Luke Humphries enjoys whitewash win to kick-start World Darts Championship title defence
Jamie Shaw in World Darts Championship 16 Dec 2024
Humphries eases past Tricole (Photo by Taylor Lanning/PDC)
Luke Humphries made a perfect start to his World Darts Championship title defence by whitewashing Thibault Tricole to reach Round Three at Ally Pally.
Humphries coasted to victory in nine unanswered legs as he safely got his quest to retain the Sid Waddell Trophy under way on Sunday evening.
French hopeful Tricole ran out a hard-fought 3-1 winner over Aussie debutant Joe Comito in the opening match of the night, but he was blown away by the world number one later in the evening.
Humphries raced to the opening set in brisk fashion, and after landing a clinical 160 checkout en route to doubling his lead, he completed another clean sweep in set three.
“It’s one of the best atmospheres and feelings I’ve ever experienced. The crowd made me feel amazing,” said Humphries, who received a huge ovation on his Alexandra Palace return.
“In terms of the performance, I was nowhere near my best, but all that mattered was that I won tonight. If I had averaged 105 and lost, then I’m out!
“Now I go into the second part of the tournament, and that’s where you can be at your best and really start thinking about being World Champion.”
Humphries is aiming to emulate Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson by becoming only the fourth player to retain the Sid Waddell Trophy, which would cap off a remarkable 18-month spell of dominance.
“I think it’s probably been one of the best years from a World Champion since Michael van Gerwen,” added Humphries, who has featured in six televised finals this year.
“I’ve won three majors including the World Cup, I’ve made another three finals and won a couple of Euro Tours, so I’m pretty proud of the way it’s gone.
“It would be a beautiful way to top it off by becoming back-to-back World Champion. It would probably top last year, which I didn’t think I would come close to.
“There’s five tough, tough games to win before I can worry about that though, so I’m just going to focus on my next game first.”
The opening night saw two other first round ties take place, as Jermaine Wattimena and Keane Barry overcame Stefan Bellmont and Kim Huybrechts respectively.
Wattimena will face four-time semi-finalist James Wade on Monday afternoon, after the 36-year-old kicked off his campaign with a superb straight-sets win over Swiss debutant Bellmont.
The Dutchman averaged 98.5 and pinned 45 per cent of his attempts at doubles to round off an impressive display, after Bellmont had missed a dart at double 12 for a 129 skin-saver in set three.
“I think this has been my best ever year, so James Wade has to prepare himself for tomorrow,” reflected Wattimena, who defeated Wade on his way to reaching October’s European Championship final.
“I can take a lot of confidence from beating James, and then I beat the world number one [Luke Humphries], so then you know your confidence is good.
“I was really happy with that performance tonight, and now I will go into tomorrow with a good feeling. I think I’m more confident going into this tournament than I have ever been.”
Barry, meanwhile, booked his place in the Second Round with a 3-1 success over former quarter-finalist Huybrechts, defying ten maximums from the Belgian to progress.
Huybrechts edged a tight opening set, but after converting a superb 108 finish to level the tie, Barry fired in successive 11 and 12-dart legs to lead 2-1, before wrapping up victory with a 13-darter in set four.
“It’s a great feeling. I’m really happy with that performance,” admitted Barry, who landed three ton-plus finishes to set up a showdown against former World Champion Gerwyn Price on Monday night.
“I have struggled in the past on the World Championship stage, especially with my doubles, but I felt really comfortable tonight.
“I’m feeling confident in my game, and hopefully I can keep playing like that, because I know I’m capable of even better.”
