑nine legs format keeps the door ajar for one or two headline‑grabbing upsets.
