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

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.”

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World Darts Championship 2023/24 Schedule of Play

The stars of the PDC collide at the 2023/24 World Darts Championship, and you can follow the latest results and schedule of play here.

London’s Alexandra Palace plays host to the sport’s show-piece event from December 15, 2023 to January 3, 2024 as they compete for the iconic Sid Waddell Trophy and £2.5 million in prize money.

The 31st staging of the PDC World Championship will feature the top 32 players from the PDC Order of Merit, the next highest 32 ranked players from the ProTour Order of Merit, plus a further 32 International Qualifiers.

Michael Smith is the reigning World Champion after he defeated Michael van Gerwen 7-4 in an historic final to claim the crown for the first time.

Smith is the number one seed as he bids to become only the fourth player in the history of the competition to successfully retain the world title.

Second seed Van Gerwen is vying for a fourth world title, having lost out in last year’s final, while 2021 World Champion Gerwyn Price looks to join the elite group of six multiple PDC World Champions.

Other former PDC World Champions in action include Peter Wright, Raymond van Barneveld, Gary Anderson and Rob Cross.

Notable debutants include World Youth Champion Luke Littler, European Championship semi-finalist Gian van Veen, German star Ricardo Pietreczko and France’s Thibault Tricole.

History-maker Fallon Sherrock returns for her fourth Ally Pally appearance and is joined from the Women’s Series by two-time World Champion Mikuru Suzuki.

The First Round sees the ProTour Order of Merit Qualifiers drawn against the international and domestic Qualifiers, with the winners set to take on the top 32 seeded players from the PDC Order of Merit in Round Two.

The Second Round will conclude across two sessions on Friday December 23 before a three-day Christmas break, while the third and fourth rounds will be held from December 27-30. The Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and final will take place from January 1-3.

Format
First Round – Best of five sets
Second Round – Best of five sets
Third Round – Best of seven sets
Fourth Round – Best of seven sets
Quarter-Finals – Best of nine sets
Semi-Finals – Best of 11 sets
Final – Best of 13 sets

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World Darts Championship 2023/24 Schedule of Play

Friday December 15

7pm-11pm
Kevin Doets v Stowe Buntz (R1)
Cameron Menzies v Rusty-Jake Rodriguez (R1)
Simon Whitlock v Paolo Nebrida (R1)
Michael Smith v Doets/Buntz (R2)

Saturday December 16

Afternoon Session (12.30pm-5pm)
Lee Evans v Sandro Eric Sosing (R1)
Connor Scutt v Krzysztof Kciuk (R1)
Jules van Dongen v Darren Penhall (R1)
Dave Chisnall v Menzies/Rodriguez (R2)

Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Jamie Hughes v David Cameron (R1)
Keane Barry v Reynaldo Rivera (R1)
Scott Williams v Haruki Muramatsu (R1)
Gary Anderson v Whitlock/Nebrida (R2)

Sunday December 17

Afternoon Session (12.30pm-5pm)
Ricky Evans v Simon Adams (R1)
Jim Williams v Norman Madhoo (R1)
Matt Campbell v Lourence Ilagan (R1)
Joe Cullen v Van Dongen/Penhall (R2)

Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Dylan Slevin v Florian Hempel (R1)
Niels Zonneveld v Darren Webster (R1)
Jermaine Wattimena v Fallon Sherrock (R1)
Luke Humphries v Evans/Eric Sosing (R2)

Monday December 18

7pm-11pm
Mario Vandenbogaerde v Thibault Tricole (R1)
Gian van Veen v Man Lok Leung (R1)
Martin Lukeman v Haupai Puha (R1)
Gerwyn Price v Scutt/Kciuk (R2)

Tuesday December 19

Afternoon Session (12.30pm-5pm)
Ian White v Tomoya Goto (R1)
Ritchie Edhouse v Jeffrey de Graaf (R1)
Keegan Brown v Boris Krcmar (R1)
James Wade v Campbell/Ilagan (R2)

Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Steve Beaton v Wessel Nijman (R1)
Mike De Decker v Dragutin Horvat (R1)
Ricardo Pietreczko v Mikuru Suzuki (R1)
Michael van Gerwen v Barry/Rivera (R2)

Wednesday December 20

Afternoon Session (12.30pm-5pm)
Radek Szaganski v Marko Kantele (R1)
Steve Lennon v Owen Bates (R1)
William O’Connor v Bhav Patel (R1)
Ross Smith v Zonneveld/Webster (R2)

Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Ryan Joyce v Alex Spellman (R1)
Richard Veenstra v Ben Robb (R1)
Christian Kist v Luke Littler (R1)
Peter Wright v J Williams/Madhoo (R2)

Thursday December 21

Afternoon Session (12.30pm-5pm)
Mickey Mansell v Xiaochen Zong (R1)
Luke Woodhouse v Berry van Peer (R1)
Madars Razma v De Decker/Horvat (R2)
Rob Cross v Vandenbogaerde/Tricole (R2)

Second Round

Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Andrew Gilding v Kist/Littler
Danny Noppert v S Williams/Muramatsu
Gabriel Clemens v Van Veen/Leung
Damon Heta v Lukeman/Puha

Friday December 22

Second Round

Afternoon Session (12.30pm-5pm)
Brendan Dolan v Mansell/Zong
Jose de Sousa v Edhouse/De Graaf
Krzysztof Ratajski v Hughes/Cameron
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Brown/Krcmar

Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Slevin/Hempel
Martin Schindler v Wattimena/Sherrock
Raymond van Barneveld v Szaganski/Kantele
Chris Dobey v O’Connor/Patel

Saturday December 23

Second Round

Afternoon Session (12.30pm-5pm)
Kim Huybrechts v Veenstra/Robb
Callan Rydz v Pietreczko/Suzuki
Jonny Clayton v Lennon/Bates
Daryl Gurney v Beaton/Nijman

Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Ryan Searle v White/Goto
Josh Rock v Woodhouse/Van Peer
Stephen Bunting v Joyce/Spellman
Nathan Aspinall v Evans/Adams

Wednesday December 27

Afternoon Session (12.30pm-5pm)
3x Third Round matches

Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
3x Third Round matches

Thursday December 28

Afternoon Session (12.30pm-5pm)
3x Third Round matches

Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
3x Third Round matches

Friday December 29

Afternoon Session (12.30pm-5pm)
3x Third Round matches

Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
1x Third Round match, 2x Last 16 matches

Saturday December 30

Afternoon Session (12.30pm-5pm)
3x Last 16 matches

Evening Session (7.30pm-11pm)
3x Last 16 matches

Monday January 1

Afternoon Session (12.30-4pm)
Quarter-Finals x2

Evening Session (7pm-10pm)
Quarter-Finals x2

Tuesday January 2

7.30pm-11pm
Semi-Finals

Wednesday January 3

8pm
Final

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World Darts Championship 2023/24 Draw | Smith to face Doets or Buntz at Ally Pally

The draw for the 2023/24 PDC World Darts Championship has been confirmed, with Michael Smith to begin his title defence against either Kevin Doets or Stowe Buntz at Alexandra Palace.

The sport’s show-piece event features 96 players competing for the Sid Waddell Trophy and £2.5 million prize fund from December 15 to January 3.

The 31st staging of the PDC World Championship will feature the top 32 players from the PDC Order of Merit, the next highest 32 ranked players from the ProTour Order of Merit, plus a further 32 International Qualifiers.

Smith, who claimed his maiden world title courtesy of a memorable 7-4 victory over Michael van Gerwen in the final, will feature on the opening night of the tournament on Friday December 15 against either Dutch ace Doets or CDC Continental Cup winner Buntz.

Three-time champion Michael van Gerwen – the number two seed this year – will open his challenge against former UK Open semi-finalist Keane Barry or debutant Reynaldo Rivera.

Luke Humphries arrives at Alexandra Palace having won three of the sport’s last four televised ranking events, and he will face either Lee Evans or Sandro Eric Sosing for a place in round three.

Two-time champion Peter Wright could face former Lakeside Championship finalist Jim Williams in a stellar showdown, if the Welshman overcomes Guyana’s Norman Madhoo in round one.

Fifth seed Gerwyn Price – who lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy in 2021 – will meet debutant Connor Scutt or Poland’s Krzysztof Kciuk in his tenth World Championship appearance.

Ricky Evans and South Africa’s Simon Adam will compete for the right to take on sixth seed Nathan Aspinall, who celebrated World Matchplay glory back in July.

2018 winner Rob Cross begins his campaign against Belgian debutant Mario Vandenbogaerde or Thibault Tricole, who will become the first French player to feature in the World Darts Championship.

Fallon Sherrock – returning to the scene of her ground-breaking success at the World Championship four years ago – plays quick-fire Dutchman Jermaine Wattimena in round one, with Germany’s Martin Schindler awaiting the winner.

Japan’s Mikuru Suzuki has been handed a tough opening assignment against Germany’s Ricardo Pietreczko, as the pair go head-to-head for the right to play 2022 quarter-finalist Callan Rydz.

Two-time World Champion Gary Anderson could face 2010 runner-up Simon Whitlock in a blockbuster second round tussle, with the Australian veteran up against Paolo Nebrida in round one.

Dutch icon Raymond van Barneveld meets the winner of the tie between Poland’s Radek Szaganski and Finland’s Marko Kantele, as he aims to roll back the years on the Ally Pally stage.

Steve Beaton – competing in his 33rd consecutive World Championship – locks horns with Dutch youngster Wessel Nijman, with the reward being a second round clash against Daryl Gurney.

Newly crowned World Youth Champion Luke Littler could take on UK Open champion Andrew Gilding, but the 16-year-old must first come through a clash against former Lakeside winner Christian Kist.

Four-time semi-finalist James Wade has been drawn against Canada’s Matt Campbell or Philippines’ World Cup star Lourence Ilagan, as the left-hander eyes an elusive triumph on the sport’s biggest stage.

Elsewhere, German number one Gabriel Clemens – a semi-finalist last year – could take on European Championship semi-finalist Gian van Veen, if the Dutch youngster overcomes Hong Kong’s Man Lok Leung on debut.

