Martin Schindler kick-started his quest for back-to-back European Tour titles with a sensational opening display at the European Darts Grand Prix in Sindelfingen on Friday.
Schindler claimed his first PDC title at the International Darts Open in Riesa last Sunday, and the new German number one maintained his magnificent form to dump out European Championship semi-finalist Gian van Veen 6-2 in Round One.
There was nothing to separate the pair after four legs, but Schindler stole a march in the latter stages, reeling off four straight legs in 13, 12, 14 and 12 darts to triumph with a 108.8 average.
“I’m so happy with that performance, but tomorrow is a different day,” insisted Schindler, who now faces reigning champion Rob Cross in Saturday’s Second Round.
“Rob is one of the best players in the world. He’s a Premier League participant, so like today, I’m going to be warned about what he’s capable of.
“I’m just focused on my game, and if I’m able to play like I can, I might have a chance!”
Friday’s opening round saw 16 matches take place across two sessions at the Glaspalast, with Luke Littler marking his Euro Tour return with a ruthless whitewash of debutant Arno Merk.
Littler, who claimed the Belgian Darts Open on his Euro Tour debut last month, averaged 101 and produced checkouts of 146 and 148 to progress to a mouth-watering clash against Premier League rival Luke Humphries.
Peter Wright was one of three former champions to crash out on the opening day of the tournament, as the Scot paid the price for squandering two match darts in a last-leg shoot-out against Mickey Mansell.
2019 winner Ian White suffered a crushing 6-1 defeat at the hands of Chris Dobey, while 2020 champion Jose de Sousa was swept aside by Daryl Gurney – who wrapped up proceedings with a 124 checkout.
Gabriel Clemens kicked off his campaign with a commanding 6-1 win over his compatriot Rene Eidams, with Stephen Bunting dispatching Croatia’s Romeo Grbavac by the same scoreline.
Raymond van Barneveld delivered a finishing masterclass to open his account on the 2024 European Tour, producing 148, 136 and 128 finishes to seal a 6-2 victory over host nation qualifier Franz Roetzsch.
Roetzsch also landed 116 and 121 finishes in a contest which featured five ton-plus checkouts, but it was Van Barneveld who progressed to a tie against 2023 World Champion Michael Smith.
Ritchie Edhouse, quarter-finalist in Riesa last weekend, celebrated his 41st birthday with a 6-2 rout of James Wade, averaging 103 and firing in five 180s in the process.
Earlier in the day, Sweden’s Johan Engstrom put in a stellar display to stun an out-of-sorts Joe Cullen, averaging 99 to complete a 6-1 demolition and move through to a showdown against Michael van Gerwen.
Christian Perez became the first player from the Philippines to win on the European Tour stage, landing four 180s and pinning 60 per cent of his attempts at double to defeat Niels Zonneveld 6-4.
Perez’ reward is a meeting with two-time World Champion Gary Anderson, while Brendan Dolan will renew his rivalry with Gerwyn Price after extending Andrew Gilding’s winless run on the European Tour.
Scott Williams landed finishes of 124 and 145 on his way to a comprehensive 6-1 win over Niko Springer, as Luke Woodhouse also produced a brace of ton-topping finishes to thwart Martin Lukeman.
Keane Barry fended off a late rally from Stephen Burton to end his losing run in PDC ranking events, after Jeffrey Sparidaans thrashed a struggling Callan Rydz 6-1 in Friday’s opener, to clinch his first win on the Euro Tour stage.
WATCH THE EUROPEAN DARTS GRAND PRIX STREAMED LIVE HERE
18+ | Geo Restrictions Apply | Gamble Aware
European Darts Grand Prix 2024 Day One Results
Friday April 19
First Round
Afternoon Session
Callan Rydz 1-6 Jeffrey Sparidaans
Stephen Burton 5-6 Keane Barry
Scott Williams 6-1 Niko Springer
Andrew Gilding 4-6 Brendan Dolan
Luke Woodhouse 6-4 Martin Lukeman
Johan Engstrom 6-1 Joe Cullen
Niels Zonneveld 4-6 Christian Perez
Jose de Sousa 2-6 Daryl Gurney
Evening Session
Ritchie Edhouse 6-2 James Wade
Stephen Bunting 6-1 Romeo Grbavac
Franz Roetzsch 2-6 Raymond van Barneveld
Chris Dobey 6-1 Ian White
Arno Merk 0-6 Luke Littler
Martin Schindler 6-2 Gian van Veen
Peter Wright 5-6 Mickey Mansell
Gabriel Clemens 6-1 Rene Eidams
18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. T&Cs Apply
#AD. 18+ New customers only. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Registration Required.
