Premier League Darts 2026 Prize Money | How much is up for grabs?
Premier League Darts has become one of the biggest money events in the sport and features a record prize fund in 2026.
Premier League Darts is the most prestigious invitational event in the darts calendar and in the aftermath of the World Championship, discussion always quickly turns to who is going to be handed one of the eight coveted places in the competition.
The tournament runs from February through May, with Thursday night action every week at various locations in Europe, with most of the action staged in Britain. Antwerp, Belfast, Berlin, Dublin and Rotterdam are on the schedule. London’s O2 hosts Finals Night on May 28.
The top prize has been increased by £75,000 for this year’s Premier League, rising to a whopping £350,000. The last two finals have been contested by Luke Littler and Luke Humphries, with Littler winning in 2024 and Humphries triumphing last year.
Breakdown of Current Prize Money Structure
PDC prize money has been increasing across the board, with Littler bringing extra attention and revenue into the sport. The total Premier League prize money has increased by £250,000 this year to £1.25m.
The Premier League champion will receive a cheque for £350,000, with the runner-up taking home £170,000. Each semi-finalist will pocket £110,000, with the player finishing fifth in the league scooping £95,000, sixth claiming £90,000, seventh given £85,000 and eighth awarded £80,000.
Each nightly winner during the league phase will get a bonus £10,000 and for the second successive season, a set of 18ct gold darts are on offer for every nine-darter hit.
| Stage | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| Winner | £350,000 |
| Runner-up | £170,000 |
| Semi-finalists | £110,000 |
| Fifth place | £95,000 |
| Sixth place | £90,000 |
| Seventh place | £85,000 |
| Eighth place | £80,000 |
| Weekly winner’s bonus | £10,000 |
| Nine-darter bonus | 18ct gold darts |
| Total | £1,250,000 |
Comparison Over Time
Premier League Darts was launched on Sky Sports in January, 2005, with only seven players competing every fortnight. In the early years, the total prize money was £265,000, steadily increasing as the event became more popular.
Darts has become the second most watched sport on Sky Sports – behind only football – with teenage sensation Luke Littler bringing a whole new audience to this grand old game. Sponsors are desperate to be a part of Premier League Darts, which has spread across Europe to capture fresh markets.
Financial Impact on Players
Securing a place in the Premier League guarantees huge rewards for the players. Not only can they compete for weekly prizes – and have a healthy cheque coming at the end of the season no matter how they perform – the fact they are in the spotlight on a regular basis means they are more appealing as a booking for exhibitions and other public appearances.
Sponsorship deals can be worth fortunes to Premier League players. For example, Luke Littler signed a £20m ten-year deal with Target Darts. He also has deals with Xbox and Boohoo. The PDC decide who gets into the Premier League and anyone omitted is left to rue a huge amount of missed earnings potential.
Global Context
The Premier League provides the second biggest first prize on the PDC circuit, behind only the £1m on offer at the World Championship. The third-best is the World Matchplay, which offers £225,000 to the winner, with the Grand Slam of Darts next at £200,000.
Darts is no longer a niche sport and prize money reflects that. The World Snooker Championship first prize is half that of the darts, with £500,000 on offer.
