With neither of these two players trustworthy in terms of who will win this match, backing Ross Smith to hit the most 180’s could be the smarter avenue of attack for this first round clash.

‘Smudger’ is well known for being one of the most lethal 180 hitters on the PDC circuit, and that has certainly been the case across 2025. In fact, Smith has crashed in a whopping 517 maximum since the beginning of the year. To put that into context, only six other players have hit more 180’s than Smith in 2025, which highlights just how effective he is when it comes to filling up the treble 20 bed.

The same can’t be said for Peter Wright, whose seasonal 180 tally currently sits at 215 - which is 302 fewer than Smith.

The two players crossed paths on the Euro Tour earlier this year, with Smith winning the 180 battle during that contest. It’s also worth noting that Smith outmaxed ‘Snakebite’ when the pair met in this competition back in 2022.

I’m expecting Gerwyn Price to send out an early statement of intent to the rest of the field at this year's European Darts Championship by defeating Daryl Gurney on Thursday night. Price will come into the competition as one of the most in-form players on the planet, and I think he will go close to lifting the trophy.

‘The Iceman’ has averaged a mightily impressive 97.98 across 2025, not to mention only three players have hit more 180’s than Price (541) across that period.

While Gurney isn't going to be a pushover, I suspect Price’s scoring power will be enough to see him secure a place in round two.

What’s more, I think the fact that Price defeated Gurney at this year's World Matchplay could serve as a psychological advantage during this contest. Moreover, the Welshman also came out on top in the one other showdown between the pair earlier this year, so all the signs point towards a repeat on Thursday night.