How close can “The Iceman” make this final?
Even before this matchup was set, Gerwyn Price criticized the fact that opponents were making it too easy for the currently unbeatable Luke Littler. Following his 17-10 victory over Gian van Veen in the semifinals, The Iceman went a step further and surprised everyone by declaring himself the favorite in this final. Of course, the top bookmakers see it differently. If the bet on the Welshman to win in the Luke Littler vs. Gerwyn Price match pays off, it would be a massive upset. With an average of over 110 in the last three rounds, the 19-year-old two-time world champion was ultimately in a league of his own at the Winter Gardens.
And yet: Gerwyn Price has also been a world champion and has won several major titles on the PDC. It could very well turn out to be a mistake to write off the confident Welshman—who recently became a grandfather at the age of just 41—too quickly. It’s clear, however, that he’ll need an absolutely stellar day to even come close to pulling off an upset. After his victories over Rob Cross, Ross Smith, and Gian van Veen, we still believe he’s capable of taking several legs from the top favorite. It’s therefore interesting to bet on a positive handicap, which doesn’t categorically rule out an upset. Our pick is therefore +8.5 legs for the Welshman.
Alternatively, given that the World Matchplay format is so long (the winner must win 18 legs), we can definitely expect one or two 180s. Not only does Luke Littler bring surreal scoring power—which was most recently on full display in his 17–5 victory over Dirk van Duijvenbode, featuring 16 maximums at the oche—but the Welshman’s indomitable fighting spirit also consistently inspires him to reach peak performance.
Luke Littler – Gerwyn Price Head-to-Head Record
Head-to-Head: 21–8
The two players have faced each other 29 times so far, and with 21 wins—including all nine matches against Gerwyn Price in 2026—Luke Littler holds a clear lead in their head-to-head record. The two players will now face off for the first time at the World Matchplay. However, while “The Nuke” is the reigning champion, “The Iceman” has never won this tournament before. The Welshman reached the final in Blackpool only once, in 2022, but lost that match 14–18 to Michael van Gerwen.
Luke Littler – Gerwyn Price Prediction
The signs are clear: Luke Littler could make history by winning his eighth consecutive PDC Major tournament—a prospect supported by his consistently outstanding scoring stats and his winning streak against the Welshman—while Gerwyn Price, for his part, is experiencing a sporting renaissance.
After the 2021 world champion had increasingly slipped into the background, “The Iceman” is now back in a Major final for the first time since 2023 (World Grand Prix)—and immediately and boldly stated that he sees himself as the favorite here. The polarizing former world champion hasn’t always been able to back up his bold words with actions. Nevertheless, we believe he’s capable of delivering an exciting and closely contested final.
We expect the Welshman to win at least ten legs. Given the format, the favored Englishman should therefore win by a maximum of 18–10, which is why we see significant value in betting on “The Iceman” with a positive handicap of +8.5 legs. Bet-at-Home is offering odds of 1.53 for Luke Littler vs. Gerwyn Price, and we’re betting six out of ten units on this.