World Darts Championship 2023/24 Draw

Second Round

Michael Smith (1) v Kevin Doets/Stowe Buntz
Michael van Gerwen (2) v Keane Barry/Reynaldo Rivera
Luke Humphries (3) v Lee Evans/Sandro Eric Sosig
Peter Wright (4) v Jim Williams/Norman Madhoo
Gerwyn Price (5) v Connor Scutt/Krzysztof Kciuk
Nathan Aspinall (6) v Ricky Evans/Simon Adams
Danny Noppert (7) v Scott Williams/Haruki Muramatsu
Rob Cross (8) v Mario Vandenbogaerde/Thibault Tricole
Jonny Clayton (9) v Steve Lennon/Owen Bates
Damon Heta (10) v Martin Lukeman/Haupai Puha
Dave Chisnall (11) v Cameron Menzies/Rusty-Jake Rodriguez
Dirk van Duijvenbode (12) v Keegan Brown/Boris Krcmar
James Wade (13) v Matt Campbell/Lourence Ilagan
Joe Cullen (14) v Jules van Dongen/Darren Penhall
Dimitri Van den Bergh (15) v Dylan Slevin/Florian Hempel
Ross Smith (16) v Niels Zonneveld/Darren Webster
Chris Dobey (17) v William O’Connor/Bhav Patel
Stephen Bunting (18) v Ryan Joyce/Alex Spellman
Ryan Searle (19) v Ian White/Tomoya Goto
Andrew Gilding (20) v Christian Kist/Luke Littler
Gary Anderson (21) v Simon Whitlock/Paolo Nebrida
Gabriel Clemens (22) v Gian van Veen/Man Lok Leung
Josh Rock (23) v Luke Woodhouse/Berry van Peer
Krzysztof Ratajski (24) v Jamie Hughes/David Cameron
Jose de Sousa (25) v Ritchie Edhouse/Jeffrey De Graaf
Martin Schindler (26) v Jermaine Wattimena/Fallon Sherrock
Daryl Gurney (27) v Steve Beaton/Wessel Nijman
Brendan Dolan (28) v Mickey Mansell/Xiaochen Zong
Raymond van Barneveld (29) v Radek Szaganski/Kantele
Callan Rydz (30) v Ricardo Pietreczko/Mikuru Suzuki
Kim Huybrechts (31) v Richard Veenstra/Ben Robb
Madars Razma (32) v Mike De Decker/Dragutin Horvat

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World Darts Championship 2023/24 odds | Who are the favourites at Ally Pally?

The 2024 World Darts Championship starts in less than a month and, following a hat trick of major wins, Luke Humphries has been installed as the favourite to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy.

Humphries has emerged as a top contender over the past few months, reaching the World Matchplay semi-final before collecting the World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals trophies. He’s now viewed as one of the darting elites and will look to add the World Darts Championship to his expanding trophy cabinet.

Michael Smith, winner of the 2023 Championship, has failed to build on his dramatic victory last year but still enters this competition as one of the front runners after reaching to final in three of the past five years.

It’s hard to look at the betting odds without being drawn to Michael van Gerwen. Whilst he hasn’t won the trophy since 2019, he still has incredible pedigree, with 29 majors to his name. It hasn’t been the best year for MVG but there’s no doubting his love for this competition and desire to get his name back on the famous trophy.

Gerwyn Price is also heavily featured in the betting market, although the Welshman hasn’t won a major competition since the 2021 Grand Slam of Darts. He shouldn’t be counted out though, especially with him being on the other side of the draw from van Gerwen and Humphries.

World Darts Championship 2024 Odds

Player Bet365 Sky Bet
Luke Humphries 10/3 10/3
Michael van Gerwen 4/1 4/1
Gerwyn Price 9/2 5/1
Michael Smith 10/1 9/1
Gary Anderson 14/1 14/1
Peter Wright 18/1 16/1
Rob Cross 14/1 16/1
Nathan Aspinall 28/1 28/1
Josh Rock 33/1 33/1
Gian van Veen 55/1 50/1
James Wade 45/1 50/1
Stephen Bunting 40/1 33/1
Chris Dobey 66/1 50/1
Damon Heta 75/1 66/1
Danny Noppert 80/1 66/1
Dave Chisnall 40/1 50/1
Dimitri van den Bergh 80/1 66/1
Joe Cullen 80/1 80/1
Jonny Clayton 50/1 50/1
Dirk van Duijvenbode 80/1 66/1
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When is the World Darts Championship draw? Date and time confirmed for 2023/24 draw

With Alexandra Palace coming into view, attention turns to the World Darts Championship. We’ve got all the information you need regarding the draw for the biggest darts tournament of the year.

When is the World Darts Championship 2024 draw?

The draw for the 2024 World Darts Championship will take place on Monday November 27 at 4.30pm GMT.

World Darts Championship 2024 Odds

Player Bet365 Sky Bet
Luke Humphries 10/3 10/3
Michael van Gerwen 4/1 4/1
Gerwyn Price 9/2 5/1
Michael Smith 10/1 9/1
Gary Anderson 14/1 14/1
Peter Wright 18/1 16/1
Rob Cross 14/1 16/1
Nathan Aspinall 28/1 28/1
Josh Rock 33/1 33/1
Gian van Veen 55/1 50/1
James Wade 45/1 50/1
Stephen Bunting 40/1 33/1
Chris Dobey 66/1 50/1
Damon Heta 75/1 66/1
Danny Noppert 80/1 66/1
Dave Chisnall 40/1 50/1
Dimitri van den Bergh 80/1 66/1
Joe Cullen 80/1 80/1
Jonny Clayton 50/1 50/1
Dirk van Duijvenbode 80/1 66/1
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How to watch the World Darts Championship 2024 draw

The draw for the 2024 World Darts Championship will be shown live on Sky Sports News, with coverage beginning just before the draw is made at 4.30pm GMT.

Who will be performing the draw for the World Darts Championship 2024?

