Darts icon turned pundit Wayne Mardle has picked out four competitors capable of pulling off an upset at Alexandra Palace.
Michael Smith, Gerwyn Price, Michael van Gerwen and Luke Humphries are among the favourites, but they are not the only players deemed worthy of a spot in the conversation.
“There are so many that are capable of winning,” Mardle told Sky Sports. “Joe Cullen, Nathan Aspinall, Dave Chisnell – these are all players that are not currently on the lips in terms of being a world champion.
“There’s also the likes of Luke Littler, who we saw win the world youth crown, he is someone in the draw you don’t want to mess with. He’s not scared. He’s is someone who can just go out there, turn you over like ‘this is just what I do’.”