Clayton vs Price (PDC World Masters): odds and picks 31.01.2026

This is a blockbuster all-Welsh clash, and it’s landed at the stage where the format really bites: set play with short, best-of-3-leg sets means you can lose a set in five minutes if you blink on the doubles. It’s not about sustaining a high level for an hour; it’s about winning the key leg in each mini-battle.

From a betting perspective, I’m weighing up Clayton’s control, rhythm and percentage finishing against Price’s power scoring and ability to run away with legs. The first two sets matter massively here: whoever settles quickest and nicks an early break puts the other under immediate pressure, because there’s very little “time to recover” inside a set.

Jonny Clayton

Clayton is one of the best “set-play” operators in the field because his game is built for winning the moments that actually decide sets: tidy set-ups, calm last darts, and a pace that rarely changes. I trust him in the scrappy legs — the ones where nobody is flying, but someone has to pin an awkward double under pressure. That’s exactly the sort of leg that swings a best-of-3-leg set.

What I also like about Jonny in matches like this is that he doesn’t panic if he drops a leg. He’s very good at resetting and immediately playing the next leg on its merits, rather than chasing. Against Price, that’s a big deal, because Gerwyn’s best spells come when the opponent starts forcing shots and getting dragged into a faster, more emotional rhythm.

The obvious issue is that Clayton can’t afford long periods of being second to the finish. If Price is leaving doubles after 9–12 darts consistently, Jonny’s game becomes about survival rather than control. For Clayton to win, I want him to do two things well: hold his throw cleanly and be ruthless when Price gives him a look at double — because you won’t get many “second chances” in this format.

Gerwyn Price

Price is still one of the most intimidating match-ups in set play because he can blow a set open in two visits. When he’s in that 140/180 rhythm, the other player is constantly chasing, and that pressure shows up at the doubles. In short sets, that’s lethal: one early break and the set is basically gone.

His best path here is to impose himself early. If Gerwyn starts strongly, wins the scoring phase, and gets first dart at double in most legs, he can rack up sets very quickly. And once he’s in front, he’s a classic front-runner: he loves playing with daylight, because it lets him keep the pace high and force the opponent to be perfect.

The vulnerability with Price is always the same: if the doubles cool off and the match turns into a grind of messy legs, it can become uncomfortable. Clayton is exactly the sort of player who can turn this into a repeated “one dart decides it” contest. If Jonny drags him into that territory, the favourite’s edge shrinks and the match can swing set by set.

My picks for Clayton vs Price

BeniThe conservative one

Gerwyn Price — Most 180s. Odds 2.38

Rather than paying the premium on a short match price, I’d rather back the most repeatable part of Price’s edge: maximum scoring. Even if Clayton keeps it competitive on sets, Price can still win the 180 count simply because he produces those bursts more naturally. In this format, you don’t need to dominate for ages — one explosive leg in each set can be enough to create the key break chance, and those legs are often built on a 180.

BetoThe bold one

Correct score — Gerwyn Price 4–2. Odds 5.75

This is the bigger-price angle that fits the game script I see most often. I can absolutely see Clayton nicking a couple of sets — he’s too composed and too good in set play to be brushed aside — but over the full distance I still lean towards Price having more “blow-torch” legs where he simply overwhelms the scoring phase and forces the issue. If Gerwyn wins a couple of early deciding legs, 4–2 becomes a very natural landing spot: competitive overall, but with Price in control of the key moments.