The draw for the 2024 World Darts Championship will be performed by the first two winners of the competition, Dennis Priestley and Phil Taylor. Priestley won the first ever competition in 1994, whilst Taylor winning the world title for the next eight years, as well as in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2013.

Which players will feature in the draw for the World Darts Championship 2024?

The top 32 players, determined by the PDC Order of Merit, have protected status in the first round of the tournament, entering in the second round.

The next 32 players in the Pro Tour Order of Merit will be paired up with the 32 players that won their international competitions. Some of the names involved in the first round draw include Gian van Veen,  Luke Woodhouse, Keane Barry, Stowe Buntz, Fallon Sherrock and Berry van Peer.

Paddy Power unveiled as new sponsors of the PDC World Darts Championship

Paddy Power have been announced as the new title sponsors of the PDC World Darts Championship from 2023/24.

The Irish bookmaker will sponsor the sport’s show-piece event for the first time, taking over from troubled car dealer Cazoo – whose ‘multi-year’ deal was brought to an abrupt end amid financial troubles.

Paddy Power have previously sponsored the World Grand Prix and Champions League of Darts and will once again unleash their notorious marketing tactics in a bid to elevate the event to a new level.

The 2023/24 World Darts Championship takes place from December 15 to January 3 at London’s Alexandra Palace, featuring 96 players competing for the Sid Waddell Trophy and a prize fund in excess of £2.5 million.

The lucrative deal will see Paddy Power, a leading betting firm established in 1988, sponsor the event for the next three years.

Paddy Power’s Michelle Spillane said: “When we agreed to step up to the oche with the PDC as new sponsors of the World Darts Championship, we knew we’d hit the bullseye. This tournament is the ultimate example of sport colliding with entertainment, a mix we at Paddy Power are naturally drawn towards.”

“Getting stuck into a sponsorship as iconic as the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace is hugely exciting for our brand, and we can’t wait to make our mark…maybe just not directly on the pro players!”

PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter added: “We’re delighted to welcome Paddy Power back to darts as our new title sponsors of the World Darts Championship – a deal which they’ve announced in their typically unique fashion with the help of some of our biggest stars.

“The World Darts Championship is the flagship event in our sport, and Paddy Power’s involvement will add extra excitement to an event which is already the highlight of the festive sporting period.”

The news was announced today as the PDC confirmed tickets will go on priority sale from Monday July 31, and general sale on Wednesday August 2.

PDC Order of Merit following the 2022/23 World Darts Championship

Michael Smith has become the new PDC world number one after claiming World Championship glory for the first time.

Smith realised his darting dream by lifting the Sid Waddell Trophy at Alexandra Palace on Tuesday courtesy of a 7-4 victory over Michael van Gerwen in the final.

The St Helens star produced an historic nine-darter en route to the title, having seen Van Gerwen miss double 12 for a nine-darter of his own in the same leg.

The triumph came just months after Bully Boy had landed his first major title at the Grand Slam, ending a run of eight consecutive defeats in televised finals.

Smith scooped £500,000 in prize money to storm into the world number one spot, leapfrogging Van Gerwen, Peter Wright and Gerwyn Price.

In doing so, he becomes the 12th different world number one in PDC history and the first Englishman to top the rankings since Phil Taylor in 2014.

Price’s shock Quarter-Final exit at the hands of Gabriel Clemens sees him drop to fourth, having won the title two years ago, while last year’s champion Wright trails Smith by around £100,000 in second spot.

A third defeat in a World Championship final for Van Gerwen sees him end the season in third position, despite picking up the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and Players Championship Finals titles.

Meanwhile, Dimitri Van den Bergh’s superb run to the Semi-Finals sees him climb four places to 11th, while Jose de Sousa rises three places to 14th after reaching the Last 16.

Clemens’ ground-breaking run to the Semi-Finals, becoming the first German in PDC history to do so, sees him storm six places to 19th and in contention for a Premier League spot this year.

James Wade’s shock Second Round exit means he drops two places to tenth, while Dave Chisnall tumbles six places to 18th, having made the Semi-Finals two years ago.

Gary Anderson, World Championship runner-up in 2021, plummets eleven places to 22nd – his lowest end of season ranking since 2010 – following a Third Round defeat to Chris Dobey.

World Cup winner Damon Heta ends the season inside the world’s top 16 for the first time, with European Champion Ross Smith rising two places to 17th and just £7,000 adrift of the Aussie.

Stephen Bunting falls three places to 24th despite his impressive run to the Quarter-Finals, having reached the semis two years ago, but will occupy the 24th and final spot in The Masters later this month.

Daryl Gurney and Vincent van der Voort drop two places to 26th and 30th respectively, while Raymond van Barneveld ends the season in 29th after notably reaching the Semi-Finals of the Grand Slam.

Alan Soutar’s run to the Last 16 for the second successive year at Ally Pally sees him end the campaign inside the world’s top 32 for the first time.

Mensur Suljovic drops out of the top 32 despite a terrific showing against MVG in the Third Round, while 2010 runner-up Simon Whitlock also drops three places to 38th.

Josh Rock’s astonishing debut season as a Tour Card holder ends with the 21-year-old ranked world number 36, having reached the Last 16 at Ally Pally, as well as winning a ProTour event and making the Last 16 of the Grand Slam.

Andrew Gilding climbs five places to 41st, with Martijn Kleermaker up four places to 40th and Ryan Meikle and Ritchie Edhouse also up three places apiece.

