The PDC World Darts Championship is in full flow as we return from the Christmas break, with plenty of shocks and show-stopping moments already captivating fans at Alexandra Palace.
Luke Littler and Luke Humphries are the favourites to win the title in January, with a potential meeting on the cards in the semi-finals after the 17-year-old secured a 3-1 win over Ryan Meikle in one of the most impressive performances of the tournament so far.
Meanwhile, two-time champion Gary Anderson and 2023 winner Michael Smith were among the upsets as both crashed out in the opening rounds, with Mike De Decker and Rob Cross among a handful of other seeded players to have exited the competition already.
This time last year, much was made of a then-16-year-old Littler potentially taking home £500,000 for winning the competition, though he eventually had to ‘settle’ for the runners-up prize of £200,000.
But how much money is on the line at Alexandra Palace, and what can players expect to take home if they reach the latter stages of the tournament?
What is the prize money at the World Darts Championship?
As the most prestigious tournament in the sport, the World Darts Championship carries the highest prize fund too, with a total pot of around £2.5m.
A large chunk of this is saved for the winner, who bags £500,000 and also takes home the Sid Wadell Trophy, named in honour of famed darts commentator Sid Waddell.
The losing finalist takes home £200,000, while players who lose in the semi-finals are rewarded with £100,000, and those who only make the quarter-finals get £50,000 each.
Even at round three of the competition, players receive £25,000 if they lose, while they take home £35,000 if they lose in round four. The first and second round come with rewards of £7,500 and £15,000 respectively.
What is the World Darts Championship schedule?
Friday, 27 December sees the start of round three, with the next round beginning during the evening session on 29 December. The dates for the next rounds are as follows:
27 December – Round three begins
29 December – Round four begins
1 January – Quarter-finals begin
2 January – Semi-finals take place
3 January – Final takes place
You can find the full tournament schedule here, as well as information on the format, seeds and pre-tournament odds.
