MVG’s 122.34 Average Proves There’s Plenty More In the Tank for the Dutch Dynamo

It’s almost a compliment to Michael van Gerwen that some darts fans think his time in the top echelon of the sport is coming to an end.

It’s true that the Dutchman isn’t the force of old, with a wait now of three-and-a-half years since his last televised major trophy hoist.

But if you think MVG is going to drift away quietly from the sport, think again. His form in April and May has, at times, been outstanding – culminating in an average of 122.34, one of the highest ever recorded in the PDC, in a Players Championship victory against Martin Schindler on May 12.

Has Van Gerwen got another major title – or even a World Championship – left in the locker?

 

Ally Pally Specialist

The current darts betting odds make the 37-year-old a 20/1 chance for the World Championship this season, behind the most obvious candidates – Luke Humphries (6/1) and Gerwyn Price (14/1) amongst those to catch the eye.

But few in the sport can boast a World Championship record quite like Van Gerwen, who, since 2013, has appeared in seven finals at the Alexandra Palace, losing out in the semi-finals on a pair of other occasions.

Three of those final appearances have come since 2020, so even though MVG has begun to experience peaks and troughs in his career, his consistency and ability to raise his game for the Worlds remain in place.

Even when his tournament ends prematurely, as it did this year, there are still positives for Van Gerwen to take – he averaged 99 or higher in wins over Willie O’Connor and Arno Merk, as well as in defeat to his old rival Gary Anderson.

헪헢헥헟헗 헖헛헔헠헣헜헢헡헦헛헜헣  | 헧헛헜헥헗 헥헢헨헡헗 ✅ pic.twitter.com/coDSt0Wbtt

— Michael Van Gerwen (@MvG180) December 28, 2025

There’s just something about the World Championship that brings the best out of the Dutchman. If he can replicate the form he has shown recently on the Ally Pally stage in December and January, he will be amongst the strongest contenders for the trophy.

 

May Day

The recent renaissance in Van Gerwen’s game can be traced back to his Premier League form in April. Three dart averages are only a guide and far from a guarantor of success, but they tend to be instructive when a player chucks in big numbers on a consistent basis.

Since the start of April, Van Gerwen has averaged 101.15, 101.34, 104.07 and 107.54 on the Premier League stage – all in defeat, ironically.

But the 37-year-old is experienced enough to know that if he keeps producing those numbers, he will soon start to rack up the wins, which is exactly what he did at the Players Championship 15 on May 12. He averaged 102.47 in the quarter-final before posting a staggering 122.34 in a 6-0 whitewash of Schindler – a shade behind Anderson’s all-time Players Championship record average of 123.83.

VAN GERWEN WINS PC15! 

Michael van Gerwen wins his first ranking title since April 2025 

The three-time World Champion defeats Dirk van Duijvenbode 8-5 in a thrilling final, recording another stellar average of 106.57  pic.twitter.com/DckDe4i2WZ

— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) May 12, 2026

But that was no flash in the pan, with MVG downing his countryman Dirk van Duijvenbode 8-5 in the final with another ton-topping average (106.57).

It’s as consistently good as Van Gerwen has played in quite some time… One wonders if more silverware, perhaps even a televised major, is in his crosshairs this summer.