World Darts Championship 2024/25 Day One Results
Sunday December 15
Thibault Tricole 3-1 Joe Comito (R1) Jermaine Wattimena 3-0 Stefan Bellmont (R1) Kim Huybrechts 1-3 Keane Barry (R1) Luke Humphries 3-0 Thibault Tricole (R2)
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 Acca Free Bets within 24 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs
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
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. 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
18+. Play Safe. Online only. Ends 31.12.26. New UK customers only, registering with promo code R30. Make your first deposit of £10+, then place a £10 single bet from main balance at odds of 1/2+ on any sports market (excluding Virtuals). Get £30 in Free Bets (3x£10) after settlement. Free Bets valid on any sports market excl. Virtuals, expire 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
#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+ 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 UK customers. Min £10 first deposit. Place a bet of £20 at min odds of 3.0 and get £50 in Free Bets within 48 hours. Restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply, GambleAware.org.
#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.
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 only. Min 1st dep £10. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Bet £1 single on 50/1 Any European team to win the World Cup (£1 Max/Min). Pre-match at 50/1 for 10x £5 Free Bets (valid 4 days). Original price 2/7. Stake & winnings returned at original odds as cash on settlement. Restrictions + T&Cs apply.
18+. New customers only. 9am 06/07/26 – 8pm 19/07/26. Min 1st dep £10. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Bet £1 single on the World Cup Final going to penalties, pre kick off at 50/1 for 10x £5 Free Bets (valid 4 days). Original price 4/1. 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.
#AD 18+ New customer offer. Place a min £10 bet of odds of min EVS (2.0), get a £5 Multiple to use on any sport. Rewards valid for 30 days. Only deposits via Pay by Bank, Apple Pay or Debit Card will qualify. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly.
#AD 18+ New customers only. £5 minimum deposit. Place a £10 qualifying bet on any market. Odds of 1/1 or greater. 1 x £5 bet token. Free bet stakes not included in returns. Free bets are non-withdrawable. 30 day free bet expiry. Eligibility restrictions. Further 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.
#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+ New customers only. Place a min £10 pre-event bet at min odds of 2.0. £40 worth of Free Bet Tokens awarded on bet settlement. 4 x £10 each with betting restrictions. 7 day expiry. Debit Card deposits only (exclusions apply). 18+ GambleAware.org. Bet The Responsible Way Full Terms apply
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. 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+
#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.
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
18+| GambleAware.org. New GB customers only. Opt in. Deposit and Bet £10+ on sports at min odds of 2.0+ (1/1) for £30 in Free Bets within 7 days. Debit cards or instant bank transfers only. Free bets expire within 7 days of issue. Geographical restrictions and T&C’s apply.
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
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
Betfred Sign-up Offer | Bet £10 & Get £50 in Free Bets 
BOYLE Sports Sign-Up Offer | Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets 
Betsuna Sign-Up Offer: Bet £10 Get £50 in Free Bets 
Fairplay Sign-Up Offer: Bet £10 Get £10 in Free Bets 
William Hill Sign-Up Offer: Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets 
Bet365 Sign-Up Offer | Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets 
Midnite Sign-Up Offer: Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets 
SBK Sign-Up Offer | Bet £20 Get £50 in Free Bets 
Bet Ahoy Sign-Up Offer: Bet £10 Get £10 in Free Bets 
Dabble 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 
Paddy Power Sign-Up Offer: Bet £10 Get £5 in Free Bets 
BetCrown Sign-Up Offer | Bet £20 Get £20 Free Bet Bet £20 Get £20 Free Bet
Sky Bet Sign-up Offer | Bet £10 Get £5 in Free Bets 
Grosvenor Sport Sign-Up Offer: Double the odds on your first bet 
BetTom Sign-Up Offer: Get 50% back as a Free Bet up to £25 
Betway Sign-Up Offer: Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets 
talkSPORT BET sign-up offer | Bet £10 on Darts and Get £40 in Free Bets 
EasyBet Sign-Up Offer: Bet £20 Get £20 in Free Bets 
BetGoodwin Sign-Up Offer | Bet £10 Get £15 in Free Bets 
BetVictor Sign-Up Offer | Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets 
Unibet Sign-Up Offer | Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets 
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 