Ian White’s failure to qualify for the World Championship means he drops a further five places to 43rd, with Ryan Joyce down four places to 44th and Jermaine Wattimena sinking eight places to 47th.

Ricky Evans, who defeated Fallon Sherrock before losing out to Joe Cullen, drops six places to 48th, while German ace Florian Hempel surges ten places to 50th.

Challenge Tour star Scott Williams, who picked up a Players Championship title in 2022 despite not holding a Tour Card, ends the year in 57th after losing out to Rob Cross in a high quality Second Round contest.

Devon Petersen, who failed to secure a spot in the sport’s show-piece, tumbles 15 places to 58th and will be battling to retain his Tour Card this coming season.

Jim Williams enjoyed a fine run to the Last 32 and subsequently climbs 18 places to 59th, followed by fellow Welsh star Lewy Williams – who rises ten places to 60th.

Czech youngster Adam Gawlas is up 11 places to 62nd, with Ron Meulenkamp and Keegan dropping out of the Tour Card places.

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PDC Order of Merit following the 2022/23 World Darts Championship

Position Name Prize Money
1 Michael Smith £1,243,500
2 Peter Wright £1,144,500
3 Michael van Gerwen £1,050,750
4 Gerwyn Price £726,750
5 Luke Humphries £526,000
6 Rob Cross £512,000
7 Jonny Clayton £482,750
8 Danny Noppert £449,750
9 Nathan Aspinall £441,500
10 James Wade £440,000
11 Dimitri Van den Bergh £411,750
12 Joe Cullen £367,750
13 Dirk van Duijvenbode £350,250
14 Jose de Sousa £340,000
15 Ryan Searle £327,500
16 Damon Heta £311,250
17 Ross Smith £304,750
18 Dave Chisnall £294,000
19 Gabriel Clemens £286,250
20 Krzysztof Ratajski £281,750
21 Chris Dobey £274,000
22 Gary Anderson £235,750
23 Callan Rydz £233,500
24 Stephen Bunting £232,750
25 Brendan Dolan £219,750
26 Daryl Gurney £195,250
27 Martin Schindler £189,250
28 Mervyn King £174,250
29 Raymond van Barneveld £165,750
30 Vincent van der Voort £165,750
31 Kim Huybrechts £163,750
32 Alan Soutar £161,500
33 Mensur Suljovic £157,500
34 Adrian Lewis £139,750
35 Madars Razma £138,500
36 Josh Rock £129,000
37 William O’Connor £124,000
38 Simon Whitlock £123,500
39 Martin Lukeman £122,500
40 Martijn Kleermaker £119,000
41 Andrew Gilding £113,500
42 Keane Barry £110,500
43 Ian White £106,250
44 Ryan Joyce £104,250
45 Ryan Meikle £97,000
46 Ritchie Edhouse £96,750
47 Jermaine Wattimena £96,250
48 Ricky Evans £95,000
49 Luke Woodhouse £92,500
50 Florian Hempel £86,000
51 Rowby-John Rodriguez £82,750
52 Darius Labanauskas £82,250
53 Mike De Decker £80,500
54 Boris Krcmar £80,500
55 Steve Beaton £80,000
56 Jamie Hughes £75,000
57 Scott Williams £73,000
58 Devon Petersen £69,250
59 Jim Williams £68,250
60 Lewy Williams £67,000
61 Steve Lennon £65,000
62 Adam Gawlas £64,250
63 Joe Murnan £57,000
64 Jeff Smith £56,750
65 Ron Meulenkamp £56,750
66 Keegan Brown £56,250
67 Maik Kuivenhoven £54,250
68 Karel Sedlacek £51,500
69 Niels Zonneveld £51,000
70 Scott Mitchell £50,000
71 William Borland £49,500
72 Geert Nentjes £48,500
73 Danny Jansen £48,250
74 Cameron Menzies £47,750
75 Matt Campbell £47,750
76 Nathan Rafferty £45,750
77 Mickey Mansell £44,250
78 Jason Lowe £44,250
79 Adam Hunt £42,500
80 Glen Durrant £41,500
81 Jason Heaver £41,000
82 Andy Boulton £40,750
83 John Henderson £38,500
84 Danny Baggish £37,500
85 John O’Shea £36,500
86 Jeffrey de Zwaan £33,000
87 Gordon Mathers £31,750
88 Boris Koltsov £31,750
89 Max Hopp £31,250
90 Scott Waites £26,750
91 Berry van Peer £26,500
92 Jimmy Hendriks £26,000
93 Danny van Trijp £25,500
94 Peter Hudson £24,750
95 Kevin Doets £24,500
96 Sebastian Bialecki £24,000
97 Steve West £23,750
98 Jose Justicia £23,000
99 Ricardo Pietreczko £23,000
100 Eddie Lovely £22,250
101 Richie Burnett £22,000
102 Ted Evetts £22,000
103 Gian van Veen £22,000
104 John Michael £21,000
105 Mario Vandenbogaerde £20,250
106 Leonard Gates £20,000
107 Connor Scutt £19,500
108 Jon Worsley £19,000
109 Geert De Vos £19,000
110 Krzysztof Kciuk £18,000
111 Brian Raman £17,500
112 Rusty-Jake Rodriguez £17,250
113 Wesley Plaisier £16,750
114 Radek Szaganski £16,500
115 Brett Claydon £16,500
116 Jack Main £16,500
117 Robert Owen £15,500
118 George Killington £15,250
119 David Cameron £15,000
120 Grant Sampson £15,000
121 Lourence Ilagan £15,000
122 James Wilson £15,000
123 Shaun Wilkinson £14,750
124 Daniel Larsson £14,500
125 Luc Peters £13,000
126 Lee Evans £12,750
127 Christian Perez £12,500
128 Fallon Sherrock £12,500
129 Lisa Ashton £12,500
130 Damian Mol £12,250
131 David Evans £11,750
132 Lukas Wenig £11,750
133 Tony Martinez £11,250
134 Bradley Brooks £11,250
135 Jamie Clark £11,000
136 Zoran Lerchbacher £10,750
137 Kevin Burness £10,250
138 John Brown £10,250
139 Ross Montgomery £9,750
140 Jake Jones £9,250
141 Stephen Burton £9,250
142 Jules van Dongen £8,750
143 Jelle Klaasen £8,000
144 Beau Greaves £7,500
145 Ben Robb £7,500
146 Diogo Portela £7,500
147 Mal Cuming £7,500
148 Nobuhiro Yamamoto £7,500
149 Paolo Nebrida £7,500
150 Prakash Jiwa £7,500
151 Raymond Smith £7,500
152 Toru Suzuki £7,500
153 Vladyslav Omelchenko £7,500
154 Xicheng Han £7,500
155 Nick Fullwell £7,250
156 Darren Webster £6,500
157 Kenny Neyens £6,250
158 Pete Burgoyne £6,000
159 Dragutin Horvat £6,000
160 Thibault Tricole £5,250
161 Dennis Nilsson £5,000
162 Matthew Edgar £4,250
163 Gary Blades £4,250
164 Michael Unterbuchner £4,250
165 Jim McEwan £4,000
166 Johan Engstrom £4,000
167 Niko Springer £4,000
168 Scott Marsh £3,250
169 Darren Penhall £3,250
170 Stefan Bellmont £3,000
171 Nico Kurz £3,000
172 David Pallett £2,750
173 Graham Hall £2,750
174 Steve Haggerty £2,250
175 Stu Wilson £2,250
176 Nathan Girvan £2,000
177 Craig Galliano £2,000
178 Marko Kantele £2,000
179 Vitezslav Sedlak £2,000
180 Patrik Gosnak £2,000
181 Vladimir Andersen £2,000
182 Fabian Schmutzler £2,000
183 Dan Read £1,500
184 Jim Moston £1,500
185 Colin Osborne £1,500
186 Owen Roelofs £1,250
187 Dylan Duo Jr £1,000
188 Dyson Parody £1,000
189 Manuel Vilerio £1,000
190 Sean Negrette £1,000
191 Andy Baetens £1,000
192 Francois Schweyen £1,000
193 Remo Mandiau £1,000
194 Roberto Vandaele £1,000
195 Wouter Vanrolleghem £1,000
196 Andras Borbely £1,000
197 Franz Roetzsch £1,000
198 Levente Sarai £1,000
199 Pal Szekely £1,000
200 Arjan Konterman £1,000
201 Rene Eidams £1,000
202 Dennie Olde Kalter £1,000
203 Filip Sebesta £1,000
204 Martijn Dragt £1,000
205 Miloslav Navratil £1,000
206 Ondrej Plsek £1,000
207 Dietmar Burger £1,000
208 Michael Rasztovits £1,000
209 Rainer Sturm £1,000
210 Thomas Junghans £1,000
211 Danny Lauby £1,000
212 David Schlichting £1,000
213 Janos Vegso £1,000
214 Ryan Harrington £1,000
215 Wayne Jones £1,000
216 Christian Kist £750
217 Jurjen van der Velde £750
218 Thomas Lovely £750
219 Jeremy van der Winkel £750
220 Gavin Carlin £750
221 Carlo van Peer £750
222 Jacques Labre £750
223 Leighton Bennett £750
224 Steven Noster £750

