On paper, the Grand Slam of Darts is one of the most exciting PDC Tournaments on the darts calendar.
With several routes into the tournament, the Wolverhampton event creates a diverse field of play with winners from tournaments across the world in the men’s and women’s games.
Ten nationalities are represented at the round-robin tournament as 32 players go head-to-head in eight groups.
Here are our picks for the Grand Slam of Darts.
Luke Humphries
Luke Humphries has the least tricky group stage to deal with, on paper that is, as he lines up alongside James Wade, Mickey Mansell, and Rowby-John Rodriguez.
Wade, as usual, will provide a trick test for Humphries but he can sleepwalk into the knockout stages before needing to bring his A-game.
Mansell is playing in his first-ever Grand Slam after qualifying through the PDC Tour Card Holder Qualifying Event, while Rodriguez made it into the tournament by finishing runner-up in the World Cup.
Humphries is spectacular in Sky’s big events and he has to be considered favourite for the Wolverhampton tournament.
Dimitri Van den Bergh
Dimitri Van den Bergh has been fielded in a group with Luke Littler, Keane Barry, and Lourence Ilagan in Wolverhampton.
Van den Bergh tends to take a while to warm up at these big events and the round-robin format could suit the Belgian.
With Littler’s poor Sky tournament record, too, The Dreammaker could top the group over the 17-year-old.
Josh Rock
Josh Rock has had a superb 2024, claiming three PDC ranking titles including the final Pro Tour event before the Finals at the end of November.
Rock’s win at Players Championship 30 should provide the Northern Irish talent with some much-needed confidence as he looks to topple Stephen Bunting, Gian van Veen, and Wessel Nijman.
It’s arguably the hardest group of the tournament and if Rock can qualify for the knockouts he’ll have a good chance at claiming his first major.
Jermaine Wattimena
Everything clicked into place for Jermaine Wattimena at the European Championship as the Dutchman beat four former major winners to make it to the final.
Wattimena’s game looked in excellent shape in Dortmund and if he can find that form again he has every chance of an excellent tournament.
The Machine Gun has been drawn against an out-of-form Michael Smith and Mensur Suljovic, who is in danger of dropping out of the top 64 entirely.
Wattimena has every chance to make it out of his group alongside Mike De Decker, and then anything can happen.
Cameron Menzies
Cameron Menzies has been in inspired form on the Pro Tour this season, most recently picking up Players Championship 29, but the Scotland thrower has not been able to replicate that form on TV.
Cameron Menzies crashed out of the first round of the World Grand Prix and claimed he was ‘so far off’ being a pro on social media, but he bounced back at the Players Championship.
After his Pro Tour success, a round-robin event might be the best format for Menzies as he’ll get at least three games to show what he’s capable of.