These are very exciting times for darts with more international mainstream coverage and respect than ever before.

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The sport’s top tier is almost exclusively monopolised by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) who run an action-packed calendar of events in front of huge live and television audiences.

Featuring several different tiers of competition such as the Pro Tour, Euro Tour, World Series and their catologue of established, premier TV tournaments, it can be difficult to assess who the best, or most in-form players are on the oche.
Taking into consideration several factors, we list our top 10 dartists from across an unpredictable 2024.

RadioTimes.com brings you our expert round-up of the best darts players in the world right now.

10. Gerwyn Price

Recent reputation and achievements help former world champion and world number one Gerwyn Price into the top 10.

For someone who has been prolific in recent years, this term has largely been a disappointment, although there have been several magical moments, such as hitting a 9-darter on the Premier League stage in Manchester.

The seven-time major singles winner was very impressive on the World Series, claiming both the Nordic Masters and Australian Masters accolades.

He was also one leg away from claiming the US Darts Masters title.

9. Dave Chisnall

Dave Chisnall is still chasing that elusive major title, but he remains super-consistent and successful in tournaments away from the TV cameras.

A winner of two Players Championship and two Euro Tour titles in 2024, ‘Chizzy’ ended the campaign top of the Pro Tour order of merit ahead of all his fellow professionals.

The six-time PDC major event runner-up and former Lakeside world championship finalist will finish the calendar year inside the world’s top six. He would dearly love to fully convert this sort of form at the sport’s biggest competitions.

8. Stephen Bunting

It has been a very memorable year on the professional circuit for former Lakeside world champion Stephen Bunting, who secured his maiden major PDC title.

Previously a five-time PDC major semi-finalist, ‘The Bullet’ defeated three world champions on his way to winning the Masters.

Bunting finished the campaign fourth on the yearly Pro Tour order of merit, highlighting brilliant consistency that saw him reach six Players Championship event finals and two Euro Tour semi-finals.

7. Dimitri Van den Bergh

Former back-to-back world youth champion Dimitri Van den Bergh collected the second major TV title of his career in 2024 when he won a dramatic final to lift the UK Open trophy.

‘The Dreammaker’ is thought of as a big stage player, someone who often produces his best form at the sport’s most prestigious events. Overall, the Belgian has had a pleasing year, also appearing in the semi-finals of the Masters, World Cup and World Grand Prix.

At the World Matchplay – an event he bested in 2020 – Van den Bergh struck his second televised 9-dart finish.

6. Michael Smith

Former world champion and world number one Michael Smith has had a difficult year on tour, but he remains one of the title favourites for any event he plays in.

Smith won two Premier League nights and qualified for the end-of-season playoffs at the O2 in London where he lost in the semi-finals. Over the summer, Smith reached the last four of the World Matchplay in Blackpool.

Besides a Players Championship floor title, ‘Bully Boy’s’ 2024 highlight was winning the World Cup for England alongside Luke Humphries. It was the first time that England were champions since 2016.

5. Gary Anderson

One of darts’ all-time greats, former back-to-back world champion Gary Anderson is once again threatening to win major titles in his 50s.

The eight-time PDC major singles winner is back inside the world’s top 16 having spent a few seasons outside of it.

‘The Flying Scotsman’ has returned to the Euro Tour after a prolonged self-exile, and in 2024 he won his first title on the continental circuit in a decade.

A winner of two Players Championship floor titles this year, Anderson reached the semi-finals of the World Cup and missed out by a single leg on another Grand Slam final appearance.

4. Rob Cross

Former world champion Rob Cross continues to quietly go about his business and under the radar at many big events. Another very solid year’s work from ‘Voltage’ sees him end the year inside the world’s top five.

With four major career titles currently to his name – including the PDC’s two most prestigious - Cross is knocking on the door of adding to that tally.

A semi-finalist at the worlds in January, the Englishman has made five other major quarter-finals in 2024, underlining his steadiness.

Away from the majors scene, Cross won the Baltic Seas Open on the Euro Tour and the US Darts Masters at Madison Square Gardens on the World Series.

3. Michael van Gerwen

It has been three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen’s least decorated year on the oche for well over a decade, but he has still amassed several title wins away from the major stage.

A two-time event winner on the Players Championship Series, ‘Mighty Mike’ fashioned a 9-darter on his way to claiming the Hungarian Darts Trophy on the Euro Tour and thrilled his home supporters when he won the Dutch Darts Trophy World Series event.

Runner-up at the World Matchplay and Bahrain Darts Masters elsewhere during the year, fans are anticipating – and almost expecting – a career renaissance for MVG, who has long since established himself as one of the all-time greats.

2. Luke Littler

Teenage sensation Luke Littler’s achievements over the past 12 months have elevated darts to new levels of popularity.

As a 16-year-old on debut, Littler was runner-up at the World Darts Championship at the start of the year. A few weeks later, he secured his maiden senior TV title at the Bahrain Darts Masters, striking a 9-dart finish en route.

During his rookie year as a professional, Littler has wowed audiences across the globe with multiple title wins on the Players Championship Series, Euro Tour and World Series.

Winner of major TV events at the Premier League, World Series Finals and Grand Slam, this generational young talent continues to rewrite the record books.

1. Luke Humphries

Runaway world number one Luke Humphries has had yet another sparkling year which began with him achieving his dream of becoming a world darts champion.

‘Cool Hand’ lifted the Sid Wadell Trophy for the first time at the Alexandra Palace in January and has continued to thrive whilst wearing the world crown with further major triumphs at the World Cup, World Matchplay and Players Championship Finals.

Humphries has also won a Players Championship floor event, two Euro Tours, and a World Series stop in New Zealand.
From the 11 major TV events in 2024, Humphries reached seven finals.

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