 

Magnificent Michael Smith secures fairy-tale first World Championship title

Michael Smith fulfilled his darting destiny by becoming World Champion for the first time courtesy of a sensational 7-4 victory over Michael van Gerwen in the final at Alexandra Palace.

Smith, who picked up his maiden major title at the Grand Slam in November, doubled his tally by scooping the sport’s most prestigious prize with the aid of an incredible nine-darter.

The historic triumph sees Smith become the new world number one, denying Van Gerwen a fourth world title following an epic final.

From 3-2 down, Smith produced a devastating burst of four straight sets to take control at 6-3, before crushing any hopes of an MVG fightback by sealing an unforgettable victory.

“The way I felt when I won will never be topped, no matter what I do in this sport in the future,” said an emotional Smith.

“To be World Champion and world number one is amazing.

“Michael let me off a lot and, for once, I finally took my chance.

“In practice today I kept going 180-180-miss and I wanted to give the crowd what they deserved, a nine-darter.

“When I won the Grand Slam I said I would eventually become World Champion and world number one.

“I want to do what Michael [van Gerwen] has done, I want to dominate the sport but he’s still around!

“It’s now one-one between us in World Championship finals, but I don’t think it will be the last.”

Competing in his sixth World Championship final, Van Gerwen suffered a third defeat in the sport’s showpiece event, posting his first sub-100 average of the tournament.

“Michael played a phenomenal game, he deserves this win,” admitted a gracious Van Gerwen.

