English 
Who is most likely to win the Ballon d’Art?
Luke Humphries could not only win the world title but also a new trophy in January.
In just a few days’ time, the 2024 PDC World Championship will kick off on Friday 15 December, with not only the world champion but also the player who has shot the most 180s this time around. A gigantic trophy, almost a metre high and weighing 16 kg, called the Ballon d’Art.
All this is thanks to the new main sponsor of the World Championship, the PaddyPower betting company. The iconic bookmaker will also donate £1,000 for every 180 rounds to the Prostate Cancer UK charity, which is leading the fight against prostate cancer in the UK. This means that after the last World Cup, the charity would have received £901,000 after a record 901 180s at the 2023 tournament.
Who are the frontrunners for the Ballon d’Art?
Michael Smith has been the most successful in both the previous two World Championships, shooting 66 in 2023 and a record 83 in 2022. Before him, Gerwyn Price and before that Peter Wright could have taken the trophy.
This list shows that in the ‘most 180s’ market, we are looking at the players who could reach the final of the World Championship, or there is a good chance that the Ballon d’Art trophy could end up in the hands of the same darts player who takes the Sid Waddel trophy.
And the most likely to do so is Luke Humphries, who is the bookmakers’ number one favourite for the World Cup title. The English darts player has thrown 610 180s this season, the second most of any player in the world. Only Gian van Veen has produced more (647), but the Dutchman’s talent may not be a factor in the final just yet.
The odds on Humphries throwing the most 180s are 4.33. The Englishman is followed in the order by Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith and Michael van Gerwen, with the Welshman the most impressive with 556, while the Englishman and Dutchman are both under 450. Obviously, the odds of 7.00 are tempting for the defending champion, but Smith is in a slump just before the World Championships, so it’s a big question as to what form we’ll see from him at the Ally Pally.
There are some players we can usually trust when it comes to 180s, such as Dave Chisnall and Ross Smith, who have been among the most efficient maximum producers this season, but there is relatively little chance of either of them reaching the final.
The bookmakers are predicting that last year’s record of 901 will be beaten, with odds of just 1.57.
