The PDC World Darts Championship is the most prestigious tournament in the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) calendar, featuring the world’s top professional darts players. Here’s a comprehensive overview of the event:
History
The PDC World Darts Championship was first held in 1994, following the split of the World Darts Council (WDC) from the British Darts Organisation (BDO). It has been held annually since then, with the exception of 2020 when the BDO folded and the WDF took over the BDO’s events.
Format
The PDC World Championship was established following the split from the British Darts Organisation (BDO) in 1992. The founders of the PDC sought to create a championship that would rival the traditional BDO World Championship, with the aim of attracting more sponsorship, providing higher prize money, and enhancing the global appeal of the sport. The event quickly grew in stature and prestige, becoming the definitive competition in professional darts.
The tournament is a knockout event, with 96 players participating. The format is as follows:
- First and second rounds: Best-of-five set
- Third and fourth rounds: Best-of-seven sets
- Quarter-finals: Best-of-nine sets
- Semi-finals: Best-of-11 sets
- Final: Best-of-13 sets
Venue
The PDC World Darts Championship has been held at Alexandra Palace in London since 2008, previously being held at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet from 1994 to 2007.
Prize Money
The total prize pot for the 2020 tournament was £2.5 million, with the winner receiving £500,000.
Broadcast
The tournament is broadcast live on Sky Sports, with highlights and classic matches available on the PDC’s official website, livepdc.tv.
Sponsors
The tournament has been sponsored by various bookmakers over the years, including Skol, Proton Cars, Vernon’s Pools, Red Band, Ladbrokes, William Hill, Cazoo, and Paddy Power.
Trophy
The champion’s trophy is named the Sid Waddell Trophy, in honour of the late darts commentator Sid Waddell, who passed away in 2012.
Winners
The tournament has had 12 different winners since its inception. Phil Taylor has dominated the competition, winning it 14 times, including a streak of eight consecutive titles from 1995 to 2002. Other multiple winners include John Part, Adrian Lewis, Gary Anderson, Michael van Gerwen, and Peter Wright.
Most Successful Players
Phil Taylor, known as “The Power,” is synonymous with the World Championship, having won an unprecedented 14 titles under the PDC banner. His dominance in the sport helped elevate the profile of the championship during its formative years. Other notable champions include Michael van Gerwen, a three-time winner known for his remarkable scoring and finishing abilities, and Gary Anderson, a two-time champion celebrated for his smooth throwing style and consistency at the oche.
Recent Winners
The most recent winners are:
| Year | Winner | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Dennis Priestley | Phil Taylor |
| 1995 | Phil Taylor | Rod Harrington |
| 1996 | Phil Taylor | Dennis Priestley |
| 1997 | Phil Taylor | Dennis Priestley |
| 1998 | Phil Taylor | Peter Manley |
| 1999 | Phil Taylor | Peter Manley |
| 2000 | Phil Taylor | Dennis Priestley |
| 2001 | Phil Taylor | John Part |
| 2002 | Phil Taylor | Peter Manley |
| 2003 | John Part | Kirk Shepherd |
| 2004 | Phil Taylor | Kevin Painter |
| 2005 | Phil Taylor | Mark Dudbridge |
| 2006 | Phil Taylor | Peter Manley |
| 2007 | Raymond van Barneveld | Phil Taylor |
| 2008 | John Part | Kirk Shepherd |
| 2009 | Phil Taylor | Raymond van Barneveld |
| 2010 | Phil Taylor | Simon Whitlock |
| 2011 | Adrian Lewis | Gary Anderson |
| 2012 | Adrian Lewis | Andy Hamilton |
| 2013 | Phil Taylor | Michael van Gerwen |
| 2014 | Michael van Gerwen | Peter Wright |
| 2015 | Gary Anderson | Phil Taylor |
| 2016 | Gary Anderson | Adrian Lewis |
| 2017 | Michael van Gerwen | Gary Anderson |
| 2018 | Rob Cross | Phil Taylor |
| 2019 | Michael van Gerwen | Michael Smith |
| 2020 | Peter Wright | Michael van Gerwen |
| 2021 | Gerwyn Price | Gary Anderson |
| 2022 | Peter Wright | Michael Smith |
| 2023 | Michael van Gerwen | Michael Smith |
Records
The tournament has seen several records set, including the highest average score in a match, which was achieved by Phil Taylor in 2009 with an average of 114.05.
Noteworthy is the 2007 final, where Raymond van Barneveld triumphed over Phil Taylor in a sudden-death leg, widely regarded as one of the greatest matches ever played. Another significant match was the 2013 final where Michael van Gerwen, then a rising star, was defeated by Phil Taylor in a passing of the torch moment that heralded a new era in darts.
Women’s Winners
The tournament also features a women’s event, with the first winner being Trina Gulliver in 1993. The most recent winner is Lisa Ashton.
International Qualifiers
The tournament features international qualifiers from various countries, including the UK, Europe, Australia, and Asia.
- PDC Development and Challenge Tours The PDC has a development tour and a challenge tour, which provide opportunities for up-and-coming players to qualify for the World Championship.
- PDC Asian Tour The PDC Asian Tour is a series of tournaments held in Asia, which provides opportunities for Asian players to qualify for the World Championship.
- PDC Women’s Tour The PDC Women’s Tour is a series of tournaments held for women, which provides opportunities for female players to qualify for the World Championship.
- PDC World Cup of Darts The PDC World Cup of Darts is a team event featuring pairs of players from different countries, which provides opportunities for players to qualify for the World Championship.
- PDC World Youth Championship The PDC World Youth Championship is a tournament for young players, which provides opportunities for young players to qualify for the World Championship.
- PDC Development Tour The PDC Development Tour is a series of tournaments held for young players, which provides opportunities for young players to qualify for the World Championship.
- PDC Challenge Tour The PDC Challenge Tour is a series of tournaments held for players who are not part of the main tour, which provides opportunities for players to qualify for the World Championship.
- PDC Pro Tour The PDC Pro Tour is a series of tournaments held for professional players, which provides opportunities for players to qualify for the World Championship.
- PDC Order of Merit The PDC Order of Merit is a ranking system that determines the seeding for the World Championship.
- PDC Pro Tour Order of Merit The PDC Pro Tour Order of Merit is a ranking system that determines the seeding for the World Championship.
- PDC Women’s Order of Merit The PDC Women’s Order of Merit is a ranking system that determines the seeding for the women’s event.
- PDC Asian Order of Merit The PDC Asian Order of Merit is a ranking system that determines the seeding for the Asian qualifiers.
- PDC European Order of Merit The PDC European Order of Merit is a ranking system that determines the seeding for the European qualifiers.
- PDC Australian Order of Merit The PDC Australian Order of Merit is a ranking system that determines the seeding for the Australian qualifiers.
- PDC New Zealand Order of Merit The PDC New Zealand Order of Merit is a ranking system that determines the seeding for the New Zealand qualifiers.
- PDC North American Order of Merit The PDC North American Order of Merit is a ranking system that determines the seeding for the North American qualifiers.
- PDC South American Order of Merit The PDC South American Order of Merit is a ranking system that determines the seeding for the South American qualifiers.
- PDC African Order of Merit The PDC African Order of Merit is a ranking system that determines the seeding for the African qualifiers.
- PDC Asian Pacific Order of Merit The PDC Asian Pacific Order of Merit is a ranking system that determines the seeding for the Asian Pacific qualifiers.