“Of course, I had my chances – I missed too many doubles and when you don’t hit them you get punished.

“I didn’t play too well in the last few sets but I can only blame myself for that, you have to take it on the chin.

“When you lose games it’s hard but it’s part of the job. I will be back.”

A game of the highest quality saw Smith end the match with a 100.87 average and an incredible 22 180s, while Van Gerwen posted a 99.58 average with 15 maximums.

The opening set saw Van Gerwen land an 84 checkout to break throw and win his 14th consecutive set of the tournament.

The second set featured the greatest leg of darts in televised history as Smith produced a roof-raising nine-dart finish in the same leg which saw Van Gerwen miss double 12 for a perfect leg of his own.

The nine-darter, the 14th in PDC World Championship history, sealed a break of throw for Smith, who then tidied up 25 in two darts to wrap up the set and level the match at 1-1.

After missing the bullseye for a 170 checkout, Smith wrapped up the third set, before Van Gerwen took the fourth without conceding a leg to level the tie at 2-2.

In a fifth set decider, Van Gerwen broke throw in 14 darts to take the lead for what proved to be the final time in the match at 3-2.

However, the key passage of the match saw Smith win 12 of the next 16 legs to take a 6-3 lead in sets.

Van Gerwen stopped the rot with a 105 checkout before the set ten decider saw Smith take the first shot at a match-winning checkout, but he was unable to land a 167 before Van Gerwen found a last-dart double 16 to stay alive.

Van Gerwen then took a 2-0 lead in the 11th set, but Smith hit back with a 106 checkout, followed up with a 15-dart break to move within a leg of the title.

Smith kicked off the deciding leg with back-to-back 180s before sealing victory with an 11-darter on double eight to confirm a stunning 7-4 success and clinch the £500,000 top prize.

He becomes the 11th different player to win the PDC World Championship, the fifth Englishman, and the 12th different PDC world number one.

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Michael van Gerwen dismisses stamping accusation during World Championship Semi-Final

Michael van Gerwen has denied claims he stamped on the stage during his whitewash win over Dimitri van den Bergh in the World Championship Semi-Finals on Monday.

Van Gerwen stormed to a 6-0 rout of Van den Bergh at Alexandra Palace with a tournament-high average of 108.28, dropping only four legs in the process.

A notable flashpoint in the match came during the third set when the pair exchanged words after a visibly frustrated Van den Bergh appeared to question whether Van Gerwen had been encroaching on the exclusion zone as he was about to throw.

Van Gerwen then seemingly urged the Belgian to pick up the pace before closing out the leg with a show-piece 170 checkout and staring his opponent down.

After wrapping up a comprehensive victory to move into his sixth world final, the three-time World Champion revealed in a fiery post-match press conference that he was accused of ‘stamping’ by Van den Bergh.

“He was complaining about something, but oh well, I would complain as well if I was playing like him,” said Van Gerwen.

“All the important moments in the game, I was the boss, I was the one who was in charge of the game.

“He said I was stamping. I didn’t stamp at all.

“The commentators were talking about it and I was standing in the exclusion zone.

“Just look towards my last 50-100 games where I stand in my game, just have a look.

“I always do the same, I never do anything to put someone off. But if they lose, they always have to say something.

“There’s no need for it, he was trying something that wasn’t there, otherwise he would say it afterwards in his interview as well and make it a big thing.

“There was not a big thing but people want to make it a big thing.

“If people accuse me of stamping then that’s something different, because I didn’t do that. If I did then I would tell you straight away because I don’t care.”

Van Gerwen will now take on Michael Smith in Tuesday night’s final, marking a repeat of their 2019 encounter which the Dutchman won 7-3 to claim the most recent of his three world titles.

As well as picking up the Sid Waddell Trophy and £500,000 top prize, the winner will also become the new world number one.

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Michael van Gerwen v Michael Smith live stream | World Darts Championship final preview

Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith face off on a date with destiny in the 2022/23 World Darts Championship final at Alexandra Palace on Tuesday.

The box office duo meet in the sport’s show-piece fixture for the second time, with Smith eyeing revenge for his painful defeat in 2019.

For both, it is a culmination for a remarkable season of success, but only one can walk away with the Sid Waddell Trophy and £500,000 top prize.

The winner will also claim the world number one spot over 2022 World Champion Peter Wright.

Van Gerwen is vying for a fourth world title and has enjoyed a serene passage into his sixth final at Ally Pally courtesy of a series of blistering displays.

World Champion in 2014, 2017 and 2019, the Dutch sensation has been the dominant force on the circuit this season, storming to Premier League, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and Players Championship Finals glory to take his tally of PDC major titles to 45.

He also racked up a further three European Tour titles, two ProTours and a World Series crown and put down an immediate marker upon his return to the capital by thrashing Lewy Williams in straight sets with a 101.8 average – dropping just one leg in the process.

The green machine fended off a spirited effort from a resurgent Mensur Suljovic to clinch a 4-2 victory with a stunning 107.6 average and followed that up with further ton-plus averages in dismantling Dirk van Duijvenbode 4-1 and Chris Dobey 5-0.

He then registered the highest average of the tournament so far (108.28) in a brutal 6-0 whitewash of Dimitri van den Bergh in Monday’s second Semi-Final, landing a 170 checkout in the process.

An incredible strike rate has seen MVG win 45 of his 56 major finals, two of which against Smith, and he has won 37 of their 50 previous meetings.

