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Green treble 20 revealed as hoax as Paddy Power make Prostate Cancer UK pledge at the World Championship

Jamie Shaw in World Darts Championship 30 Nov 2023

Paddy Power’s controversial green treble 20 board

A green treble 20 will not be on show at the 2023/24 World Darts Championship after title sponsors Paddy Power confirmed the stunt as a hoax.

The mischievous Irish bookmaker caused controversy among the global darting community on Monday when they announced they had replacing the traditional red treble 20 with a new green version.

However, Paddy Power, the PDC and Prostate Cancer UK today released a joint statement, revealing the true intent of The BIG 180 campaign.

The ground-breaking partnership will see Paddy Power donate £1,000 for every 180 hit during the 16-day show-piece – which takes place at London’s Alexandra Palace from December 15 to January 3.

In addition, the bookmaker and the PDC will join forces and use all their channels to challenge 180,000 fans in the UK to use Prostate Cancer UK’s online risk checker.

With 901 maximums achieved during last year’s World Championship, it is hoped that record will be smashed this time around, meaning a possible £1 million donation to Prostate Cancer UK – a transformative sum for the charity that will ultimately save lives.

A Paddy Power spokesman said: “We would like to officially apologise if we caused Peter Wright, Michael van Gerwen or any of the other professional players undue stress this week. But if it grabbed the attention of them and just a fraction of the audience darts has, then it will all have been worthwhile.

“1 in 8 men are at risk of prostate cancer, so our aim is to hit them right between the bullseyes with The BIG 180 campaign which will be unmissable this Christmas.”

Prostate Cancer UK Chief Executive Laura Kerby said: “We are thrilled to become the official charity partner of the Paddy Power World Darts Championship and thank Paddy Power and the PDC for uniting the darts community as we target this disease head on.

“This iconic tournament is a sporting staple across the festive period, and The BIG 180 will put us at the heart of the action. It will be a complete gamechanger for men and their loved ones affected by prostate cancer – one maximum at a time.”

All money raised throughout the Paddy Power World Darts Championship will fund lifesaving research to diagnose men sooner and improve the lives of men affected by the most common cancer in men.

Speaking about the new partnership, which marks the biggest ever of its kind in the sport, PDC Chief Executive Matthew Porter explained: “When our new sponsors Paddy Power suggested pranking our players two weeks out from the tournament to get the public’s attention, it sounded like a huge risk.

“Ultimately, it was one we were willing to take if it means the millions of men who will tune into the World Darts Championship, alongside their loved ones, are encouraged to take 30 seconds to check their risk.”

Ahead of the 30th anniversary of the PDC World Championship, it was fitting that the 1993/94 winner Dennis ‘The Menace’ Priestley, helped launch the campaign, with the 73-year-old having been treated for prostate cancer after being diagnosed in 2007.

Priestley said: “Nearly all cancers can be beaten if caught early enough, including prostate cancer. I’m the proof after 16 years that if you get it diagnosed early enough you can beat it.”