Luke Littler had to survive a match dart against Belgium’s Mike De Decker, as the world number one just about progressed into round two of the 2026 Winmau World Masters.

The Nuke, who won the World Darts Championship for a second straight last year earlier this month, went 2-1 down to the former World Grand Prix champion, and saw his opponent miss double 11 for a 142 outshot to claim the match.

In the end, as is so often the case these days, Littler found a way to win, coming through 3-2 to extend his unbeaten record over De Decker.

Littler battles through, Smith awaits tomorrow

After losing to David Munyua in an Ally Pally classic in December, few expected The Real Deal to provide too much of a test against the world number one, especially when he’d lost all of their previous seven meetings.

It looked like it would be business as usual for Littler in the first set, winning it with two reasonably comfortable holds of throw. However, De Decker fought straight back in set two, winning it 2-0 with a 121 checkout.

The Belgian then took advantage of missed darts at double from The Nuke in the first leg of set three, eventually hitting double 16 to break, and then hitting it again 16 darts to go 2-1 up.

Littler fought back after De Decker won the first leg of set four, missing double 15 for a nine dart finish, before hitting it for a 10 darter to force a deciding leg of the set. There, The Real Deal could not find double 11 to cap off a 142 outshot to send The Nuke home, allowing the world number one to hit double 16 to break and force a decider.

That then seemed to focus the back to back World Champion, as he eventually wrapped up the match in 33 darts, hitting seven 180s in the process.

Littler faces Ross Smith in tomorrow’s second round, after Smudger saw off a determined Jimmy van Schie 3-1.

Each set went the distance, with both players holding their throw in the first three, giving Smith a 2-1 advantage.

The decisive moment came in the final leg of the fourth set, where both missed multiple darts for it. In the end, the former European Champion, who hit a 150 outshot earlier in the match, finally found double eight to go through.

Humphries eases past Chisnall, Woodhouse next

Defending champion Luke Humphries also progressed into the last 16 which takes place tomorrow, as he beat Dave Chisnall 3-1.

Humphries took the opening leg, and should have taken the opening set, but missed four darts across the next two legs to do so. Chizzy held on tops, before breaking on double 16 to go in front.

Cool Hand though responded excellently, hitting back to back 12 darters to level the match, before holding twice in set three to take the lead for the first time. An 11 dart break of throw, followed by a 16 dart hold, completed victory for Cool Hand, in which he averaged 104.13 and hit seven 180s.

Humphries will take on fellow Englishman Luke Woodhouse in round two, after he hit the highest average of the event so far to defeat Martin Schindler 3-0.

Woody won the first set with a stunning 136 outshot, and despite Schinlder winning the first leg of set two, Woodhouse found back to back 14 darts to go one set away.

27 darts later, Woody sealed progression, hitting double 10 for a 14-dart break and an average of 108.64.

Bunting beats De Graaf to set up Noppert showdown

World number seven Stephen Bunting defeated Jeffrey De Graaf 3-1 in the last match of the night.

The Bullet reeled off the first two legs to take the first set one, before the Swede responded by winning two legs himself to level. Bunting though found back to back 13 darters in set three, breaking in leg three on double 16 to move one away.

28 darts later, the former Masters champion wrapped up victory, as he found double 10 to see off the Swede with an average of 98.96.

Bunting’s reward is a second round tie with Dutchman Danny Noppert, who beat Daryl Gurney by the same scoreline in an entertaining game.

Noppy took the opening set in 26 darts, before Superchin levelled the game with a 25 outshot. Gurney then broke at the start of the third, before missing five darts to go in front for the first time.

This allowed the former UK Open champion to eventually ping double 10 to level, before a 105 outshot with Gurney on 8 gave him a 2-1 lead. Despite the Northern Irishman going in front in set four, the Dutchman found a 14 dart hold, followed by a 13 dart break to close out the win.

Cross and Rock to face off in round two

Rob Cross beat Ryan Searle 3-1 to also move into round two of the Winmau World Masters.

Voltage, who struggled towards the end of last year, took the opening two sets, as Heavy Metal, who made the semi finals of the World Championship earlier this month, could not seem to get going.

Searle though held his throw twice in set three to cut the gap, and broke in 11 darts at the start of the fourth. Voltage though responded with an 11 dart break of his own, before finding double 10 to get the victory.

Voltage faces Josh Rock in round two tomorrow, after he defeated Connor Scutt by the same scoreline.

Scutt took the opening set 2-1 with an 80 checkout, but that would be the last leg he would win. Rocky reeled off six legs on the spin to book his spot in the last 16, eventually taking out tops to end the contest.

2026 Winmau World Masters Day Two Results

Luke Woodhouse 3-0 Martin Schindler

Ross Smith 3-1 Jimmy van Schie

Danny Noppert 3-1 Daryl Gurney

Rob Cross 3-1 Ryan Searle

Josh Rock 3-1 Connor Scutt

Luke Littler 3-2 Mike De Decker

Luke Humphries 3-1 Dave Chisnall

Stephen Bunting 3-1 Jeffrey de Graaf

2026 Winmau World Masters Day Three Schedule of Play

Saturday 31 January

Afternoon Session (1300 GMT)

Round Two x4

Damon Heta v Chris Dobey

Gary Anderson v James Wade

Gian van Veen v Nathan Aspinall

Jonny Clayton v Gerwyn Price

Evening Session (1900 GMT)

Round Two x4

Rob Cross v Josh Rock

Stephen Bunting v Danny Noppert

Luke Littler v Ross Smith

Luke Humphries v Luke Woodhouse