diff --git a/app/services/simulations/darts-simulator.ts b/app/services/simulations/darts-simulator.ts
index b8759e6..46260c6 100644
--- a/app/services/simulations/darts-simulator.ts
+++ b/app/services/simulations/darts-simulator.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
  *   Final:      best-of-13 sets, first to 7
  *
  * Seeding (pre-bracket path):
- *   Top 32 players (by world ranking) are seeded into fixed bracket positions
+ *   Top 32 players (by Elo, descending) are seeded into fixed bracket positions
  *   using the standard balanced bracket structure:
  *     R1 seeds: 1v32, 16v17, 9v24, 8v25 (top half) + 5v28, 12v21, 13v20, 4v29
  *               3v30, 14v19, 11v22, 6v27 (bottom half) + 7v26, 10v23, 15v18, 2v31
@@ -468,17 +468,14 @@ export class DartsSimulator implements Simulator {
     // the seeded tour players.
     const fallbackElo = 1400;
 
-    // Sort participants by world ranking (ascending). Fall back to Elo order (descending) for
-    // any without a ranking, then alphabetical as a final tiebreak.
-    const sorted = [...allParticipants].toSorted((a, b) => {
-      const rankA = rankingMap.get(a.id);
-      const rankB = rankingMap.get(b.id);
-      if (rankA !== undefined && rankB !== undefined) return rankA - rankB;
-      if (rankA !== undefined) return -1; // ranked before unranked
-      if (rankB !== undefined) return 1;
-      // Both unranked — sort by Elo descending
-      return (eloMap.get(b.id) ?? fallbackElo) - (eloMap.get(a.id) ?? fallbackElo);
-    });
+    // Seed by Elo descending — the top 32 strongest players (by Elo) get protected
+    // bracket positions. World ranking (PDC Order of Merit) is prize-money-based and
+    // can diverge from current skill; a player ranked 35th by earnings might have a
+    // higher Elo than someone ranked 28th. Using Elo for seeding keeps the bracket
+    // consistent with the Elo-based match simulation.
+    const sorted = [...allParticipants].toSorted((a, b) =>
+      (eloMap.get(b.id) ?? fallbackElo) - (eloMap.get(a.id) ?? fallbackElo)
+    );
 
     const topSeeds = sorted.slice(0, TOP_SEEDS).map((p) => p.id);   // seeds 1–32
     const unseeded = sorted.slice(TOP_SEEDS).map((p) => p.id);       // remaining players