18+. Play Safe. Online only. Ends 31.12.26. New UK customers only, registering with promo code FB40. Make your first deposit of £10+, then place a £10 single bet from main balance at odds of EVS+ (2.00+) on any sports market (excluding Virtuals). Get £40 in Free Bets (4x£10) after settlement. Each £10 Free Bet is valid on any Bet Builder, expires in 7 days, non-withdrawable and must be used in full (£10 each). Deposits via PayPal, Neosurf, Paysafe, Apple Pay, NETELLER, Skrill, ecoPayz, Kalibra/Postpay and WH PLUS Card excluded. One per customer. Full T&Cs apply. #ad
New customers only. Bet £10+ in a single real-money bet within 7 days of registration to receive £10 in Free Bets credited within 24 hours of qualifying bet settlement. Free Bets Boosts expire 7 days after credit. Stake not returned. Promotional Terms Apply. 18+. Gambleaware.org
18+ New Customers. Opt in, deposit and bet £10 on any sports market within 7 days of sign up. Get 2x£20 Free Bets for set markets. Bonuses expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org. Please gamble responsibly.
New customers only. Min £5 deposit & qualifying bet (single, e/w or multiples) at odds 1/1 or greater. 3 x £10 bet tokens for Football BuildABets only. 1 x £10 bet token for Football Accas only. 1 x Ghost Leg Token for pre-match BuildABets only (min 5 legs, combined min odds 3/1, max stake varies). Free bet stakes not included in returns. Free Bets are non-withdrawable. All free bets/tokens expire after 14 days. Eligibility restrictions & T&Cs apply.
#AD 18+ New Customers Only. Bet £10 and get £10 in free bets. Register an account, opt in to the promotion, using the code "LD10" in the promotional code box and place a £10 qualifying bet at min odds of evens (2.0). Your free bet will be credited after your qualifying bet has settled. Free bets are non-withdrawable and expire after 30 days. Max offer one per customer. Qualifying bets cannot be placed on a price boost. Full T&Cs apply
#AD 18+ New customers only. Register, deposit with a Debit Card, and place a first bet of £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports, to be settled within 7 days, to get £30 in Sports Free Bets and £20 in Bet Builder Free Bets within 24 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply.
New customers only. To qualify for free bets, the new user must place and settle £20 on easyBet markets. The user must bet on at least 2 different events to qualify. The user must place and settle bets at odds of 2.0 or more. An event is classed as two different sporting events. Bets can be placed on singles, multiples and Bet Builders. The user must place and settle bets before the closing date of the promotion to qualify. Users making their first deposit by Skrill, Neteller or PaySafe card will not qualify for this promotion. T's and C's Apply. Be Gamble Aware. 18+
18+ New customers only. Place a £10+ bet at min odds 1/1 (2.0) within 14 days of sign-up. Get £30 in Free Bets, valid for 7 days on selected bets only. Free stake not returned with winnings. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org
#AD 18+ New Customer offer - Use promo code YSKAST. Place a min £5 bet on the sportsbook at odds of min EVS (2.0) and get £30 in free bets. Free bet rewards valid for 30 days. Only deposits via Pay by Bank, Debit Cards & Apple Pay will qualify for this offer. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly
#AD New UK customers. Min £10 first deposit. Place a bet of £10 at min odds of 3.0 and get £40 in Free Bets within 48 hours. Restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply, 18+. GambleAware.org.
New Players Only. Free bet – one-time stake of £50, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £200. Free bets and Bonuses are valid for 7 days. Limited to 1 sport & 5 casino brand/s within the network. Withdrawal requests void all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill and Neteller deposits. Full Terms apply.
#AD 18+ New customers only. Register and enter promo code ALLABOARD10 via My Bonuses within 7 days. Place a first qualifying £10 bet at EVS (2.0) or greater using cash balance. Void/cashed out bets excluded. After settlement, receive: £5 Sports Free Bet – min odds EVS (2.0) +£5 Acca Free Bet 4+ legs, min odds 2/5 (1.4) per leg. Full T&Cs apply.
#AD 18+. New customers only. 9am 27/07/26 – 4.30pm 06/09/26. Min 1st dep £10. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Bet £1 on Arsenal v Chelsea: Arsenal to win, pre kick off at 50/1 for 10x £5 Free Bets (valid 4 days). Original price 4/6 Stake & winnings returned at original odds as cash on settlement. Restrictions + T&Cs apply.
#AD 18+. New customers only. 9am 30/08/26 – 4.30pm 06/09/26 Min 1st dep £/€10. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Bet £/€1 single on Chelsea to win (£/€1 Max/Min). At 50/1 for 10x £/€5 Free Bets (valid 4 days). Original price 6/4. Stake & winnings returned at original odds as cash on settlement. Restrictions + T&Cs apply.
#AD 18+ New Customers Only. Place any £10 bet to qualify, min 2.0 (1/1) odds. Qualifying bet must settle, excluding cash outs. Bonus credited with 24hrs of settlement. 4 x £5 free bets. Free bets min 3 selections and 3.0 odds. Returns exclude free bet stake. Expiry applies .Full T&Cs apply.