Smith, however, defeated his nemesis 8-4 in the final to claim the US Masters title in New York last June and heads into his third World Championship final as a major winner for the first time, following November’s Grand Slam triumph.

The St Helens star is out to atone for last year’s heartbreak when he squandered a 5-4 lead in the final to Peter Wright in an eventual 7-5 defeat.

The fourth seed got off to the perfect start by whitewashing Nathan Rafferty in nine consecutive legs, before surviving a major scare from Martin Schindler as he battled back from 3-1 down to snatch a narrow 4-3 victory.

He then averaged 103.2 in a dominant 4-1 defeat of fellow Premier League star Joe Cullen, before fending off a late rally from Stephen Bunting on New Year’s Day to seal a 5-3 victory despite registering his lowest average of the tournament so far (91.63).

A contrasting performance was to follow as ‘Bully Boy’ reeled off four consecutive sets to end the historic run of Germany’s Gabriel Clemens with a 6-2 success which included 19 maximums and a 101.8 average.

Victory over Van Gerwen would see Smith become the eleventh different PDC World Champion, the fifth Englishman and the 12th different PDC world number one.

The final commences from 8pm GMT and will be contested over the best 13 sets, best of five legs per set.

Deciding sets must be won by two clear legs, unless the score reaches 5-5, in which case a sudden-death leg will be played.

How to watch Michael van Gerwen v Michael Smith live stream

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Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith set up World Darts Championship final rematch

Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith will collide in the final of the 2022/23 World Darts Championship after dispatching Dimitri van den Bergh and Gabriel Clemens at Alexandra Palace on Monday.

A repeat of the 2019 final will see Van Gerwen vie for a fourth world title, while Smith eyes his first on the back of picking up his first major just two months ago.

Van Gerwen produced a majestic display to whitewash a helpless Van den Bergh 6-0, averaging 108.3 – the highest of the tournament so far.

Meanwhile, two-time runner-up Smith crashed in 19 maximums and landed five ton-plus finishes to curtail Clemens’ fairy-tale run in the capital, reeling off four straight sets to close out a 6-2 success.

Van Gerwen stole the headlines with a blistering display, following up his 5-0 demolition of Chris Dobey in the Quarter-Finals with another whitewash win to move through to his sixth World Championship final.

The three-time World Champion has now won 13 sets without reply, and posted his fifth ton-plus average of the tournament to continue his bid for a first Ally Pally title since 2019.

Van den Bergh struck the first blow with a sublime 170 finish during the opening set, only for Van Gerwen to reply with legs of 14 and 11 darts to open his account.

The Dutchman extended his winning run to eight straight legs to storm into a 3-0 cushion, taking out a sensational 170 checkout of his own in a spectacular third set, which saw him average 128.

Van den Bergh threatened to reduce the deficit after forcing a fourth-set decider with a superb 121 on the bull, but after spurning two set darts, the Belgian was not afforded another opportunity.

Van Gerwen produced another three-leg blitz in set five, registering winning legs of 13, 11 and 11 darts to record another set average of 128.83, before firing in a trio of 13-darters to cap off a sensational showing.

“To win games like that gives you confidence and joy, but I haven’t won anything yet,” insisted Van Gerwen, who defeated Smith 7-3 to lift his third World Championship ttile four years ago.

“It feels phenomenal to play the game I played tonight. I’m playing out of my skin at the moment and it means a lot to me.

“The crowd gave me so much energy, but I also try to give them something back and tonight it worked, because I produced a stunning performance.

“I feel good, I feel comfortable and I’m doing the right things at the right moments. Roll on tomorrow now.”

In Monday’s opener, Smith produced a blistering display to move through to his third World Championship final in five years.

Smith, who was beaten by Peter Wright in last year’s final, turned on the style to deny trailblazer Clemens – who made history in becoming the first German player to feature in a PDC World Championship Semi-Final.

The St Helens star drew first blood in an astonishing opening set which featured six 180s, taking out 106 on tops to wrap it up.

He then kicked off set two with back-to-back 11-darters, but Clemens rallied, surviving four set darts to restore parity at one apiece.

The next two sets also went the distance, and despite Smith’s unrelenting assault on the treble 20, Clemens appeared unfazed, defying a spectacular 161 finish from the fourth seed to draw level at 2-2.

However, Smith swept through set five with successive legs of 15, 12 and 13 darts to regain the initiative, and a clinical 83 finish on the bull in a sixth-set decider saw him establish a two-set advantage.

Smith then defied a spirited fightback from Clemens to clinch set seven with a 106 average, before punishing crucial missed doubles from the German in the latter stages to seal his place in Tuesday’s show-piece.

“I’m in my third final in five years. I’m over the moon,” said Smith, who averaged 101.8 to continue his bid for the coveted Sid Waddell Trophy.

“It wasn’t quite the complete performance, but I wasn’t far off. Everything felt good tonight, there were a couple of dodgy scores, but you can’t be perfect every leg.

“This means everything. From the heartache of last year – I’ve battled through over the last 11 months, just to get back to this stage and get another chance – it’s been special.

“I will never give up. I finally won my first TV title at the Grand Slam, and hopefully I can get my first World Championship tomorrow. I want to get revenge against Michael from 2019.”

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World Darts Championship 2022/23 Semi-Final Results

Monday January 2

Michael Smith 6-2 Gabriel Clemens
Michael van Gerwen 6-0 Dimitri van den Bergh

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