LONDON — After another year of ups, downs and in-betweens, the darting world has descended on Alexandra Palace for another dose of world championship drama — and you can follow it live with ESPN.

After capturing his first title in January, Luke Littler is looking to become the first man to go back-to-back since Gary Anderson defended his crown 10 years ago.

Thursday will also see the meeting of two former world champions in the form of 2023 winner Michael Smith and four-time BDO women’s champion Lisa Ashton.

Thursday’s matches:

Kim Huybrechts vs. Arno Merk

(28) Michael Smith vs. Lisa Ashton

(1) Luke Littler vs. Darius Labanauskas

Madars Razma vs. Jamai van den Herik

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The world championship seems to get bigger every year and this one is no different. An expanded 128-player field is competing for a share of the £5 million total prize pot from which the winner will take home an eye-popping £1 million – double the amount won by Littler last year.

There are also five women due to the oche over the course of the first round – also a record – and Ashton is first up against Smith. Littler is the red-hot favourite to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy come Jan. 3, followed by Luke Humphries and relative newcomer Gian van Veen.