Back Barney and Mighty Mike to finally gel for Dutch

Last year’s surprise finalists Belgium, who will consist of brothers Kim and Ronny Huybrechts again, are fifth favourites in both the football and darts global competitions. They are also coincidentally priced at 20/1 to be world champions in the two sports individually, and 440/1 chances to triumph in them both.

Belgium go up against India, who go to their first finals in the opening round, and are odds-on at 1/10 to beat them, and 7/2 for a 5-0 win.

Scotland have yet to reach the last two in the four World Cups, but are priced at 6/1 to go all the way. It will be a surprise to many that Premier League semi-finalist Gary Anderson has not made it to the team, but they have Peter ‘snakebite’ Wright and Robert Thornton to lead the line. They face Russia in the opener, where they are priced at 13/8 to beat them 5-0.

Australia, represented by Simon Whitlock and darts ‘bad boy’ Paul Nicholson, reached the final in 2012, where they narrowly lost to England on sudden death. They face Denmark first, and are odds-on at 1/4 to win the last match of the night, and 12/1 to go all the way.

Wales, meanwhile, who are 33/1 chances, could be a good shout for the title. Mark Webster, who reached the final in 2010 with Barrie Bates, seems to up his game in this competition. He will be partnered by Richie Burnett this time, and the duo are 1/7 to knock out France in their first battle.

Northern Ireland (50/1 to win the World Cup) and Republic of Ireland (300/1) face fairly straight forward opposition in the first round, against Asian nations Malaysia and Singapore respectively.

Perhaps the tightest battle of the night is between Sweden and Gibraltar. The tiny oversees British territory, off the southern coast of Spain, has a total population of 30,000, but have been present in all the World Cups to date, with the fantastically-named pair Dylan Duo and Dyson Parody their entrants in all of them. Go British and back Gibraltar to beat their seeded opposition at 6/5.

Surprise semi-finalists at the last World Cup Finland (odds-on at 2/7) open the evening against Poland (5/2), who got though their group last time around. The Scandinavian nation are 100/1 to upset the odds and win the competition.