18+ | Play Responsibly | Begambleaware.Org | 1st Deposit | Min £20 Stake | £20 Free Bet | Min Odds 2.0 | Max Winnings £100 | 5-Day Expiry | Bonus T&Cs Apply
#AD 18+. New customers only. Opt in required. Minimum bet of £40 on any selections. Min odds of evens (2.00). Pre-game only. Free bet awarded upon settlement. Free bet split into 4 x £5. Free bet on accumulators only. Free bet expiry 24 hours. Other free bet terms apply. Maximum pay-outs apply. GamCare.org.uk | UK only. Full T&Cs apply.
#AD 18+ New customers only (excludes BetTom casino). Get 50% of first-day losses refunded as a free bet up to £/€25, credited within 24 hours. To qualify, place at least 3 bets of £/€10+ on separate events with odds of 2.0 (evens) or higher. First-day losses are all settled stakes minus returns before 23:59. Free bets must be used fully within 7 days; stakes are not returned and free bets are non-withdrawable. Limited to one free bet per person, household, email, IP, phone, payment method, and shared locations. Abuse, fraud, or multiple accounts will lead to disqualification. Full T&Cs apply
#AD 18+ | GambleAware.org. New GB customers only. Opt in, deposit and Bet £20+ on sports at min odds of 2.0+ (1/1) for £40 in Free Bets within 7 days of registration. Debit cards or instant bank transfers only. Free bets expire within 7 days of issue. Geographical restrictions and T&C’s apply.
18+ Opt in, deposit & bet £10+ (odds 2.00+) on selected markets within 7 days of registration. Get £40 in Free Bets on selected events. Free Bets expire in 7 days. Click for T&Cs. gambleaware.org
#AD 18+ Use WELCOME15 under My Bonuses within 7 days of registering. To qualify, place a min £10 bet from your cash balance at odds of EVS or higher—only your first bet counts, and it must not be voided or cashed out. Once settled, receive 3 £5 free bets: one for an accumulator (min 4 legs at 2/5 odds per leg), one for any sportsbook market at EVS or higher, and one for a Sub Cover market, also at EVS or higher. Full T&Cs apply.
#AD 18+ New Customers Only. For sports bets placed with real money and the Odds Boost Token, up to a maximum £10 stake (£5 each way). PayPal deposits do not qualify, and unused portions of the token are forfeited. “Double the odds” applies to fractional odds profits only, with extra winnings paid in cash on settlement. Token must be used in 60 days, offer is limited to one per person/household. Full T&Cs apply, and Grosvenor Casinos reserves the right to withhold bonuses or exclude customers in cases of abuse, multiple accounts, or failure to verify identity.
If your first bet is a Treble or Up on Any Sport (minimum 3 selections) AK Bets will boost the profit gained on that initial bet by 25% in the form of a Free Bet up to a value of £100. Applies to new customers who sign up to AK BETS with the promo code AKACCA100. 18+ GambleAware.org
#AD | 18+ | T&Cs apply | Gambleaware.org
BOYLE Sports Sign-Up Offer | Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets 
Bet365 Sign-Up Offer | Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets 
William Hill Sign-Up Offer: Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets 
Dabble Sign-Up Offer | Bet £10 Get £10 in Free Bets 
talkSPORT BET sign-up offer | Bet £10 on Darts and Get £40 in Free Bets 
Sky Bet Sign-up Offer | Bet £5 Get £40 in Free Bets + Ghost Leg Token 
Fairplay Sign-Up Offer: Bet £10 Get £10 in Free Bets 
Betfred Sign-up Offer | Bet £10 & Get £50 in Free Bets 
EasyBet Sign-Up Offer: Bet £20 Get £20 in Free Bets 
Midnite Sign-Up Offer: Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets 
Paddy Power Sign-Up Offer: Bet £5 Get £30 in Free Bets 
SBK Sign-Up Offer | Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets 
Betsuna Sign-Up Offer: Bet £10 Get £50 in Free Bets 
Bet Ahoy Sign-Up Offer: Bet £10 Get £10 in Free Bets 
Ladbrokes Sign-Up Offer: Bet £5 Get £30 in Free Bets 
Coral Sign-Up Offer: Bet £5 Get £30 in Free Bets 
Stakemate Sign-Up Offer: Bet £10 Get £20 in Free Bets 
BetCrown Sign-Up Offer | Bet £20 Get £20 Free Bet Bet £20 Get £20 Free Bet
PricedUp Bet Sign-Up Offer: Bet £40 Get £20 in Free Bets Bet £40 Get £20 in Free Bets
BetTom Sign-Up Offer: Get 50% back as a Free Bet up to £25 
Unibet Sign-Up Offer | Bet £20 Get £40 in Free Bets 
BetVictor Sign-Up Offer | Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets 
BetGoodwin Sign-Up Offer | Bet £10 Get £15 in Free Bets 
Grosvenor Sport Sign-Up Offer: Double the odds on your first bet 
AK Bets Sign-Up Offer | 25% boost on any sport accumulator 25% boost on any sport accumulator
London Bet Sign-Up Offer: Claim exclusive offers and rewards 
