As the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship commences, that great cathedral of thunder and tungsten known as Ally Pally flings open its doors wide. And in the eye of this sporting cyclone sits three-time Lakeside winner, Premier League champion, and one of darts most articulate prophets: Glen Durrant.
Glen recently spoke to Darts World on behalf of 10bet in a moment of calm before the incoming storm. What followed was nothing less than a sermon delivered by one who has entered all of darts’ great temples and lived to tell the tale.
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Early on our discussion centered on the PDC’s show piece at Alexandra palace, North London and Glen’s thoughts of the venue and this year’s £1million event:
“...Ally Pally, I was shocked at the professionalism. I reached the quarter-final in the first one there and I saw that as a real success….Now at Lakeside, I went in on the night session and the sponsors and friends of the players on the afternoon session were there and they were all sort of tanked up and I was like falling over [them] in there.”
It's clear from Glen’s reaction that that first ‘World title’ is unique:
“There's the element that when I won the first one, I've never had that feeling, even winning the Premier League. I never had the feeling when I hit the winning dart to beat Danny Noppert for that first Lakeside…”
We wondered, however, about the divine madness separating the ecstasy of winning that maiden world title from the brutal, suffocating pressure of defending it against the armies that now hunt you, Duzza explains:
“Absolute chalk and cheese, in a sense that Luke Littler goes into Ally Pally as the even-money favourite. In the second Lakeside I won, I was even-money favourite too. And in the third one that I won, I was 4-6 favourite. I was odds-on to win them. And that has a different feeling.
“For me, it was the motivation that was the real thing. I wanted to be a two-time champion…”
Can teenage superstar Luke Littler pull off something similar in the PDC version and win a second crown?
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“If I could have bottled that [first win feelling], I'd be a billionaire now. It was just absolutely incredible. But I wanted it again and again. So there was just something inside. An 18-year-old, if Luke Littler can't motivate himself to be a two-time, three-time, four-time, etc., etc., that's the biggest thing for me. He's already a very rich young man and, you know, what's the motivation for him to sort of get on the practice board, etc.? But I've got him to win it again.
“I like his draw and I like him. I've recently just spent some time in Finland with him right now and, do you know, he's unique, he's classy, he's maturing very, very nicely and he's an excellent world champion right now. And I think he goes into it... Don't forget, he doesn't think like me and you. When you're an elite sportsman, like a Ronnie O'Sullivan, a Tiger Woods, and I put, you know, Michael van Gerwen at 17.
“You know, I put Littler in that. They think differently to us and he just has to be careful. That 128 players means that's a lot of games to win.”
So we always hear that ancient shibboleth - one game at a time. But let’s crank the volume. With this fearsome modern field swollen to a colossal 128 gladiators, does the marathon nature of this championship - the monstrous formats, the mental trench warfare, the stamina-sapping nights - hit the elder statesmen of the oche harder than the young guns? Does this leviathan of a tournament test the veterans in ways the rest of us mortals can barely comprehend?
“Yeah, I just think adrenaline wins. And so I don't know. So I don't think anyone will struggle because let me tell you, when you get on that stage, any aches and, you know, any pain that you have, it just eradicates immediately.”
There used to be the old fireside tale, whispered through the corridors of Ally Pally lore - back before the era of 128 warriors - when the seeded elite would stroll in, play their opener, tuck into a glorious Christmas dinner, then saunter back days later as if nothing had happened. But once the last-16 cauldron arrived, the whole thing turned into a blistering rat-a-tat-tat, a relentless barrage where matches came at you like cannon fire.
Then the dreaded fatigue - Duzza speaks not merely the creaking of limbs or tiredness in the arm, but the real exhaustion: the mental grind, the media circus swirling around your head, the avalanche of interviews, the scrutiny, the pressure… and the chaos of trying to sort out tickets for every family member who suddenly discovers they’ve always loved darts.
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“You know, that plays a big part of it as well. I don't think it'll be an issue. Nutrition is a big part of a lot of the older players now.” Adds the Lakeside supremo.
“And the older players are there now for a reason. You know, the James Wades in the form of his life. Johnny Clayton could go really deep. Peter Wright still believes. Gary Anderson's still looking for a big tournament, TV tournament win as well. So I'm excited for the older players as well.”
Back to the PDC World Championships. Who could rattle a few cages?
“I don't really think it's been the year of the underdog with the domination of the two Lukes. I've struggled to get value for people. You know, I'll give you a couple of names here:
“ I think Martin Schindler can go on and run this year. I think Jermaine Wattamine is in the form of his life. I think there's a couple of young players too who could do well like Van Veen and Manby. I'm a big fan of the North American scene. Adam Savada, etc.... But I don't see them going deep because the elite players just look so good.
“Also, I don't see, for example, a Scott Williams reaching the semi-final like a couple of years ago. I think the cream will rise to the top.
And speaking of the cream rising to the top and how much cream is available, the money is now incredible. Would the mighty Duzza, as Glen is known, even as a PDC Premier League champion, have felt his hand tremble? Would the heartbeat quicken, the breath shorten, the universe shrink to one board, one double, one destiny, one million quid and one dart?
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The kind of question only legends get asked — and only legends can answer. Because a million pounds isn’t prize money anymore… it's myth-making currency, legacy-shaping gold, the kind of figure that would make even the steeliest gladiator feel a phantom tremor in the throwing arm.
“Yeah, even £100,000 was life changing for me. And my 48 finish against Danny Noppert, let me tell you, my legs weren't there, my arms weren't there. It was pure instinct. A lot of the top players are financially sound now, but I think the biggest motivation is to be the first player to ever win a million pounds at a dart competition. I think that's what will be the motivation there.
“But the reason they're in the top eight right now is like I said, they think differently to the normal players. And I don't think the 1 million pound will be on their mind. The realisation will kick in when they hit the winning double.
“But what an incredible incentive, what a wonderful incentive, what a fantastic place the world of darts is in right now. So looking up and down the draw, I mean, as we said, you think the top eight could potentially be your quarter-final, and there's every reason why we can say that.
“ Everyone's writing off Rob Cross… at 175 to 1. Rob Cross is not a 175 to 1 shot. I hope he finds his form there.
“It's intriguing. It's exciting. It's going to be the place to be. It's what everyone's going to be watching. And if seeds go, then great. But I'd be surprised if we don't see one of those real top elite players picking up that million quid.”
And with that, the great man rises. Search for 10bet for the latest PDC World Championship betting offers.
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